Financial Policies

  1. Program Costs/ Student Budgets: The Center for Global Education is committed to making study abroad affordable for all TU students and has adopted policies and practices that ensure that a semester abroad will not substantially exceed the costs of a semester on campus. Students preparing to study abroad will be advised by staff in the CGE about the costs of the program in which they will be enrolling and related travel and living expenses so that students can accurately anticipate their financial needs for the semester abroad. Students are required to submit a budget sheet, the primary tool for accurately estimating the costs associated with participation in study abroad, to the CGE prior to their departure from campus; failure to submit a budget sheet may impact a student’s ability to access his or her financial aid for the study abroad program and result in the CGE withdrawing approval of his or her study abroad application.

  2. Tuition: Students participating in study abroad programs, other than the exceptions listed below, will pay the regular TU tuition, room and board. The CGE will directly pay program fees on behalf of the student, which include foreign tuition, room, board, insurance, and excursions directly related to the academic program. Students are responsible for expenses that are not part of the advertised program fee, including international airfare, personal expenses, ground travel, optional excursions, deposits, application fees, entertainment, visa and passport fees, and upgrades in housing or meal plans. The following are exceptions to this policy;
    a.Students who are participating in an approved exchange or University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) program will pay only the regular TU tuition, and the CGE will pay directly the foreign tuition or program fee. Students will be responsible for their own room, board, and insurance, in addition to the student expenses listed above.
    b. Students who participate in programs with fees that exceed the price of the regular TU tuition, room, and board by 15 percent will pay the difference to TU. The CGE will directly pay the program fees on behalf of the student, as per the conditions outlined above.

  3. Financial Aid and Scholarships: Students studying abroad with approved programs will remain eligible for all of their current financial aid and scholarships. Students must submit an approved CGE budget form to the Office of Financial Aid in order to have financial awards released to cover study abroad expenses. Students may apply multiple financial awards to cover the estimated program expenses, including tuition and related travel and living costs, as approved on their CGE budget form. Students must disclose any additional awards they have received for support of study abroad to the financial aid office, such as travel scholarships provided by the program provider; failure to disclose these awards may result in the cancellation of a student’s program and disciplinary action. Graduate assistantships have work requirements and so students may not hold an assistantship while they are participating in study abroad, with the exception of Woobank assistantships. Students on Woobank assistantships and fellowships awarded through the Graduate School are required to obtain the written approval of the Dean of the Graduate School to participate in study abroad while they are on a fellowship.

  4. Study Abroad Fee: All students applying to study abroad for a semester, year, or summer term are responsible for a $160 study abroad fee that is charged in addition to application fees required by the study abroad program provider. Students participating in a short-term credit bearing program (spring break, 1-2 weeks) will pay a $30 study abroad fee.

    This fee should be paid directly to the CGE at the time the student submits his or her application to study abroad. This fee is non-refundable unless the student’s application is denied by the CGE. Students whose application was denied by the program provider will be refunded their fee minus a $50 processing fee only when the CGE has not successfully identified an alternative study abroad program.

    The study abroad fee is an administrative fee to cover services provided by the CGE and includes an International Student Identification Card (ISIC), courier handling of documents that must be submitted to foreign universities, and a commencement sash indicating the country in which the student studied (only students who completed a full semester or year of study abroad will be eligible to receive a commencement sash).

  5. Insurance: Students must demonstrate that they meet the minimum TU insurance requirements for students participating in international education programs or purchase the requisite coverage. The insurance requirements are explained in the separate policy regarding insurance for students going abroad. The CGE will make available insurance through an approved vendor that specializes in providing coverage for students participating in international education programs, but students will be responsible for purchasing the requisite insurance themselves.

  6. Summer Sessions: Students studying abroad for a summer term will pay TU tuition based on the number of credits taken or the program cost, whichever is greater. The CGE will directly pay program fees on behalf of the student, which include foreign tuition, room, board, insurance, and excursions directly related to the academic program. Students are responsible for expenses that are not part of the advertised program fee, including international airfare, personal expenses, ground travel, optional excursions, deposits, application fees, entertainment, visa and passport fees, and upgrades in housing or meal plans.

  7. Spring Break/Summer Field Experiences/Internships: Students participating in any short, credit-bearing, TU approved program are responsible for the study abroad fee and any fees associated with purchasing required insurance. Students will pay TU tuition on the basis of the number of actual credits associated with the program, as per the tuition policies outlined in this document. Students are responsible for all related costs, including but not limited to foreign application fees, airfare, optional tours, damage deposits, student activity or facilities fees, excursions, entertainment, books, ground transportation, additional meals, and personal expenses.

  8. Exchanges: Exchanges are special relationships between TU and specific foreign universities and are intended to promote international cooperation and collaboration. Participating students are responsible for paying the tuition to their home institution and the room, board, and related fees to the hosting institution. Students participating in an exchange program will pay their regular TU tuition and will be responsible for paying all related costs, including but not limited to foreign application fees, airfare, room and board at the foreign location, optional tours, damage deposits, student activity or facilities fees, excursions, entertainment, books, ground transportation, and personal expenses, unless otherwise specified by the negotiated billing agreement between TU and the program provider. The CGE will maintain records to monitor the balance of exchange students with individual exchange institutions. In order to encourage students to participate in an exchange, the CGE may offer a limited number of travel scholarships for students participating in an exchange of at least one semester.

  9. Presidential Scholars: Presidential Scholars may apply their entire award, equivalent to current TU tuition plus room and board on campus, to the expenses associated with study abroad. The balance after the payment of the TU tuition, room, and board charges as per the policies outlined in this document, will be deposited in the student’s US bank account to pay for any related program fees. Presidential Scholars may study abroad for a maximum of one academic year plus one summer.

  10. Tuition Reduction Dependents: Students who are dependents of a TU employee and receive a tuition reduction benefit may apply their award to one study abroad term only (summer or semester), and will be responsible for the room and boad charges as outlined in this document. Students who receive the tuition reduction benefit and desire to spend more than one term abroad will be responsible for the associated tuition and fees. Students are responsible for all related costs, including but not limited to foreign application fees, airfare, optional tours, damage deposits, student activity or facilities fees, excursions, entertainment, books, ground transportation, and personal expenses.

  11. Refunds: The study abroad fee is non-refundable, except according to the terms described in this document. Tuition will be refunded according to the terms outlined in TU’s regular tuition refund policies. Students participating in programs that begin on a schedule different from TU’s academic calendar will still follow the withdrawal timeline as outlined in TU’s policies for the main campus. Students withdrawing from a program for any reason will be responsible for expenses that were made on their behalf and that are non-refundable, such as airline tickets or deposits on housing. In addition, students may be subject to the refund policies of any study abroad program provider or overseas institution to which he or she has applied.
For a PDF of our financial policies click here.