Financial Planning for Study Abroad

Planning a budget and understanding what a study abroad experience may cost you is an important part of the planning process. The information below is designed to give you a basic overview for your financial planning purposes. More detailed information can be discussed in your advising appointment.

Understanding Program Fees and Inclusions

Program fees and inclusions can vary by program. Because of this, it’s important to know what’s included with the price when comparing programs. Many times, your program’s fees will be broken down as follows:

Application Fee

All students applying to study abroad pay a non-refundable Study Abroad Application Fee.

For semester study abroad, the fee is $500.
For summer study abroad, the fee is $250.
For Global Experience and Maymester study abroad, the fee is $200.

Payment of the application fee is due by the posted application deadline and will need to be paid directly to the Office of Student Accounts. Please remit payment with the invoice found in the appropriate study abroad application, then submit proof of payment as instructed in the application.

Students on unaffiliated (non-HPU) programs (including summer programs) may be required also to pay an application fee to their host university and/or their program provider.

Program Fee (Tuition, Fees, Room & Board)

This is a broad umbrella of fees. The bulk of expenses for your study program will be grouped into this category and for many programs, an itemized breakdown will not be provided.

Items included in this fee category may include:

Tuition
Accommodations
Meals
Student Fees (e.g., activity fees, technology fee, registrar fee, athletic complex fee)
Student Services
Excursions
Cultural Events

HPU semester programs are billed at the HPU rate for tuition and fees. Most students will pay their room and board expenses abroad, although a few programs have room and/or board rates negotiated in our contract, and, therefore, students will pay these fees to HPU, not abroad. If the full-semester cost is more than the HPU all-inclusive cost, a supplement to cover the additional cost will be added to your student accounts bill. Program-specific information is available on each program brochure in ViaTRM.

Program fees for unaffiliated programs are not billed by HPU. A bill to cover these expenses will be provided by the host institution or program provider and all payments will be made directly to them. Keep in mind that financial aid packages may change for an unaffiliated study abroad program. For more information, review the information on the Financial Aid for Study Abroad page, including the Financial Aid Policy on Study Abroad, then contact the Office of Financial Planning.

Program fees for Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs vary with each program due to travel costs, length of stay, cost of living, and venue prices. Once established, estimated price ranges are available on each program brochure in ViaTRM.

Program fees for summer programs also are not billed by HPU and vary based on tuition, housing, airfare, etc. Fees are paid directly to the program provider or institution sponsoring the study program. Keep in mind that financial aid options for summer may be limited. For more information, review the information on the Financial Aid for Study Abroad page, including the Financial Aid Policy on Study Abroad, then contact the Office of Financial Planning.

Planning for Additional Expenses

The full costs of your study abroad program will not be covered by the program fee. You also will need to plan for the costs of additional expenses when determining the overall cost of your term abroad. These additional expenses for all study abroad programs may include:

Round-trip Airfare *
Accommodation Security Deposit **
Refundable Program Deposits **
Local Transportation *
Immigration Visa and/or Residence Permit **
Passport
International Medical Insurance ***
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Internet Access
Textbooks
Personal Travel
Personal Expenses (e.g., laundry, entertainment, souvenirs, gym membership fees)

* usually included with Global Experience & Maymester Programs

** if applicable

*** included for students studying at HPU semester study abroad partnering institutions and on HPU Global Experience & Maymester programs. The HPU Health and Safety Fee will be billed automatically to the student account upon acceptance into the program.

What if I decide to withdraw from a study program?

Circumstances may require a student to withdraw from a study program after paying for part or all of it. Program providers have different refund policies. Be sure to ask about refund policies before you apply.

HPU semester programs require a $500 non-refundable application fee paid at the time of application. The fee is non-refundable unless a student is not nominated to their program by HPU. Students who wish to attend classes at HPU must register during regularly scheduled registration periods and pay applicable late registration fees. On-campus housing options may be limited for students who apply late, and fees may apply.

Global Experience and Maymester programs require a $200 non-refundable application fee paid at the time of application. This fee is non-refundable and is used to hold the student’s place on the program. In the event that travel arrangements cannot be modified or cancelled, additional fees (e.g., the cost of airline ticket, hotel accommodations, pre-arranged group meals, activity fees, entrance fees) may apply or be non-refundable.

