Billable
Billable budget items are fees that are posted to your Macalester account.
Costs and Billing
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Budget Sheets
Estimated budgets are typically updated twice per year and are compiled for every study away program approved by Macalester. They can be found on individual program pages on the Study Away website or via the “View Program” button on the “My Programs” tab of your study away portal.
All program budgets are considered estimates. As the study away process starts early, estimates are conservative and may be revised closer to the start of the term abroad. Additionally, some costs depend on a student’s own spending habits and circumstances and the cost of living in their study away location. We estimate what students may spend, not necessarily what they will spend.
Expenses for study away will fall into one of two categories: items billed by Macalester and those that are not billed, that you should be prepared to pay for out-of-pocket.
Non-billable
Non-billable budget items are program expenses that are not posted to your Macalester account. These costs differ by program and participant and are in addition to billable budget items. Each item is based on location, program duration and estimated spending habits of program participants.
Cost of Attendance
Billable + Non-billable budget items = Total Cost of Attendance (COA) for participation in the program. The Financial Aid Office uses this total cost to determine financial aid awards. If you will be using financial aid toward your program costs, contact the Financial Aid Office to evaluate your award based on these estimates.
Some costs will need to be paid directly to the program sponsor and/or a vendor, and these costs may be due before your financial aid is disbursed. This situation may cause cash flow concerns in cases where your financial aid is covering the majority of the program costs. Discuss this with the Financial Aid Office and your study away advisor. You will likely need to purchase airfare and pay visa costs well in-advance and will need to have access to funds other than your financial aid.
Expenses
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You will be billed Macalester tuition for the semester you are studying away. Macalester will then pay your program or host university for educational expenses. If your program tuition is greater than Macalester tuition you will be billed the higher tuition cost.
Macalester charges regular tuition to students who are studying away for academic credit towards their degree regardless of the cost of the individual program’s tuition. There are a number of factors that have led to us pursuing this policy.
Students studying away remain enrolled at Macalester for the duration of their study away program. This allows them access to all Macalester resources, such as online research resources available through the library, access to faculty and staff mentors, support from campus offices, use of Macalester email, and the ability to apply for scholarships, grants, and other Macalester-sponsored activities open to students on-campus for following semesters and summer. They are also able to participate in pre-registration for the semester they return and secure on-campus housing should they wish to do so.
Macalester invests a number of resources in maintaining its study away program offerings. The Center for Study Away reviews potential study away programs to ensure that programs meet expectations for student learning and adhere to safety standards. We provide advising and pre-departure support to all students studying away. This includes individual advising as well as comprehensive orientation programming covering health, safety, and intercultural adaptation. While registered Macalester students are away, we monitor international security developments and provide emergency response and crisis support, if needed.
These costs of operation are included in the college’s general budget and are covered by the tuition that all students pay. In addition, our home school tuition policy allows us to transfer full financial aid for students who are studying away.
Macalester tuition does not differentiate the costs of a theater vs. chemistry vs. anthropology major. Similarly, we do not differentiate the costs of the quality-endorsed, Macalester-supported study away programs. Ultimately students studying away receive Macalester credit which applies to the completion of their Macalester degree.
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Whether a particular program provides room and board, just room, or some partial room and/or board varies greatly. In many cases, the room and/or board charges are billed through Macalester. However, there are programs where students will need to pay for these costs directly to their program.
See the program-specific budget sheets on the individual program pages for the most recent cost estimates to determine if room and board is billed by Macalester or paid directly to your host institution.
Note: If you have the ability to and want to upgrade your housing, that will either be charged to your Macalester account or be for you to arrange and pay for directly.
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All application fees or refundable deposits (e.g., housing) will be your responsibility to pay. However, any program/tuition/enrollment deposit or acceptance/confirmation fee should be paid by Macalester on your behalf.
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You will need to plan to pay for airfare in advance of your program departure. Some programs arrange airfare and will bill you for it separately, others will expect you to arrange your own. Either way, this is an out-of-pocket expense for you. If paying for your ticket in advance is a concern, the Center for Study Away can provide advice on ways to defer the expense of purchasing an airline ticket until you receive your financial aid disbursement.
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You are responsible for paying out-of-pocket expenses associated with acquiring appropriate travel documentation such as your passport, visa, residency permits, etc, unless otherwise noted in your program’s budget sheet. These expenses are personal, and you should budget accordingly.
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You will want to plan ahead for additional expenses that you may encounter while studying away. These might include local transportation, meals, books, security deposits, personal travel, optional program activities, and personal purchases. Most programs provide estimates of such expenses on their websites to help you plan your budget effectively.
Note: Some programs offer optional early start or pre-semester language courses. Some of these are approved and paid for by Macalester, others are not, and some require additional approval from the Study Away Review Committee. Because of the added time and cost, it’s not a universal case.
Billing Procedures
- All tuition or academic fee invoices, including for any non-refundable deposits, are paid by Macalester.
- If you receive an invoice, or you’re not sure if you should pay something directly, please contact us before paying. Regular Macalester tuition (or the program’s tuition, if it is higher), along with any other applicable charges, will be billed to your account at the same time as if you were staying on campus. Payment methods for these charges also remain the same.
- Payment methods for charges for other expenses abroad, such as housing (if not billed), may vary. You may need to pay by credit card or wire transfer; in US dollars (which might lead to a higher exchange rate) or in another currency; one payment in-advance of arrival or in installments.
- Each program is different, so you will want to look at what payment will be required and read and follow all instructions carefully.
- If you intend to make payments with financial aid, you are held accountable for the full cost of your study away fees even if you do not receive some or all of your anticipated aid.
- If your financial aid (including loans) will be greater than the total charges to your Macalester account, you may request a refund of the surplus (fillable form) from the Student Accounts Office. Those funds should be used toward non-billable expenses, such as food or books and supplies.
Cancellation & Withdrawal
Withdrawal from a study away program follows the same prorated tuition refund policy as on-campus, based on the program’s first day of the semester. Room and board refunds are determined by the program’s refund policies. In the absence of a room and board refund policy from the program, you are fully responsible for all such program charges. You must notify our office of cancellation in writing. Even if you make program payments using financial aid and subsequently withdraw from the program, you are held accountable for any associated costs.
If, however, your program was cancelled due to other circumstances, we will make reasonable efforts to place you in a different program, help you defer your study away to a future term or get you enrolled on-campus. We do, however, reserve the right to withdraw you from study away if you fail to complete pre-departure requirements, like attending orientation, or if you are unresponsive to communication or other applicable situations.
Related Videos
Study Away Estimated Budgets
Study Away Financial Policies & Billing
