Economic fears have driven Boston University officials to extend deadlines and nearly double financial aid in order to match the record 530 students who studied abroad last summer, BU International Programs officials said.
Administrators extended the deadline for summer 2009 applications earlier this month from March 1 to March 15.
‘There’s a lot of uncertainty out there, so we extended the deadline simply to give students more time to talk it over with their parents,’ International Programs Institutional Relations Director Joe Finkhouse said. ‘I think the extended deadline has really helped students make the decision to go.’
Finkhouse said the extension allowed between 50 and 100 more students to send in applications. He said International Programs officials were worried about matching last summer’s numbers, but now with the increase of applications, they think they will be able to come close.’ ‘
Officials have also approximately doubled the amount of financial aid available to students studying abroad this year, Finkhouse said.
‘I think it’s going to be almost twice as much as we had last year,’ Finkhouse said. ‘We’ll be able to increase the number of grants and hopefully the size of the grants.’
Finkhouse said the amount of need or merit grants given to students for summer programs typically ranges between $500 and $2,500. The aid increase applies only to BU students during the summer session.
To go abroad during the school year, BU students must apply for aid through the Office of Financial Assistance, not International Programs.
The news of this year’s doubled financial aid comes after the Association of International Educators recognized BU and four other colleges earlier this month with the 2009 Senator Paul Simon Award for Exemplary Internationalization Efforts.
‘[The increase is] because the university feels that international programs are very much a part of the university,’ Finkhouse said.
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Elizabeth Kracunas said going abroad during the academic year might be financially easier.
‘I want to go abroad probably during the year,’ Kracunas said. ‘That’s why I wouldn’t go over for the summer. I wouldn’t be able to work.’
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitations sophomore Annabelle Ho said one of her friends is going to Peru this summer and complained to her about the program’s financial impact.
‘She just said, ‘I’m going to be broke afterwards, but my parents said it would be worth it,” Ho said.
College of General Studies sophomore Amanda Olesen Wickline said cost would be a significant factor in her decision to study abroad someday.
‘Just being able to afford it,’ Olesen Wickline said.’ ‘I do want to go abroad . . . [but the money] plays an important factor.’
But CGS sophomore Sarah Burns said the London summer program she participated in last summer was worth the money.
‘It was just six weeks, but it was hands down the best thing I’ve ever done,’ Burns said.’ ‘I think that the aid would help . . . the program is a little bit pricy, but the cost didn’t stop me from doing it.’ It was a once in a lifetime experience.’
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