Financial Aid

Study Abroad Document Submission Instructions

Once you are registered for your UC Study Abroad course (handled by UC International), you will receive a Catalyst Checklist To-Do titled “Submit Semester Agreement.” This will instruct you to log in to the Student Financial Aid portal. 

Note: If you do not have a Social Security Number on file with UC, you will not be able to use Student Forms. Please contact SFAO-STAB@ucmail.uc.edu for manual submission instructions.

Required Documentation

Study Abroad Academic Approval Form: Confirms your academic standing (required for federal funding) and ensures abroad courses will transfer into your UC degree program. Work with your academic advisor to complete this form.

Acceptance Letters/Emails: Upload proof of acceptance into your abroad program. This can be a screenshot of an acceptance email (must include your name and host signature) or a formal acceptance letter.

Study Abroad Contractual Agreement: This is the main agreement for using financial aid for coursework completed outside the U.S.

  • Page 1: Completed by you.
  • Page 2: Completed by your host institution or study abroad advisor.
  • Important: Ensure program dates and all details are accurate to avoid disbursement delays.

Term Bill: Upload your UC term bill for the semester abroad. Access this via Catalyst.

Ohio College Opportunity Grant Recipients: If eligible, upload your host institution bill in addition to your UC bill. The host bill must show a detailed breakdown of tuition costs (specifically, tuition broken down from any fees or other costs). This helps our office review your eligibility and avoid delays in aid disbursement.

Where to Submit Documentation

Students will submit their Study Abroad paperwork for Financial Aid through the Student Financial Aid portal. If you do not have an account you will need to create one using the same information you used to fill out your FAFSA.

Step 1: Log in to the Student Financial Aid portal and navigate to the “Needs Action” tab. Click on the Study Abroad Contractual Agreement.

A Screenshot of what the Needs Action page of the Financial Aid Portal will look like after logging in for a student that needs to upload Study Abroad documentation. The screenshot shows 4 tasks that need action, all relating to the Student's Study Abroad

Step 2: Under this screen you can see each individual document that is required for use of financial aid. Click on the arrows on the left hand side to expand each section and upload the requested documentation. Submit all requested documentation to avoid delays.

After entering the Needs Action tab of the student financial aid portal, the student can see a list here of what Study Abroad documents need to be uploaded. Listed are Study Abroad Academic Approval Form, Study Abroad Acceptance Letters/Emails, Study Abroad Contractual Agreement, and Term Bill

Processing & Disbursement

Processing Time: Please allow 1–3 business days for the Student Financial Aid Office to process your paperwork.

Disbursement Timing: Once processed, your financial aid disbursement will be scheduled to occur 10 days prior to the start of your program, but no earlier than 10 days before the start of UC's semester.