What does it cost?

Program Fees

The cost of study abroad or exchange varies greatly by program, location, and length of stay. At a minimum, all programs will have three basic fees: an application fee, a program fee, and a concurrent enrollment fee.

Please note: the fees listed below and those in program materials are subject to change without notice. Program fees generally change once a year, but may change more often. SAEP staff will inform you of fee changes as soon as that information is available.

All students will pay the following fees:

CWU Application fee: $50
The CWU application fee for Study Abroad/Exchange is $50. This fee is non-refundable and must be paid before your application can be reviewed. Information on where/how to pay this fee is included on the Apply Here page. Please note that some programs also charge their own application fee.

Concurrent enrollment fee: $200/quarter
All students who participate in study abroad/exchange programs through CWU pay $200 per quarter of participation. This fee maintains your status as a CWU student so that you do not need to reapply for admission. It also entitles eligible students to financial aid for the program. This fee is in lieu of tuition, so you will not pay CWU tuition for the credits you earn abroad as part of your study abroad/exchange program.

Program fee: varies by program
You'll find program fee information on the webpage for each program. If you do not find it there, please contact SAEP or the program sponsor for this information. Program fees should cover the cost of instruction abroad, but may also cover other items such as housing, meals, health insurance, excursions, or airfare. Carefully read the information on your program to determine what is included in the program fee so that you can budget accurately.

The following fees apply to some programs. Please check with your Advisor to determine if they apply to yours:

CWU program deposit: $300
A program deposit of $300 is due upon nomination/acceptance to all programs where the program fee is charged to your CWU account (i.e., you pay CWU for your program, not an outside provider or other university). Please ask your Study Abroad Advisor if this applies to you. This fee is refundable up to 45 days before the program starts, and is also refundable if you are not accepted to the program.

Non-CWU program deposits: varies by program
Some outside program providers (i.e. non-CWU programs) also charge their own deposits, either at the time of application or upon nomination. Please ask your Study Abroad Advisor if this applies to you. Refund policies for these fees are established by the provider.

ISEP placement fee: $315 for programs beginning Fall 2005
If you apply to an ISEP program and are nominated by CWU, a $315 ISEP placement fee will be charged to your CWU account. An applicant is considered nominated when the application arrives in the ISEP office. This fee is non-refundable, unless ISEP is unable to place the applicant in which case $60 of this fee will be retained.

NSE placement fee: $95
Students applying to the National Student Exchange are required to pay a placement fee to NSE. SAEP will charge this fee to your account before attempting placement. The fee is non-refundable, regardless of the placement results.

Budgeting for Study Abroad/Exchange

In addition to the fees above, you'll certainly have other expenses as part of a study abroad/exchange program. When determining your expenses, it is important to know what your program fee includes. (This is listed on the CWU website for your program.) To plan effectively for your time abroad, we have developed a Financial Worksheet for your use. Expenses to consider when developing a budget for study abroad/exchange participation may include:

• Cost of instruction abroad
• Fees
• Housing
• Meals
• Airfare
• Health insurance
• Health exam, vaccinations
• Passport and visa fees
• Books, art supplies
• Local transportation
• Personal/miscellaneous expenses
• Recreational travel

The Financial Aid & Scholarships section of this website provides information on which expenses the Office of Financial Aid can include when repackaging financial aid for CWU students.

Planning ahead helps prevent unpleasant surprises once abroad, so please take some time to review the financial aspects of your program, and feel free to contact your Study Abroad Advisor with any questions.

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