There are academic, health and safety, and financial differences between studying abroad through a U-M program vs. a non-UM (external).
First, when studying abroad through a U-M program, students may receive in-residence credit. In-residence credits do not need to be transferred, and they will count towards your GPA. For non-UM programs, you must go through the U-M credit transfer process to ensure that the credits you receive through a non-UM program will transfer to your U-M degree.
Second, U-M programs require that you register your travel with U-M. Travel Abroad Health Insurance will also be included in your U-M study abroad program fee. When you study abroad through non-UM programs, you are not required to register your travel, although it is highly recommended that you do. Many times, your non-UM study abroad provider will provide health insurance, but we recommend exploring U-M’s travel abroad health insurance plan in case you want to double-insure yourself or just compare the two health insurance plans.
Third, students who study abroad through U-M programs may be able to have UM-specific financial aid count towards their study abroad program fee/tuition. Federal financial aid is also likely to transfer over. Generally speaking, when you study abroad through non-UM programs, federal financial aid will transfer over, but any U-M specific scholarships will not. You may also not be eligible for U-M specific study abroad scholarships. In all cases, it is best for you to contact the Office of Financial Aid ([email protected]) with questions about your specific financial aid package.