Program Costs
Now that you've chosen a study abroad program and have been accepted, it's important that you know how and when you'll be expected to pay for various expenses.
If you haven't already - please be sure to review the information on our Understanding Costs & Financial Aid page for a detailed breakdown of what to expect, along with more specific information. Make sure you know what your program type is so that you refer to the information that is most relevant to you.
It is very important to understand the following points:
- There are many different fee structures and billing arrangements among Purdue’s 400+ study abroad programs.
- Each student has different financial aid eligibility and options and is responsible for learning whether the aid they have while on campus can be used for study abroad.
- Study abroad advisors are not experts on financial aid and they will refer you to DFA for definitive information about how your aid will cover your overseas study costs.
- It is not wise to accept information about financial aid from friends or previous program participants.
- Some costs provided are estimates and may be subject to change.
So - where do you find your expected program costs? For non-departmental programs, the Purdue Study Abroad website has a program page for each program and this page will list expected costs. Students will also receive an expected cost sheet from their Study Abroad Advisor after acceptance. For departmental programs, if this information is not listed on the website program leaders will provide students with the expected costs and budget.
Deposits & Cancellation Policies
Students on all study abroad programs are required to complete a Participation Form and pay a deposit to confirm their spot on the program.
Depending on the program type, you may pay your deposit directly to Purdue or to your overseas program. Either way, before paying a deposit you should understand the program costs as well as the cancellation policy for the program.
Once paid, deposits are non-refundable. If you voluntarily withdraw from your program for any reason (reconsider your plans, accept an internship or job offer with conflicting dates, do not apply for your visa in a timely manner) or are involuntarily removed due to academic notice or disciplinary probation, you will not get your deposit back. Therefore, be sure you are ready to commit before you pay and that you understand you will lose that money if you change your mind later.
In addition, many programs (including all departmental programs) have strict cancellation policies. If this applies to your program, this policy will be provided to you upon acceptance to a program, and you should review it carefully before finalizing your participation in a program. It will let you know what fees will be due if you withdraw by specific deadlines for your program, and withdrawing too close to the program start date may result in being charged the full program fees. Even if your program does not have a cancellation policy, students should be aware of any cancellation penalties that may be associated with housing, flights, or other related program costs.
While students have the right to withdraw from a program at any point, you will be held responsible for the associated cancellation penalties if applicable.
Paying for your Program
How you pay for your program will also depend on your Program Type. It is important that you understand how you are expected to pay, and also that you share this information with anyone who may be helping you pay, such as a parent or family member so that no one is surprised when the bill comes due!
Payments by Program Type
Exchange Programs
Students on exchange programs will continue to pay their normal Tuition and related Fees directly to Purdue University. This will look very similar to your normal Purdue bill and can be paid in the same way.
Differences to expect:
- You will be charged a Study Abroad Insurance Fee ($32/month) in addition to tuition
- Housing will be paid directly to on-site housing provider and not to Purdue
- Meal plans usually are not an option overseas, so students should budget for meal expenses accordingly
- Financial aid will apply directly to your Purdue bill when it is released.
- If you have financial aid in excess of the Purdue-paid costs, a refund will be released according to standard financial aid timelines. This refund can then be used to apply to other program-related costs, such as housing, flights, visa, books, or meal expenses.
Co-Sponsored and Direct-Enroll Programs
Students on these program types are NOT charged Purdue tuition. Instead, you will pay a Study Abroad Fee and an insurance fee (where applicable) to Purdue and then pay your tuition, housing, and other necessary fees directly to the program provider.
This means you will receive two bills:
- From Purdue - bill for Study Abroad Fee and Insurance (if required). Pay the Purdue portion of your bill through your Purdue account.
- From Program - bill for program fee (typically includes tuition, housing, orientation, program activities, and insurance). Follow instructions provided by your program to pay the program fees. Students must pay the program co-sponsor or host university directly as Purdue cannot collect these funds and then distribute to your program.
NOTE: Different programs may have different inclusions in their program fee, make sure to understand what is included and what other costs you'll need to budget for and pay independently.
Make sure to review the bills carefully when you receive them and note payment deadline and any special instructions.
Using Scholarship or Financial Aid Money to Pay Co-Sponsor or Direct-Enroll Fees:
It is also important to note that Purdue CANNOT send scholarship or financial aid money directly to a program to pay your fees. These funding sources must be released directly to the student, who can then use it to pay for program-related expenses. Due to the timing of when these funds are released (typically one week before program start date), you may not have access to them by the program payment deadline. However, many programs allow students to defer their payment and will have a form to fill out to request a payment deferral due to financial aid timelines. This form may require the Division of Financial Aid to confirm you are receiving financial aid, so do not delay in requesting a payment extension if this applies to you. If in doubt, feel free to ask questions.
Tip: Students receiving the Purdue Giant Leaps Scholarship can request early disbursement of these funds to help pay for up-front expenses such as flights and visas. This is the only type of aid that can be released early. Instructions on how to request early disbursement will be provided to students when they are awarded this scholarship.
Students who are utilizing a 529 plan to pay for study abroad costs on these program types should also be aware that you cannot make all your payments directly to Purdue. You may need to work with your 529 plan provider to prove these costs are education expenses and part of your Purdue degree before they will make a payment to other sources. In our experience, most students are successful in utilizing 529 plans to pay for costs, but be prepared that you may have to jump through a few hoops or provide additional documentation.
Some types of aid cannot be applied to these programs, please see Understanding Study Abroad Costs & Aid for more details.
Departmental Programs
Participants on departmental programs are charged comprehensive program fees through Purdue. This means you will pay your bill directly to Purdue.
Pay attention to what is included in your program fee that you pay to Purdue, and what expenses you are expected to cover on your own while on-site. Your program fee will include most of your expenses, but may not include certain items such as every meal, visa (if needed), and personal expenses.
Some types of aid cannot be applied to these programs, please see Understanding Study Abroad Costs & Aid for more details.