Washington University believes that study abroad is an important part of students’ education. As such, students who participate in semester programs sponsored or approved by Washington University are awarded Washington University credit for a full load of appropriate course work successfully completed while abroad. In addition, Washington University credit awarded for study abroad applies toward graduation, and appears on students’ transcripts.
Financial Aid & Merit Scholarships | Washington University is committed to making study abroad affordable for our students, and therefore guarantees that both financial assistance packages and merit scholarships (with the exception of work-study aid, which requires students to be on campus) is applied to the cost of study abroad just as if the student were on campus. For specifics regarding individual student accounts and payment arrangements, please contact your Financial Aid Service Representative.
Tuition & Educational Costs | To make the transfer of aid possible, the University has a home-school tuition policy, which means that students studying abroad pay the regular Washington University tuition. Standardizing program tuition minimizes financial incentives and safeguards academic appropriateness in the program selection process.
It is important to note that WU tuition does not cover any portion of room and/or board. For programs sponsored by institutions that list a comprehensive program fee (one fee inclusive of tuition, housing, meals, orientation, etc.), Washington University works with the sponsoring institution to determine the non-tuition related charges included in the program’s fee. Once identified, any applicable room and board, or other charges billed through Washington University are assessed at cost and are posted to the student’s Washington University account. This applies to all programs, including approved Petition programs.
Housing Payment | Students do not pay Washington University room and board fees; rather, they pay the room and board costs of the program. Payment of housing fees will depend upon a student’s chosen program. In some cases, our partners require that students pay fees directly to the housing provider or host-university, while others prefer to bill Washington University directly. If students are required to pay fees directly to the host institution, they will not see a housing fee listed on the Washington University bill. If a student’s housing fee is billed to Washington University by the program sponsor or included in the comprehensive fee billed to WU, students will see the charge reflected on the Washington University bill. This fee will be listed in addition to tuition on the Program Agreement.
Other Expenses | Only those costs associated with the educational portion of the program are covered by Washington University tuition. The tuition fee does not include the cost of room and board, which will vary from site to site, nor does it include additional costs such as airfare, books, visas, or personal expenses. Such costs are additional, just as they are in St. Louis, and if applicable, are billed separately from Washington University tuition.
Dismissal | Students dismissed from a program abroad for academic, disciplinary, or any other reason will forfeit WU tuition charges as well as fees charged by the program abroad, and are not entitled to a refund.
Summer Program Tuition Information | For most summer programs, students pay a program fee to WU that includes tuition, administration fees, and other program related expenses. Some program providers may require deposits or full payments to be collected in advance. WU program fees do not cover any study abroad program costs that are not explicitly listed on a program’s budget sheet or Statement of Responsibility, which may include for room, board, transportation, personal expenses, passport or visa fees. Such costs are charged separately either by WU, the program sponsor, or a third party. Students’ financial aid packages generally do not provide funding for summer experiences, domestic or international. Students should contact Student Financial Services to determine whether additional loans are available. Additional funding may be available through scholarships. See “Scholarship Opportunities” under the “Plan” tab for more details.
Global Programs Administrative Fee (summer programs only) | Students participating on an Olin Global Program or an approved petition program during the summer term are often charged a program fee that includes academic tuition and other expenses related to the specified program. Included or separate from that Program Fee is the Global Programs Administrative Fee. This fee is $500 for every three credits earned on an abroad program. Starting summer 2020, this will be a $500 for all credit earned on an abroad program. This fee covers the administrative expenses of offering students the opportunity to participate in an Olin Global Program while still meeting the academic credit requirements of Olin. The fee covers the cost of providing services to all participants on Olin approved study abroad programs including:
- Evaluation and faculty approval of academic coursework from abroad
- Enrollment coverage in GeoBlue and ISOS International Insurance
- Worldwide events monitors and university assistance during emergencies
- Annual vetting of affiliated programs and partner institutions to ensure they meet the academic needs of our students
- Program advising and pre-departure assistance
- Transcript processing
The Global Programs Administrative Fee is not refundable past any withdraw or cancellation dates as stated in your Statement of Responsibility
The student’s Washington University Program Agreement, issued during the semester prior to studying abroad, will provide specific details regarding the estimated additional costs a student will and will not pay to Washington University.Washington University tuition, GeoBlue insurance, and other appropriate charges, if any, will be posted to students account. In some cases, participants can be billed by the program sponsor, host university, and/or housing authority for legitimate charges as well. If so, such charges should be paid directly by the student in a timely manner. If expenses are not paid prior to the end of a program, a transcript may not be issued by the program sponsor until the account has been cleared.