<p>Hello all
Question about your experiences with paying for study abroad. My daughter is planning a semester abroad next fall. Tuition for the program she is looking at is about $7000 less for the semester than her usual tuition (room and board slightly more expensive at her school than abroad as well). When we saw this we figured that difference in the price would go toward her flights and other expenses related to being abroad. We figured we'd come out about even.
Then we read the fine print (ok not so fine, just a page of the college's website we hadn't looked at. Her school requires that when a student goes abroad they pay their usual tuition to them, as well as room fees (for their highest price dorm style) and the usual board price. Her school then pays the abroad program tuition, room and board from that money. They do not, as far as I can determine, return the difference in price to the student. They also do not use the difference in price to help defray any of the other costs associated with going abroad (airfare, obtaining a visa...).<br>
So - the semester is going to cost us a decent amount more than a semester at school would.<br>
I'm wondering if this is the way most schools work, or if this is unique to her school. As I said, we didn't read the "fine print" until she was home for winter break, and I remain a bit dumbfounded that they feel justified in keeping the extra money... I'd love to hear how it works other places, and I'd also love to hear the why it is that it's done this way if anyone knows from experience other places.
Thanks so much!</p>
<p>From what I hear (and I may be wrong), schools aren't supposed to do this. They're supposed to go according to whatever school you're studying abroad in. But like I said- may be wrong. It's just what people have told me, that some schools are involved in what appears to be scams.</p>
<p>D just finished a study abroad semester from her school. We paid directly to her regular college. Only additional cost was the airline ticket. Many tours were included (week in the Galapagos, weekends to other parts of the country, etc). All her FA applied as well.</p>
<p>Different schools do it different ways. It's something that you should consider before choosing a college and certainly before choosing a study abroad program.</p>
<p>My daughter's college (Swarthmore) has you pay them the usual. They then pay the study abroad program and send a check to the student to cover airfare and any miscellaneous expenses (meals, etc.). This approach is highly advatageous to financial aid students who do not need to come up with cash ouf of pocket to do study abroad. Swarthmore openly acknowledges that full-fare students are subsidizing financial aid students with this approach.</p>
<p>It has implications on program selection. Obviously, you don't want to pick a very inexpensive program. My daugther's program was actually a few bucks more than a semester at Swarthmore. Swarthmore paid it.</p>
<p>One of my children is studying abroad with Duke this semester. We paid the regular tuition which covered lodging, food, textbooks and excursions during breaks. We did not pay the on campus housing or meal plan. She did have to pay airfare and for her visa, but so far we are actually coming out better, but I'll wait and see how much incidentals run us.</p>
<p>With my two sons, I've had it both ways. </p>
<p>S1 went to Connecticut College. He spent a semester at University of Otago in New Zealand. We paid ConnColl the regular amount of tuition, room, and board, and paid for airfare.</p>
<p>S2 goes to Dartmouth college. He's spending his winter term also at University of Otago in New Zealand, where it's their summer (6-week) term. I'm saving gazillion dollars by having him in NZ this term! I sent money directly to University of Otago -- around $1,800 for tuition, plus around $1,000 for R&B, plus $1,500 airplane fare -- total, ~$4,300. Dartmouth?? Around $16,000 total. (D'mouth is a quarter system, so we pay 3 X $16,000 a year, or around $48,000 per year.)</p>
<p>To be fair, I must point out that S2 is taking two courses in New Zealand, rather than his standard three at Dartmouth. But students at Dartmouth do occasionally take two, so I still feel this is a fantastic bargain.</p>
<p>I'd love it if S2 went to New Zealand again next year!!</p>
<p>Paying for study abroad directly is generally preferable for full-fare customers at high end US colleges. However, it's a nightmare for full financial aid low income family who has to apply separately for finanicial aid for the semester abroad and may have to shell out signficant amounts of cash in deposits and airfare. A full-ride need-based aid family will almost always do better on a system where tuition and financial aid to the home college continues unchanged.</p>
<p>The top study abroad programs are priced more or less in line with the cost of a semester at a top US college, so often there's not much difference one way or another.</p>
<p>Actually that's not actually true in all cases. I've only had one study abroad so far, but if it is a Duke program, or Duke-approved program, there is no new application for financial aid (unless it is in the summer). The financial aid automatically transfers to the study abroad program tuition and fees. However, you are correct that going to another school's program could be problematic in applying for aid.</p>
<p>Indeed it varies from school to school. My D will be able to do two different study abroad programs, one in Britain, one in Spain, one semester each, for thousands less than one year at her school, and all merit and fed. aid goes towards the programs. The school is really great about wanting kids to go abroad. </p>
<p>It was one of the things she considered when choosing a college.</p>
<p>Son is leaving for Study Abroad in a couple of weeks.
Attends U of Miami. We pay full Miami tuition (he has full tuition merit, so in our case we pay nothing) and pay room and board to the study abroad university (which is less expensive then we are currently paying. We find and pay for our own flights as well.</p>
<p>When I studied abroad, that is how my school handled it. From what I can gather, that is standard practice. I guess that universities figure that you should pay the same for full-time credits whether you are on campus or off in another country. </p>
<p>But your daughter should also qualify for a bit more financial aid (which may be in the form of student loans) to pay for the airfare and higher housing price. Financial aid offices at colleges usually have a form to fill out for additional expenses incurred (or expected to incur) during the school year and they will adjust your daughter's financial aid eligibility accordingly.</p>
<p>More information should be available at your daughter's college's study abroad office. This is an issue that students and parents face every year.</p>
<p>At my school (UCLA), the student pays for the UCLA tuition. If the total amount to study abroad exceeds the current financial aid for the semester/year, the cap will increase to accommodate this (loans, grants). Plus, there are scholarships for people who study abroad .... lots for those who didn't initially qualify for financial aid.</p>
<p>Hey- I don't have a lot of money, and I'm doing DIS (Denmark). My school is making me pay the institute that acts as a go between and I will get hit with a ton of deposits and fees I can't pay. Don't know what to do.</p>
<p>...forgot to mention, I wrote an article that touches on the considerations students should take into account when deciding to study abroad: College</a> Guidance Examiner: Things to keep in mind when choosing a study abroad program</p>
<p>Last year I saw an article in the paper (probably the Oregonian) about how common this is among schools. It is particularly noticeable when a student is studying abroad in developing nations, where they should be getting much better deals.
Personally, I can't complain yet, because my financial aid will apply which is all I need. But if that weren't the case, it would be a pretty bad deal. It might be worth taking up with the schools Study Abroad office. Even if they don't yield soon enough to help you out, the more people make a fuss the more likely the policy might be changed sometime in the future.</p>
<p>D goes to a school that encourages study abroad. She will be in a program run by another school, but all of her aid will apply. </p>
<p>The school where I work does not have a very well developed study abroad program. Students who want to study abroad can go through another school & transfer their credits back - but no aid will apply (other than Pell grant & Stafford loans).</p>
<p>Summer study abroad is a different story. Financial aid is rarely available for summer sessions (unless the student still has Pell or loan eligibility left for the year - or the school has summer study abroad need based funding available).</p>