When accepted, Study Abroad bills the student's MSU account for $100. This fee is applied toward the student's full program fee. Once a student confirms their attendance on a program, the student is responsible for this fee and any unrecoverable costs paid on their behalf. Please see the application process web page for more information on this topic.

All MSU bills are handled electronically, and MSU will send an email to the student about this and other fees. To view student financial information, please see the Student Information site. Students have the option of having bills sent to parents or guardians, in addition to themselves.

The remaining cost for the program will appear on a student's tuition bill for the Fall semester. Important information about billing schedules, financial aid, and registration policies should be obtained from MSU. In general, MSU sets its tuition and fee costs in July, with bills going out at the end of that month.

The program fee typically includes the following costs:

• pre-and post-departure orientation and meetings,
• books and academic resources,
• airfare as well as transportation to/from MSU and departing airport for group flight,
• accommodation on-site,
• admissions and transportation to all field experiences,
• some meals, and
• accident and sickness insurance.

Amounts not included in the program fee for which participants will need
to budget include:

• MSU tuition and fees*
• additional meals
• local transportation during free time
• passport application fee ($100)
• visa application fees (if applicable)
• pre-departure doctor visits
• pre-departure immunizations (if applicable)
• personal spending money

*Check the Controller's web site for current tuition, fees and taxes.

The program fees for 2009 are:

• Newfoundland, Canada (2009): $1,813
• Cork & Galway, Ireland (2009): $2,940
• Bologna, Florence & Venice, Italy (2009): $4,192
• Kyoto, Tokyo & Beppu, Japan (2009): $3,950
• Oaxaca, Mexico (2009): $1,459
• North Island, New Zealand (2009): $3,586
• Edinburgh & the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (2009): $3,505
• Cape Town & Port Elizabeth, South Africa (2009): $3,535

Additional funds and spending money

Students should bring enough money to cover additional meals and personal expenses (e.g., snacks, tourist visits, souvenirs, etc.). The exact amount of spending money depends on the student and the location of the program. Due to this variance, students should talk with their program faculty about any special considerations for their destination.

Students should also consult with their program leaders about the most appropriate ways to carry money with them abroad. In some countries, an ATM and debit card is very appropriate, yet for others students may want to rely on traveler's checks. However a student decides to manage his or her spending money, we highly recommend that students have back-up options. In other words, students should have at least two methods of transporting money abroad (e.g., a credit card and an ATM or an ATM and traveler's checks).

If using electronic forms of money, we recommend that students apply for their cards early and use them prior to departure to ensure that they work. Also, students should contact their banks and creditors to acknowledge their international travel. Some banks will freeze accounts when a credit card or ATM is suddenly used overseas. Also, money for debit and ATM cards should be held in a checking account for access overseas.

Freshman Seminar Abroad (FSA) Scholarships

Students participating on an FSA program may be eligible for up to three awards created just for these programs. General information about the awards is available below.

Freshman Seminar Abroad Study Abroad Scholarships: The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education (APUE) and the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) offer a limited number of scholarships specifically for eligible FSA participants. In all cases, to be eligible for the award a student must be (1) admitted to MSU with their deposit paid, (2) have submitted their application to an FSA program, and (3) have on file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at the MSU Financial Aid Office. Students must submit a scholarship application form.

Awards funded through the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education (APUE) and Office of Financial Aid are for up to $2,000 toward the program fee (note: if the program fee is less than $2,000, then students will only be given an amount equal to the cost of the program fee). These scholarships are designated for Pell grant eligible students who have demonstrated high academic merit. The priority deadline for APUE awards is June 9, 2009.

Awards funded through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) are for $250, and require applicants to have a 2.5 GPA or above and demonstrate financial need. The deadline for OSA awards is June 9, 2009.

Please note that it may take several weeks after the deadlines to process and select the recipients of these awards.

Freshman Seminar Abroad Honors College Scholarship: MSU's Honors College offers a limited number of awards specifically for FSA participants who are also incoming Honors College students. Scholarships will be awarded by the Honors College to the first eligible students who register for each program, so apply early!

Other financial assistance

Financial assistance is available when students make appropriate arrangements with MSU's offices of Study Abroad and Financial Aid.

Financial aid is typically disbursed 10 days prior to the beginning of each semester. Monies obtained from aid and scholarships are credited against a student's account, with any surpluses refunded to the student. For more information on financial aid and scholarships, please see the following:

• MSU Office of Financial Aid
• MSU Office of Admissions and Scholarships
• Study Abroad scholarship information
• Study Abroad information on Financial Aid
• MSU Honor's College scholarships
• You can't afford NOT to go

Program details may be subject to change due to unexpected circumstances.