Plan & Apply

Up-Front Costs

Most programs include upfront costs such as program deposits, U.S. Passports, visas, and airfare. Students should be aware that some expenses must be covered before scholarships and financial aid are disbursed. It is important to develop a plan for covering these up-front costs in the term prior to departure.

The Global Experiences Office offers the following options to any UNL student who is participating on a UNL faculty-led program and has an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) below $15,000. These options will serve as a “bridge” during the three to four months between committing to a program and purchasing airfare, and receiving scholarships and financial aid.

  • Commitment Deposit Payment Deferment Plan: Eligible students may commit to a program by signing an agreement with the GEO instead of paying an initial Commitment Deposit.
  • Airfare Assistance Program (AAP): GEO staff will partner with Fox World Travel on behalf of eligible students to purchase airfare for programs with individual flight reservations. Students will be billed for airfare at the beginning of the term in which they go abroad.

Budgeting

Careful budgeting, saving, and planning is extremely important before and throughout your time abroad. Global Experiences staff can help you determine how much your tuition and program costs will be, but make sure to also consider the costs of airfare, health insurance, and the daily living expenses that you’ll incur while abroad. Another way to be financially prepared for your trip is by visiting the UNL Student Money Management Center. This gives you the opportunity to work with an advisor to learn how to best manage your financial resources, both at home and abroad. Husker Hub can then help you identify the gap between the estimated program cost and the various funding sources you have available (grants, scholarships, federal or private loans, etc.). You can also find an app, Excel spreadsheet, or a personal system that works best for you. College students may receive one free year of the popular resource You Need a Budget (YNAB). 

Husker Passport Giveaway

The Global Experiences Office, in partnership with the UNL Passport Office, will be giving away 100 passports to University of Nebraska-Lincoln students. Recipients of the Husker Passport Giveaway will have the cost of obtaining a passport covered by the program. The cost of a passport is approximately $180 (application fees + photos). 

Eligibility

To be considered for a free passport, you must be:

  • a current UNL undergraduate student, actively enrolled
  • a U.S. citizen
  • at least 18 years old
  • applying for your first US passport book (If you previously had a passport book, you are not eligible. If you have only ever had a passport card, you are eligible.)

Priority is given to:

  • first generation college students
  • students who articulate financial need
  • students who have two or more semesters remaining before graduation
  • students who plan to participate in an education abroad program during their undergraduate career 

Recipients will be selected based on meeting eligibility requirements and content of the brief application essays.

Process

Application closes October 1.
Recipients will be notified by mid-October. 

Questions? Please contact Rebecca Baskerville at rlbaskerville@unl.edu.

Learn More & Apply

Application Process

All students participating in UNL Faculty-Led, Affiliated program, Exchange,  or Non-UNL programs must submit an application to go abroad via the UNL Global Experiences Office online application system, Via-TRM.

  1. Visit the Via-TRM page, and login by using your Canvas ID and Password. 
  2. The system will prompt you to provide more details about yourself, and it will create your application. 
    • You can save your progress in an application and come back later to complete required items. You do not need to complete the entire application in one sitting.
  3. When you click on the title of your chosen program, it will bring you to your personalized Program Application, which will list the items that you need to submit or complete in order for your application to be considered. When you complete an item, the form or application's status must be "submitted," and you will know that the item has been received.
    • Applications completed using our online Via-TRM system must be completed by the deadline, so please read all instructions carefully.

Eligibility & Conditions of Participation

Choosing a program

Selecting a program is an exciting and important process. Be honest with yourself and think about what's right for you, including:

  • Your long-term academic and professional goals
  • Your degree requirements
  • Whether a short-term program, a semester, or an academic year program will help you achieve your goals
  • Why do you want to go abroad? What do you want to achieve and experience?
  • What aspects of going abroad are most important to you--courses, location, cultural experiences, learning a language, opportunity to participate in an internship or service learning?
  • How will going abroad fit into your career goals?

Keep your goals in mind as you begin your program search, the “best” program is the program that is right for you! Attend a Huskers Abroad 101 session to get started.

Program Types 

Education abroad by major advising pages 

Program Search