General Information
As is the case for study on campus, students incur additional personal expenses during a program abroad.
You should be familiar with the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar in your host country.
In addition to possible housing deposits on some programs, here are a few of the things you will have to pay for from your personal funds while you are overseas:
- Meals
- Textbooks
- Entertainment
- Independent travel
- Optional program or course-related field trips that carry an additional fee
- Cell phones and communication costs
- Incidental personal needs
- Daily transportation
Please refer to your Preparing to Go guide for for specific budget recommendations.
Course Supplies and Equipment
Special supplies and equipment may be required for specific courses or programs. Please refer to your
Preparing to Go guide for more information.
Meals
If you are on a homestay program some meals are covered by your program fee. Please review your program charges to find out exactly what is covered. You will need to pay for additional meals from your personal funds. If you are not in a homestay, you will need to pay for all your meals out of your own funds.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You are responsible for your own housing and meals during the semester break.
Please refer to your Preparing to Go guide for more information.
Textbooks
Expect to spend at least as much for textbooks overseas as you would on campus, approximately $670 for a semester. Textbook information will be available during orientation abroad. At the end of the semester, some centers buy textbooks back for those courses we know will use the books again the following semester. You may pay for textbooks with credit cards for all our center-based programs.
Independent Travel
Like most participants, you will probably want to travel on weekends and during vacation periods. Some excursions are included in your course fees and program fee; however, independent travel expenses are not included. During weekends and breaks, you will be responsible for your travel, accommodation, and meals. Wait until you arrive to plan your personal travel so you can schedule trips around your academic schedule and commitments.