Mac-Led Programs

Additional Information about Short-Term Mac-Led Programs

• Eligibility

  Eligibility must be met at the time of application and maintained until departure. To be eligible for any short-term study away course/program, you must:

  • Complete Macalester mandatory pre-departure requirements, including attending orientation events.
  • Be enrolled at Macalester the semester preceding the course and travel. You may not take a leave of absence during the semester prior to studying away.
  • Not be on strict academic or strict disciplinary probation during the semester immediately preceding the course. A student accepted for study away who is placed into strict probation between the time of acceptance and the program start date may have their acceptance revoked. Due to the academic calendar, this could happen at the last minute. You will be responsible for any financial consequences that result from cancellation.
  • Maintain any additional eligibility requirements or prerequisites specific to your short-term study away course/program. 

• Application Instructions

  The deadlines for Mac-Led programs vary and are not the same as semester-long study away application deadlines. Generally, the application deadline is early in the semester prior to the study away course. Please check each program page for specific deadlines and links to start an application.

• Academics

  Academic Expectations:

  On Mac-Led programs, you must comply with the rules and regulations stipulated in the academic policies of the College Catalog and Student Handbook. The short-term study away portion is fully integrated and a mandatory part of the course. Therefore, attendance and active participation in all pre-departure and on-site activities are required. Failure to attend classes or required activities may affect your grade. It is your responsibility to communicate any planned absences or extenuating circumstances with the program leaders. 

  Credits & Grading:

  Upon acceptance, you will receive instructor’s permission to enroll in the course. Credits earned will be published on each program’s page. 

  Grading, as for on-campus courses, will be established by the program leaders in accordance with the academic policies outlined in the College Catalog and Student Handbook. The grade received will appear on your transcript and count in your Macalester GPA. You are able to declare a course as pass/fail following the process and deadlines summarized on the Registrar’s website, as with any other on-campus course.

  For courses where travel takes place at the end of the term (e.g., January travel after a fall course or May travel after a spring course), you will receive an Incomplete (“I”) designation to account for academic activities and requirements that take place off-campus. Final grades will be assigned once all course-based activities are completed.

  If you would like to take this course to fulfill requirements in your major, minor, or concentration, it is your responsibility to receive approval from the appropriate Department Chair or Director of the concentration. 

  Academic & Physical Accommodations:

  If you currently receive accommodations through the Macalester Center for Disability Resources (CDR) and are hoping to receive similar accommodations during study away, please contact the CDR (disabilityresources@​macalester.edu) and Center for Study Away ([email protected]) to discuss what accommodations might be reasonable and accessible on your program.

  It is your responsibility as a student to ensure any processes are followed or deadlines prior to beginning the course and participating in the associated travel are met. It can take time to set up accommodations and determine what is reasonable, so we encourage you to begin the process as soon as possible. 

• Costs & Billing

  Tuition & Program Fee:

  You will be charged regular Macalester tuition for your semester on campus, as normal. The study away course for which you register is considered part of your normal semester enrollment. 

  You will be charged a program fee to participate in the course/program, which includes round-trip airfare, on-site transportation, lodging, most meals, group academic and cultural activities, international health insurance (if applicable), and emergency support. Depending on the program and location, group visa processing may also be included in the cost of the program; if not, it is your responsibility to research, apply, and pay for any applicable visas. The program fee does not include first-time passport applications or renewals, some meals, or personal expenses. 

  Non-Billable or Out-of-Pocket Expenses:

  Your Macalester bill will not include your extra, individual expenses. Macalester’s Center for Study Away (CSA) staff has done its best to estimate what you may need to spend in addition to your billed expenses for your time away (e.g., additional meals, books and supplies, personal expenses). These estimates are program-specific. Please note that the final cost of some of these items will be determined by you, based on your personal spending habits.

  Budget Sheets:

  Each program’s expenses are listed on its budget sheet (found on the individual program page on the CSA website or via the “View Program” button on the “My Programs” tab of your study away portal). There you will see the total estimated program costs, how they are charged, and any notable details, as a reference for planning purposes. These budgets – both the billable and non-billable sections, as described above – act as the Cost of Attendance for your program.