The different types and amounts of financial aid are varied. Depending on the type of aid, all, some, or none of your financial aid package may be able to be used for a study abroad opportunity. If you plan to use financial aid to cover some or all of your program’s expenses, keep in mind more financial aid may be available for HPU exchange programs than HPU affiliated programs and/or unaffiliated programs. Generally, HPU financial aid, including the Presidential Scholarship, is not available for an unaffiliated study abroad program and while federal financial aid may be available for use on an unaffiliated study abroad program, the process to request this aid differs.

Before applying to any program, review the Financial Aid Policy on Study Abroad, then contact the Office of Financial Planning to discuss questions and have completed the Financial Aid Clearance form noting what may or may not apply to your study abroad program. Financial Planning counselors can discuss the different types of financial aid and whether they can be applied to study abroad programs.

Downloads:

HPU Study Abroad Scholarships

Some students received a stipend as part of their initial financial aid package that can be used to offset applicable costs of a Global Experience and/or Maymester study program. This stipend cannot be used for summer or semester programs. Additionally, some departments (e.g., World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures) provide study abroad awards to outstanding students majoring in the department.

Currently, High Point University does not offer scholarships to students studying abroad for a summer or semester. However, Resources for Funding a Study Abroad Program contains information to help students research off-campus funding opportunities.

Stipends relevant to studying abroad which some students may qualify for include the following:

Go Global Grant

Effective Fall 2021, select freshman undergraduate students entering HPU will be eligible for the Go Global Grant. This one-time grant will cover up to four credits of the tuition cost associated with qualified students’ global coursework on a Maymester program.
Experiential Learning Grant

Effective Fall 2020, select freshman undergraduate students entering HPU will be eligible for an Experiential Grant. Up to $1,000 of the available Grant monies can be applied toward program fees on a Global Experience or Maymester program provided the student has not used the one-time $1,000 grant for any other programs affiliated with the program.
Presidential Scholarship travel stipends

Recipients of the Presidential Founders Scholarship (Keller Scholars, Presidential Scholars) or Presidential Fellows Scholarship entering HPU Fall 2007 through Fall 2019 have available to them a one-time travel stipend in the amount of $1,000 that can be used on a Global Experience or Maymester study program of their choice. This stipend cannot be applied to full-semester or non-HPU summer study abroad programs.

Recipients of the High Point Fellowship Scholarship (Leadership Scholars and Leadership Fellows) or the High Point University Scholarship entering HPU Fall 2007 through Fall 2019 have available to them a one-time travel stipend in the amount of $500 that can be used on a Global Experience or Maymester study program of their choice. This stipend cannot be applied to full-semester or non-HPU summer study abroad programs.

A number of resources are available on the web to help students and families plan their finances for a study abroad program. While these resources are not created or maintained by High Point University, they can be a good place to start collecting information. It is always wise, however, to discuss your plans with a counselor in the Office of Financial Planning.

Working Abroad

You currently may work on or off-campus to help with finances, but working while studying abroad is not as simple as working while at HPU.

Immigration policy governs work, paid and unpaid internships, and volunteer experiences. Policies differ among countries. Consult the Visa Information page as well as the consular website of the country of interest, as these policies are updated without notice.

As a general suggestion, you should not plan to work for pay while on your study abroad program.

External Scholarships, Awards, and Funding

The following lists are not comprehensive. You may find additional information through simple online searches. Please consider these resources as tools to assist you in the research process, remembering that some aid may be limited to location, language, fields of study, etc. It is advisable to discuss your plans with a counselor in the Office of Financial Planning.

Fellowships, Grants & Awards

Information on grants and awards relevant to study abroad applicants:

HPU’s Office of Fellowships and Awards helps students and alumni identify funding sources, strategize, and develop applications for nationally competitive awards. Through the Office of Fellowships and Awards, students refine their professional writing skills, learn to communicate with diverse audiences, hone their interview skills, and gain self-awareness about their goals. Students interested in these nationally competitive awards should reach out to HPU’s Office of Fellowships and Awards to discuss qualifications, options, and applications.

Other Scholarships and Aid

For general information on researching scholarships: