Study Abroad FAQs

No, students who have used the International Study Award (ISA) or Summer Experience Award (SEA) in a previous summer are not eligible for the Summer Experience Grant (SEG).

Yale Summer Session (YSS) Abroad and Yale in London. Non-Yale study abroad programs are not eligible for the SEG.

The SEG is a non-competitive award. Students are guaranteed funding as long as they meet all SEG requirements and deadlines.

Please refer to the SEG Student Eligibility page for eligibility requirements.

Students who have already graduated and students with senior class standing are not eligible for an SEG. We recommend checking out postgraduate fellowship opportunities.

Students with senior class standing who will graduate the December following their SEG experience may apply for SEG funding provided they meet all other eligibility requirements. 

If you become ineligible or are discovered to be ineligible for the SEG after requesting the SEG, you will need to return all SEG funding already received.

Funding is calculated in two parts. Eligible students will receive a flat stipend for Travel Expenses associated with their study abroad program, such as airfare and health, in the amount of $1600.

The second part of the SEG budget covers Program Expenses such as tuition, room and board, local transportation, and required supplies. Instructions on how to calculate your individual SEG for Yale Study Abroad are available here on the SEG website.

While budgets are firm, students may petition for adjustments to their program budget related to Health expenses required for their program (example: uncommon vaccinations).

Yes. If the SEG Travel Expenses stipend is significantly lower than actual travel needs, the student can apply for an outside scholarship to cover the gap without lowering their SEG even if they are due to receive 100% of the SEG program budget. The student must submit proof of actual travel need.

Submitting proof of need - email the SEG Team with the following information:

• Proof of outside Scholarship awarded, such as email announcement
• Proof of actual travel expenses: Screenshots of available travel itineraries for the dates of travel. All relevant details (dates of travel, class of travel, available airlines) must be visible. Receipts of purchased tickets can be submitted but do not constitute proof of required travel expenses.

Please note that if the outside scholarship received is significantly higher than what is required to fund the gap between the SEG Travel Expenses stipend and actual cost of travel, the student’s SEG may be reduced. This is decided on case by case basis.

International students who will depart to their study abroad program from outside the US can petition for an airfare budget adjustment if their airfare costs are significantly higher than the SEG Travel stipend.

Please reach out to the SEG Study Abroad Team and provide supporting documentation, including proof of travel costs. Screenshots of available travel itineraries for the dates of travel constitute proof of costs. All relevant details (dates of travel, class of travel, available airlines) must be visible. Receipts of purchased tickets can be submitted but do not constitute proof of required travel expenses.

Yes. Fees associated with New Haven on-campus housing and meal plans will be completely waived for all students using any level of SEG funding toward the relevant YSS Program Abroad. Students participating in a YSS Program Abroad with a New Haven start who want to use the waiver should opt into New Haven on-campus housing when completing the pre-departure materials in their Yale Compass account, which appear after admission. Financial Aid will work with the YSS Office to ensure the free on-campus housing and meal plan will be applied for the SEG recipients who opt into New Haven on-campus housing. Note that SEG recipients who opt to live off-campus will not receive SEG funding toward New Haven costs and will pay for all associated New Haven housing and meal costs out-of-pocket.

Please see the SEG About Budgets page for a breakdown of covered and un-covered expenses. The SEG does not cover optional charges like non-required field trips, specialty clothing, or personal items like notebooks.

The SEG is intended to cover a percentage of the program’s set budget. It will not cover all expenses of a student’s experience abroad, and even after careful planning and budgeting, please be aware that unexpected costs may arise. All students – even students with 100% need – will most likely need to contribute their own money towards program and related expenses.

For more information, please review the Out-of-Pocket Costs page.

You can request the SEG for an eligible study abroad program even if you are not yet sure that you will attend. If your plans change, contact the SEG Office as soon as possible. Please note that programs may have nonrefundable fees for late withdrawal.

You can apply for both the SEG professional development and the SEG study abroad option if you are not sure which of the two awards you would like to use. However, you must choose one option of funding. You cannot receive the SEG for both options. 

Eligible students can request funding for a single Yale Summer Session (YSS) Abroad or Yale in London program. The SEG Request Form is part of the program application process. Once you begin an application for an eligible program in Yale Compass, you will see the SEG Request Form as one of the required documents in your account.

Due to the high number of requests received, the SEG Team is unable to individually confirm students’ submission status. To check whether you have already completed your SEG request, please confirm that the SEG Request Form in your Yale Compass account has been submitted.

If you withdraw from your study abroad program or change programs, you must alert the SEG and the Study Abroad Office. If you withdraw, you must return any SEG funds received in full.

The SEG for Yale Study Abroad programs is disbursed in two lump sums directly to students:

Payment 1: Travel Stipend, deposited into students’ Yale Pay accounts soon after program confirmation.

Payment 2: Program Expenses, deposited into students’ Yale Pay accounts.

For more information on how to receive your SEG for study abroad, please review the Receive the SEG page.

Students should check Yale Pay for the SEG Travel Stipend and the SEG Program Expeness. Financial Aid will send a letter, but this may be received several weeks after funds are deposited.

Funding is disbursed on a rolling basis from April to June. If you believe that your funding should have already been disbursed, you are welcome to reach out to the SEG Office.