Program Costs & Expenses (2008 programs)

Program Fees
The program fee for Exploration Seminars vary considerably between programs (see individual program descriptions for exact costs). The fee is the same regardless of whether you are classified as a resident or non-resident student for tuition purposes. Exploration Seminars taught in the Early Fall Start period are considered part of the Autumn Quarter for credit and financial aid purposes. The course fee is in addition to your regular Autumn Quarter tuition.

Once accepted to the program, all fees associated with a Study Abroad Exploration Seminar will billed directly to your student account. Within a week of your confirmation of participation in an Exploration Seminar (submission of your contract) , you will be billed a $350 non-refundable deposit, due on May 2 A second payment of $500 will be due on June 7.  Both of these charges count towards the total program fee.  The remainder of the program fee will be due to UW Fiscal Services (paid like tuition) by the third Friday of Autumn Quarter.

International Program and Exchanges Fee (IPE Fee)
Each student who enrolls in a UW international program is required to pay a $200 fee to the International Programs and Exchanges Office (IPE). This is a separate charge from the program fee. The IPE office will register you in a special Fall Quarter "FSTDY" class, assess your program fees to your UW Student Account, advise you on insurance options, make payments on your behalf to host country providers of goods and services, assist you in the adjustment and disbursal of your financial aid, coordinate a pre-departure orientation, record your credits and grades, provide emergency contacts for your family and you, and generally serve as your agent in dealing with the UW administration.

Non-matriculated Student Fee
Anyone applying as a non-matriculated student (anyone who will not be enrolled at the UW in fall quarter following the program) will be subject to an additional $200 non-matriculated student fee, and must pay the full program fee up front.

Other Expenses
There are other expenses associated with study abroad which vary considerably from program to program, and from person to person. It is very important to budget for these expenses ahead of time, and to be prepared for them before and during your program. Some examples of typical additional expenses may include, but are not limited to: travel to and from airports, entry or exit taxes, passports & visas, additional (personal) travel, food expenses that are not covered, medical expenses before and during a program, communications (telephones, use of cell phones internationally , and internet), books or course materials, gifts and souveneirs, and ATM fees. It's also useful to get a sense of local exchange rates and cost of living. You can see an estimate of the total expected student expenses for your program by looking for the "Estimated Budget of Student Expenses" on each program's web page. The Lonely Planet's website details typical costs for common expenses in each country: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide. The best way to determine how much extra money you should bring is to know your own habits and needs, your plans, and to discuss expenses with your program director.

Financial Aid & Scholarships
For information on financial aid and scholarships, please visit our page on Financial Aid for Exploration Seminars.

Student Fiscal Services offers a money management seminar designed to assist with budgeting and other financial matters. More information on "Money 101" can be found at http://www.washington.edu/students/sfs/outreach/index.html