Learning Abroad Center

Request a SACE

Do I Need a Study Abroad Cost Estimate (SACE)?

If you are a University of Minnesota Twin Cities undergraduate student and plan to use financial aid to study abroad, you must request an official Study Abroad Cost Estimate (SACE) from the Learning Abroad Center and submit it to the Office of Student Finance. The SACE documents all financial aid-eligible costs of your study abroad program, is used to adjust your cost of attendance, and allows you to access the adjusted amount to pay for your study abroad expenses. The SACE is tailored to reflect costs specific to you and your situation and is different from the more general Cost of Participation that you see posted on your program's web page.

Who should NOT use the SACE process?

  • Non-University of Minnesota Twin Cities students. Inquire with your home institution for guidance on accessing financial aid abroad.
  • Students participating on the Carlson School's Global Enrichment or Global Immersion programs. Request a SACE directly from the Carlson Global Institute.
  • Students participating in a nonaffiliated program or directed study.
  • Students going abroad for research or other activities outside of a study abroad program.
  • Students using scholarships only. In most cases, if you are only using scholarships (and do not wish to receive loans or grants), you will not need a SACE. Learning Abroad Center scholarships do not require a SACE in order to access the funds.

How to Request a SACE

Complete the SACE Request Form, which will be added to your application in the 'Optional Checklist' section after you have confirmed your participation in the program.

When to Request a SACE

You may request a SACE anytime after your application in the LAC application portal has been updated to 'Confirmed' status. Note the timeline below.

If you have a Housing Selection Form on your application checklist, you must submit that form before requesting a SACE.  Your SACE cannot be processed if you have not indicated your housing selection.

You are strongly encouraged to schedule a Financial Aid Preview Meeting before requesting a SACE. This meeting provides you the opportunity to discuss your financial aid eligibility (how much and what type of aid) and aid disbursement timeline/process prior to financially committing to the program.

Timeline

The Learning Abroad Center will begin processing SACE requests according to the timeline in the table below.  Requests made after the batch processing begins for your term abroad typically take up to two weeks to process.  Requests made after the request deadline could take 4-8 weeks.
 

Term AbroadDeadline to Request SACEWhen LAC begins to process SACEs
Fall Semester or Academic YearJune 1Mid-March
Winter Break (including programs with Fall or Spring on-campus courses that go abroad over Winter Break)December 1Mid-October
Spring Semester or Calendar YearDecember 1Mid-October
Spring BreakFeb 1Early-February
May Session (including programs with a Spring on-campus course that go abroad over May session)May 1Mid-February
SummerMay 1Mid-February

Next Steps

After your SACE is prepared by the LAC, you will receive an email notification that you have an application status update. Log in to the application portal to view your SACE. Click on the View Your Application Status Letters link at the top of your portal checklist page, under the Status Update heading.

Undergraduate Students

Once you receive your SACE, carefully review the document for accuracy and then submit a PDF of the SACE via email to [email protected] (with "ATTN: Study Abroad SACE") in the subject line to finalize your request. Detailed instructions will be included in your email or student portal once your SACE is released to you.

If you did not attend a Financial Aid Preview Meeting before you received your SACE, we strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment with a financial aid counselor in order to submit your SACE.

Graduate Students

Once you receive your SACE, carefully review the document for accuracy and then submit a PDF of the SACE via email to [email protected] with "ATTN: Graduate Unit"  in the subject line.

If you did not attend a Financial Aid Preview Meeting before you received your SACE, we strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment with a financial aid counselor in order to submit your SACE.  Graduate students must email [email protected]  (ATTN: Graduate Unit) to schedule the appointment.