Are there any additional costs associated with studying off campus?

Yes.  There are always additional costs when students study off campus. Although actual costs vary from program to program, and according to students' choices and budgets, all students must anticipate these additional costs:

• Personal Expenses

Personal expenses can vary widely, but past students recommend having between $20-60 a week to pay for entertainment, snacks, toiletries, etc. Perhaps the biggest unexpected cost for most students is phone calls to the United States , which can be very expensive. Plan to write or e-mail home and to save calling for special occasions.

• Vacation Expenses

Most students travel during vacation breaks, so you will have to budget for housing, meals, transportation and other personal expenses while you're on the road. Travel can add significantly to your overall budget; past students have spent from $1,000-$5,000 for vacation activities depending on how far they go and how much time they take. All students must count on having some vacation expenses. In many programs students will be asked to vacate their room during specified holidays and should plan alternative activities.

• Local Transportation

Unlike at Gettysburg College , you may have to commute as part of your off campus program. This is very typical for off campus programs, and at many other U.S. colleges! You should budget for bus or rail transportation and for occasional taxi fare. The amount will depend on your local travel requirements, but this could be as much as $300 per semester. If you are worried that commuting costs might be a financial burden for you, and you are flexible about where you will live, please specify this on your application form so that every attempt can be made to place you in housing with minimal commuting costs.

• Books

As in the U.S. , the cost of books can vary greatly. You should budget between $100-200 per semester for books, but students taking classes in the sciences will pay more (as you would at Gettysburg ).

• Facilities Usage

Unlike most institutions in the U.S. , many foreign universities do not own their own athletic, health and entertainment facilities, so they must rent them or charge fees for their use. Depending on your personal interests you may find that you will pay virtually nothing for facilities usage, or $10 or more a week. If you plan to use such facilities, you must plan to pay a nominal fee for their use.

• Health Insurance

Gettysburg offers a health insurance plan for all students. Although having health insurance is mandatory, if you are covered under another health plan, you can waive out of the Gettysburg Plan. Further information about this is sent to all students each year from the Financial Services Office.

Some study abroad programs have required insurance plans which vary from $100-$400 per semester.  If your program has a mandatory plan, you will be responsible for paying this fee.

• Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance

In addition to health insurance, all students who are studying abroad must have Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance. This insurance covers the additional costs associated with moving patients from one city to another, or from one country to another for medical treatment, if adequate treatment cannot be given locally. Repatriation insurance pays the cost of returning someone's remains to the U.S. if he or she dies overseas. While discussions of this kind are not easy, they are clearly important. Gettysburg College has a mandatory Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance policy that all students studying abroad must purchase at a cost of $31.00 per month. If you feel that your current insurance policy or a policy associated with your off campus program is comparable, you may waive this fee by submitting proof of the coverage to the Off Campus Studies Office.

• Passport/Visa/Photographs

All international programs require a passport and some require a visa. The passport application and all visa applications require photographs.

*** Please be sure to check with your program sponsor to get full financial details before you send a non-refundable deposit to the program.