Affording Study Abroad

Affording Study Abroad

The Office of International Study and Student Financial Services work together to make study abroad affordable for Wellesley students and to guide students and their families through the billing and financial aid process for study abroad. We host mandatory workshops together each semester. See our presentation, Study Abroad: Making Sense of Your Budget & Bills and read additional information on the financial aid process for study abroad in the Study Abroad Handbook.

 

Student Financial Services Clearance

Students who receive financial aid must attend an SFS workshop (see Calendar for dates and times) or meet with an SFS counselor, unless they are attending the following programs: Wellesley-in-Aix, ECCO Bologna, PRESHCO, Wellesley-in-Bremen or the First Year Global Scholars Program.

Students who do not receive financial aid must read the Affording Study Abroad information on the OIS website.

All students should submit the SFS Study Abroad Clearance Form and complete the Financial Responsibility Agreement in Workday by April 1 for fall study abroad and November 1 for spring study abroad.

Wellesley Fees

All students who study abroad will continue to be charged Wellesley College tuition but not room & board, with the following exceptions:

  • Students studying on 12-College Exchange Programs will be billed by the host institution, NOT Wellesley.

  • Students going to Spelman will be billed tuition by Wellesley and room & board by Spelman.

  • Students who enroll in the First Year Global Scholars Program, Wellesley-in-Aix, ECCO Bologna, PRESHCO, or Wellesley-in-Bremen (Jacobs University) will be charged the Wellesley comprehensive fee covering tuition, room, board and in some cases airfare and additional expenses.

  • International Students who enroll at an accredited university in their home country or US residents with dual citizenship who enroll in an accredited university in a country for which they hold a passport will pay all fees directly to the university abroad and are not eligible for financial aid from Wellesley. (Students must petition the International Study Committee for study at any institutions not already approved for Wellesley transfer credit).

Your Wellesley Bill

You will continue to receive a bill notification from Wellesley when your term bill is available and be expected to pay Wellesley according to the same timeline as if you were on campus. You will be billed for Wellesley tuition and health insurance if applicable for every semester you spend on a Study Abroad Leave of Absence.

Study Abroad Program Fees and Potential Expenses

 

Fees you may be charged by your study abroad program

Potential Expenses

Program Deposit, Security Deposit

Airfare

Room

Books & Supplies

Board

Personal Expenses (including phone & local transportation)

Travel/Health Insurance

Passport & Visa Fees

Transcript or Admin Fees

Food in self-catering accommodations

 

Miscellaneous residence hall or utility fees, student activity fees

*Certain Wellesley-sponsored programs provide stipends for airfare, meals, cultural activities, or local transportation. For students who receive financial aid, you will receive assistance with these expenses regardless of your program choice*

Wellesley Payments to Study Abroad Programs
  • The Office of International Study will pay tuition charges to your program upon receipt of an invoice & after you have:
  • If your program charges a comprehensive program fee, the OIS will request a breakdown of this fee and pay only the tuition portion. The remaining balance is your responsibility.

  • If you receive a bill that includes tuition, please contact the OIS & forward us a copy of your bill.

Financial Aid While Abroad

Students who normally receive financial aid remain eligible for aid while abroad for a semester or academic year. For more information, take a look at the "Financial Aid FAQ's" in our Handbook.

 

Students who go abroad during a summer or winter session do not receive financial aid from Wellesley but are encouraged to look at outside scholarship options.

 

Scholarships

Many organizations and institutions offer scholarships for international study. For a list of international study scholarships visit our Scholarships Spreadsheet.

Abroad101 is also a good resource for browsing study abroad scholarships. Please note that many of the scholarships listed on Abroad101 are through program providers that are not approved for Wellesley students. See the complete list.

Money Geek is another good resource for browsing study abroad scholarships. The website also outlines all the different financial aspects of studying abroad. Visit Money Geek's Paying for your Study Abroad page.

 
Program Budget Estimates

For an estimate of the total cost of attendance for your study abroad program, please refer to the Study Abroad Budget Spreadsheet.

Nelnet

If you use Nelnet to make monthly payments to Wellesley you must contact them to adjust your contract to pay tuition only to Wellesley for your semester(s) abroad.

Home School Tuition Policy FAQ

While studying abroad during a semester or academic year, Wellesley students continue to pay tuition to Wellesley College. Read more about Wellesley's home school tuition policy for students studying abroad.