<p>I don't know if there are any current students out there who can answer my question, but I thought I'd give it a try. My daughter will start her second year at Wellesley in the fall & plans to be a French major. She wants to spend her entire junior year in Aix. She is on (partial) financial aid & I know that can be used for study abroad programs. From what I have read, it sounds like the cost to spend the whole year in Aix would be the same as if she were at Wellesley, except that we would either have to come up with the work study amount or convert it to a loan. Is this actually true, or are there extra hidden costs that I'm missing? We will for sure allow her to spend a semester there, but if the cost is really no more, is there a reason not to let her do the whole year? Obviously she would have to work with her advisor to make sure she can get all the credits she needs & that they will all transfer, but I'm just wondering about the costs involved. I realize that she would need spending money, but she'd need that at Wellesley, too. Thanks!</p>
<p>The situation you described is my understanding, but I’m not going abroad. ([Study</a> Abroad Billing](<a href=“http://www.wellesley.edu/OIS/billing.html]Study”>http://www.wellesley.edu/OIS/billing.html)) My friends who have gone abroad in past years (at other schools) were also responsible for plane tickets. Sometimes the families visit the student during winter break or after the term ends, or the student comes home. Said friends have also made the comment that traveling afterwards was $$$, but worth it. </p>
<p>I think many Wellesley students only go abroad for the semester (instead of the year), because it can be hard to complete the academic requirements/ preparations for the future (law/ grad/ med school).</p>