  Billing & Payment:

  No application fees or deposits are required to solidify your place in the course/program. After you officially commit to the program in your study away portal, you are subject to the policies outlined below. You will be billed normal semester tuition and the program fee outlined in your program’s budget. You will receive a Macalester invoice from the Student Accounts Office, and you will pay for these fees in the same manner, and within the same due dates, as any other Macalester bill. 

  Withdrawals:

  After you are accepted into the program, you will be asked to “commit” to your participation in the study away portal. At that time, you are consenting for the College to start planning and making financial commitments on your behalf. Generally, the closer to departure you withdraw, the greater the cost. Macalester needs to meet program-specific deadlines set by partners and vendors and make payments on your behalf well before the program starts. In addition, late submission of forms delays the registration process, the financial aid process, the posting of fees to your Macalester account, and pre-departure events. 

  If you anticipate not being able to participate in the course and/or the program after you commit, please contact the CSA as soon as possible. Given that the study away component is a required part of the course, withdrawal means you are dropping the course completely and will earn no credit. All withdrawal notifications must be submitted via the instructions on the Change of Plans website. 

  Additionally, the CSA reserves the right to withdraw you from a program if you fail to complete mandatory pre-departure requirements, fail to attend orientation events, or other warranting situations.

  Program Cancellation:

  The Director of the CSA, in consultation with other officials at Macalester, shall determine whether conditions warrant cancellation of the program (e.g., low student enrollment, health/safety concerns, etc.). If Macalester cancels a study away program prior to departure, the program fee will be refunded. If the program is canceled while in progress, any recoverable costs will be refunded to you, and every effort will be made to complete the course on campus.

• Financial Aid & Scholarships

  Financial Aid:

  Most federal, state and campus-based aid (except work study) can be applied to the costs of studying on any study away program, much the same as if you were still on-campus. Financial aid is available to help students who need assistance covering the expenses of study away programs.

  All students are eligible to apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) application. You may use loans, grants and scholarships toward your study away costs. If you have never applied or received financial aid before, you are strongly encouraged to consult with the Financial Aid Office. 

  Study Away shares all study away program budgets with the Financial Aid Office in order to provide them with each Cost of Attendance, which allows them to include the billable (fees applied to your Macalester account) estimates as well as the non-billable (additional or out-of-pocket) estimates not covered in the program fees, such as meals not provided or personal expenses, when determining your financial aid award. Questions regarding your individual financial aid package should be sent to the Financial Aid Office at [email protected] or 651-­696­-6214. 

  Please note that currently DTAP benefits do not apply to short-term study away programs.

  Financial aid awards for study away can be found on 1600grand and will reflect any adjustments related to participation in the course and/or attendance on the program. 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 the financial aid funds are higher than the fees you owe on your account, you may request a refund for the surplus from the Student Accounts Office for the difference. 

  Grants & Scholarships:

  If you receive need-based financial aid during the academic year, you will automatically receive a short-term study away grant applied toward the overall program fee. For 2025-2026, eligible students will receive a $1,000 credit applied to their account. There are no additional steps needed in order to receive this grant. 

  If you receive merit-based aid only, you do not qualify for a grant at this time. If you are unsure if they have need-based or merit-based aid, you can connect with the Financial Aid Office. You may also contact them to inquire about loan options that might be available, if you are in need of additional financial assistance.

  In addition to relying on your Macalester financial aid package, we encourage you to seek out additional scholarships, including those that could be specific to study away. Please reference our Scholarships page, designed to help you identify scholarship opportunities and other funding sources for study away. Note that while the CSA presents many scholarships you may be eligible for, this is not a comprehensive list. Many other opportunities are out there for you to research.

  In some cases, scholarship deadlines may come before your program application deadline. We encourage you to apply before you know the decision on your program acceptance. If you wait, you may miss out on funding opportunities.

  Please also note Macalester’s Outside Scholarship Policy specific to Study Away.