Financial Arrangements

Program costs

In an attempt to make study abroad an integral part of your education at MSU, the University strives to keep the program fee as low as possible. Many factors may influence the cost of a program.

The most important of those are:

• Program length and timing
• Faculty staffing (MSU faculty or host-country faculty)
• Location of the program
• Type and inclusion of housing and meals
• Number of field trips and activities
• Number of credits and student status
• International and on-site transportation

All students incur the cost of passports and photographs, and where applicable, visas and immunizations. New U.S. passports cost $100 and passport photographs cost between $9 and $13. A visa is an entry/residency permit for a foreign country granted by the authorities of the countries where students will study or travel. The cost and requirements for obtaining visas vary —this information can be obtained from the embassy or consular offices for the respective countries. Some countries require transit visas just for traveling through that country. Students are also responsible for obtaining required and recommended immunizations. Immunizations to some destinations can cost several hundred dollars. In some cases, a visa will not be issued until proof of immunization has been submitted.

Preliminary cost estimates are prepared on the basis of the best available information. These estimates are used by the Office of Financial Aid in establishing financial aid allocations to eligible students. The estimates can be used by non-aided students as guidelines for planning personal budgets. Upon request, the Office of Study Abroad staff will print estimated cost sheets. These estimates should be considered as fully adequate to cover all normal expenses and not as bare minimums. The Office of Study Abroad Resource Room has student evaluations with cost estimates by past participants. In some categories, students can reduce costs by as much as 10-15% if they shop carefully or simply learn to do without. When evaluating the cost of a study abroad program, students should be encouraged to look at the total cost to them (program fee plus expenditures not included in the fee). You may wish to use the Study Abroad Cost Worksheet to assist you in your financial planning.

Program costs can be confusing since they vary dramatically. Program fees are costs paid to MSU; they are not uniform and do not cover the same expenses for all programs. For faculty-led programs, the program fee typically includes the application fee; deposit; pre-departure orientation; room and varying numbers of meals; program organized transportation; field trips and social activities; and accident and sickness insurance. Co-sponsored programs in which you directly enroll in classes at a host university typically have a program fee that only includes insurance. This is because most of the costs are paid to the host institution. Carefully check the program information sheet and program’s Web page for what is included in your program fee. If that is still unclear, contact the Office of Study Abroad to provide you with a full explanation.

The program fee typically does not include MSU tuition and fees*. The program fee also does not typically include domestic/international transportation, books and other educational materials and supplies, passports and photographs, visas, immunizations, ISIC or other student cards, spending money, independent on-site travel, transportation passes, or incidental expenses.

The total cost of a study abroad program can be dramatically affected by the individual student’s budgetary habits and the fluctuations of currency exchange rates against the dollar. Students have different life styles as well as different personal resources and must adapt their standards of living abroad accordingly. Therefore, the bottom line of each student’s actual expenditures abroad may be different, but all students should approach the prospect of living abroad with maturity and a sense of financial responsibility.

* Non-MSU students will be classified as a Lifelong Education student. Access Student Accounts (“Tuition and Housing Fees”) for current Lifelong Education per-credit tuition fees.