Financial Aid & 529 Funds

Widening access for students of all economic means

Financial Assistance

Who is Eligible for Financial Assistance?

If the tuition of a program is beyond what your family can afford, you can apply for financial assistance! Interested students from all nationalities are eligible to apply. To make our programs more accessible, Dragons offers two types of financial assistance: Sliding Scale Pricing and Scholarships. Learn more about these tuition levels on our Tuition Transparency page. 

The application process is similar for both Sliding Scale Pricing and Scholarships. Please follow the instructions below to apply. Applying for financial assistance does not guarantee a space on a Dragons program.

Just Apply & Describe Your Financial Situation

Don’t hesitate to apply, even if you’re unsure you’ll qualify or be selected. If you feel strongly that Dragons is right for you, we want to hear from you!

Great Wall of China

Financial Assistance Application Process

  • Step 1: Apply for a Program

    Fill out a standard online application. Please do not submit a program deposit (Sliding Scale applicants will be invited to submit a deposit if their application is approved. The $850 deposit is waived for all Scholarship applicants).

    Be detailed when answering the short answer responses; this is your chance to express why you are a great fit for Dragons! As with all Dragons students, we are looking for applicants who are curious and excited to engage with communities around the world, and who meet our Essential Eligibility Criteria.

Summer, Gap, IIP Application

Financial Assistance Application

Sliding Scale applications are considered on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis.
Scholarship applications must be received by the session’s deadline to be considered:

    • Summer scholarship applications: due by March 1.
    • Fall scholarship applications: due by May 15.
    • Spring scholarship applications: due by October 15.
  • Step 3: Gather Supporting Financial Documents

    Acquire a copy of your parents’ most recent Federal tax returns. Please be sure that your family income information is available on the document (Your FAFSA or SAR can also work if it shows your family income). While you are not required to submit your documents with your financial assistance application, you must be able to provide them at Dragons request. 

  • Step 4: Dragons Confirmation and Interview Selection

    If we may be able to support your financial assistance request, our admissions team will contact you.

    • Sliding Scale: You’ll hear back within five (5) business days. If approved, you will submit your program deposit first and then receive an interview invitation.
    • Scholarships: After the session scholarship deadline, the scholarship committee will select applicants to advance to the interview stage. You will not submit a program deposit.
  • Step 5: Final Review

    After an interview, our Review Committee will issue an admissions and financial assistance decision via email.

Please Be Patient

The process can take time, and all decisions are made with care. Feel free to check in on the status of your application by emailing us.

Other Information

Can I Use My Federal Financial Aid To Pay for the Program?

Unfortunately, Dragons is not eligible for the federal school code required for the application of federal financial aid.

How Else Can I Support My Program?

Students fund their experiences with Dragons in many ways. This could be a good reason to start your own fundraising campaign and research other ways to support your travels abroad. You can also consider external scholarships, private loans, or 529 educational savings funds. Some examples of external scholarships to check out include:

Using 529 funds

What is a 529 Plan?

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged education savings plan designed to help families set aside funds for future education expenses. The tax advantage can only be used for “qualifying education expenses.”

Is Dragons a “Qualifying Expense”?

It depends! Every 529 plan has different rules. Contact your plan administrator to find out how your plan defines a “qualifying expense” and their requirements for payment. As you do your research, keep the following in mind:

  1. On our side, Dragons is happy to accept 529 funds. However, it is up to YOU to make sure your plan considers Dragons a qualifying expense, to avoid tax penalties!
  2. Registering for college credit may allow you to pay for more of your Dragons program using your 529 plan. Please review our College Credit page to learn more about how to register.
  3. Some plans may allow funds to be transferred directly to Dragons, which is great! However, other plans may require payment to be made to the college credit School of Record. If this is the case for you and you are enrolled in a University of Montana (UM) course, UM and the Gap Year Association can help process your 529 payment. Contact us at [email protected] as soon as possible to begin this process.
  4. Students will NOT receive a tuition statement tax form (Form 1098-T) from Dragons, a School of Record (the University of Montana or Naropa University), nor the Gap Year Association. For tax purposes, in lieu of a Form 1098-T, students should maintain proof of tuition payment to Dragons and documentation of college course enrollment (if applicable) in the form of a student ID number and/or official transcripts.

Frequently Asked Questions