<p>I have been so surprised by the amount of money other students are paying for study abroad through university programs or other study abroad providers.</p>
<p>This year I am going to Ghana to study at the University of Ghana - Legon. I applied directly to the International Programmes Office. My university is a state uni, so I have to only pay $300 international fee a semester and then I can transfer in my credits (all federal aid applies, but no state aid - wasn't that much to begin with). Grand total for tuition, fees, room for a year including the $300 my university charges to transfer the credits is only
$5988 USD for two semesters!</p>
<p>Let's take a look at the other providers offering the same (except for some excursions) study abroad program at the University of Ghana for one academic year:</p>
<p>Tuition, Fees, Room
1. Applying directly to Univ. of Ghana $5988
2. UMich $12374
3. ISEP $14050
4. USAC $16160
5. CIEE $19400</p>
<p>If you are interested in studying abroad, you can see if your university has exchange agreements (this way most of your finacial aid should count). If you doesn't have a program that meets your interests, you can always apply directly to the university that interests you.</p>
<p>If you really cannot afford to study abroad you can always look at Sweden or Norway - tuition there is free (except for some fees which are about $300 to $400 USD a year) and getting work authorization is easier than other European countries.</p>
<p>You got a wonderful deal Psilogy. The problem is that many of the Universities that offer really inexpensive study abroads are in countries that were of no interest to my son. My son is an English major and wanted to study in England. We were fortunate that he was able to get a direct exchange study abroad through his college where all of his merit aid transfers and we just pay his US college as usual. His credits also directly transfer. Our only added expense is the airfare. He's working to earn money to travel when he's abroad. </p>
<p>My daughter did a study abroad in Peru through her college and it was the same story as her brother - we just paid the college as usual and her flight.</p>
<p>It's so important when investigating study abroads that you first see what your college has to offer and how they treat outside study abroads. We also found less expensive study abroads for our son but none of his merit aid would have transferred, which for us was a lot of money.</p>
<p>How did you enjoy it as an independent? Did you still interact with other study abroad students? My main fear about studying abroad is that I will get overseas and be completely alone and lost.</p>
<p>Psilogy -- way to go! You did the same thing I did. I spent an academic year in Salamanca, Spain and tuition cost me under $2,000. Check this out--some programs that you mentioned charge around $15,000 to $20,000. I had the same teachers (cursos internacionales) as the guys who came in on a program.</p>
<p>Housing only cost me about 180 euros a month, so 1,800 in housing + $2,000 for tuition = $3,800 euros. I am SO happy I did that, because I really didn't have the money -- not even with student loans :( -- to do it otherwise. It was great. I loved it.</p>
<p>Hey uaprophet -- Do NOT sweat it. If you go abroad like I did -- I did a Spanish language and culture program made especially for foreigners -- you will have friends fast. You won't feel alone. What happens is that you get there, and so do a lot of other people who are studying independently (this is the norm for European students, they don't go in groups like we do). So you meet lots of people in the same boat and nobody wants to be alone. So people kind of get together fast.</p>
<p>Maybe it's different if you're going to the Amazon jungle or China or something, but if you're going to Euorpe, I say Go For It!</p>
<p>Glad you posted that psilogy! Makes me happy to know that I am not alone about the independent study abroad.</p>
<p>My daughter's school is the same as Kathiep - they have a lot of reciprocal exchange programs and all her merit and need based aid will stay in place. The only extras will be air fare and any difference in the cost of living. She will be responsible for any travel within the country/continent she decides to go to (right now Ireland and Australia top her list).</p>