College Limits the Use of Financial Aid for Study Abroad

In an attempt to balance its budget, Mills College will not be allowing students to use Mills-funded scholarships, loans or work-study awards toward study abroad.

Students will still be able to use federal money and other private institution scholarships to pay for study abroad.

As stated in an article in the school’s newspaper, The Campanil, “‘My understanding is that when a student goes away on study abroad, they pay tuition to the institution they are going to and Mills get’s nothing,’ Nickel said in an email. ‘So for Mills to give institutional financial aid to the student to help cover that tuition cost, it means we are losing money on the transaction, we have negative net revenue.’”

In these tough economic times, there is already a strain on many families and individuals to pay for university education, let alone study abroad. While the “Economic Impact Survey” conducted on behalf of the Education Abroad Knowledge Community at NAFSA suggests that actual participation rates have not dropped because of the financial crisis, this college-endorsed cut could limit study abroad at Mills.

While the college is trying to better their financial state, this new policy could have detrimental effects on the university’s reputation and enrollment. If students entering college are adamant about studying abroad, they may disregard Mills College from their prospective schools because of the restricted study abroad finances.

Mills claims that study abroad costs less than attending Mills, but this calculation does not include the added expenses of travel. While I understand that study abroad is a luxury (that I have been lucky enough to experience), I think it is a shame that students may have to pass up the opportunity to grow and learn because the college has limited how funds can be used to learn.