About
Do not let the perceived cost of an international experience prevent you from exploring the world while investing in your future. Participating in education abroad is an investment, and as with any investment, planning ahead is essential. The Education Abroad Team is here to help you identify a program that fits your personal, academic, and financial needs. Education Abroad will help you identify funding opportunities through scholarships and financial aid and provide guidance on payment deadlines to minimize your financial stress.
Guidelines
| Tuition/Fees for Courses Abroad | Personal Spending (Souvenirs, Optional Excursions, etc.) |
| Housing In-country | Travel Documents (Passport/Visa) |
| Meals While Abroad | In-Country Transportation |
| Excursions & Cultural Activities | Airfare |
| International Health Insurance | Textbooks & Supplies |
| Administrative/Application Fees |
Program Fees
Education Abroad provides different levels of service. Upon committing to an international experience, a service fee is charged to either the student account or directly to the department/organization sponsoring the program abroad. This fee is non-refundable.
The fee structure and payment deadlines depend on the type of the Education Abroad program you choose. Reach out to your Education Abroad contact for a detailed breakdown of items included and additional expenses to budget.
The full service fee typically applies to standard faculty-led programs, exchanges, affiliate provider programs, and transfer credit group programs. Services provided for this fee include but are not limited to:
- Vetting vendors and program providers for compliance and risk mitigation
- Developing and administering comprehensive pre-departure orientations and trainings for both students and group leaders
- Supporting students and program leaders abroad, including managing crises and triaging issues
- Working with on-campus partners in incidents involving Title IX and student conduct
- Providing 24/7 emergency support
- Monitoring travel advisories and restrictions in collaboration with the Office of Risk, Ethics, & Compliance (OREC) and other strategic partners
- Reviewing, editing, and processing contracts and International Service Provider (ISP) agreements
- Reviewing and approving student applications, including clearing students for participation through the Student Conduct Office and the Aggie Honor System Office
- Developing program itineraries and managing logistics
- Developing program budgets, including setting program fees and creating budget sheets
- Liaising with program leaders, departments, and units
- Processing and paying program invoices from vendors, including expenses related to faculty participation
- Facilitating access to disability program accommodation via list-sharing and collaboration with Disability Resources
- Coordinating with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and Office of the Registrar to open and reconcile courses (faculty-led courses and placeholder courses)
- Billing students per the timeline established by Student Business Services
- Providing program budgets to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for awarding aid for Education Abroad
- Working with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to ensure that eligible students have access to and receive applicable funding for programs abroad
- Initiating and facilitating transfer credit approval when applicable
- Liaising with host institutions and partners to ensure program services are clearly established and provided as stipulated by the agreement
- Liaising with host institutions and partners to ensure students are enrolled in and receiving the agreed upon credits and courses when applicable
- Marketing and recruitment support, including the development of a program website, hosting recruitment events, and program maintenance in the Education Abroad Portal
- Assessing and evaluating programs upon completion, including compiling student feedback
- Providing resources and programming for returned students (Alumni Ambassador Internship Program, Returnees Workshop, etc.)
The limited service fee typically applies to limited faculty-led programs, field trips, non-credit group programs. Services provided for this fee include but are not limited to:
- Supporting students and program leaders abroad, including managing crises and triaging issues
- Working with on-campus partners in incidents involving Title IX and student conduct
- Providing 24/7 emergency support
- Monitoring travel advisories and restrictions in collaboration with the Office of Risk, Ethics, & Compliance (OREC) and other strategic partners
- Developing and administering comprehensive pre-departure orientations and trainings for both students and group leaders
- Reviewing and approving student applications, including clearing students for participation through the Student Conduct Office and the Aggie Honor System Office
- Facilitating access to disability program accommodation via list-sharing and collaboration with Disability Resources
- Coordinating with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and Office of the Registrar to open and reconcile courses (faculty-led courses and placeholder courses)
- Working with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to ensure that eligible students have access to and receive applicable funding for programs abroad
- Liaising with host institutions and partners to ensure program services are clearly established and provided as stipulated by the agreement
- Liaising with host institutions and partners to ensure students are enrolled in and receiving the agreed upon credits and courses when applicable
- Marketing and recruitment support, including the development of a program website, hosting recruitment events, and program maintenance in the Education Abroad Portal
- Assessing and evaluating programs upon completion, including compiling student feedback
- Providing resources and programming for returned students (Alumni Ambassador Internship Program, Returnees Workshop, etc.)
In addition to the above, Education Abroad will also provide the following for group virtual programs:
- Vetting vendors and program providers for compliance and risk mitigation
- Developing program itineraries and managing logistics
- Developing program budgets, including setting program fees and creating budget sheets
- Liaising with program leaders, departments, and units
- Initiating and facilitating transfer credit approval when applicable;
- Processing and paying program invoices from vendors, including expenses related to faculty participation
- Billing students per the time line established by Student Business Services
- Providing program budgets to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for awarding aid for Education Abroad
The registration fee typically applies to independent experiences. Services provided for this fee include but are not limited to:
- Supporting students and program leaders abroad, including managing crises and triaging issues
- Working with on-campus partners in incidents involving Title IX and student conduct
- Providing 24/7 emergency support
- Monitoring travel advisories and restrictions in collaboration with the Office of Risk, Ethics, & Compliance (OREC) and other strategic partners
- Developing and administering comprehensive pre-departure orientations and trainings for both students and group leaders
- Reviewing and approving student applications, including clearing students for participation through the Student Conduct Office and the Aggie Honor System Office
- Facilitating access to disability program accommodation via list-sharing and collaboration with Disability Resources
- Working with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to ensure that eligible students have access to and receive applicable funding for programs abroad
- Facilitating access to international health insurance through TAMU policy with CISI either via self-enrollment or group enrollment depending on the program structure.
In addition to the above, Education Abroad will also provide the following for individual virtual programs:
- Initiating and facilitating transfer credit approval when applicable
- Liaising with program leaders, departments, and units
- Providing program budgets to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for awarding aid for Education Abroad
Payment Timeline
Each program will have a payment timeline, as well as a withdrawal and refund policy. Take time to review these, plan accordingly, and ask questions.
For eligible students, there might be alternative payment options available. A few examples include enrolling in installment plans, partial deferment of payment until financial aid disbursement, or book now and pay later (flexible pay airfare programs). If you are concerned about meeting the original program payment timeline, schedule a meeting with your program contact to discuss available options based on your financial situation.