Study Abroad Billing
Congratulations! Your student has expressed interest in studying abroad. One of the top questions that the Study Abroad Office receives from parents is, “what is this going to cost me?” That is a very complex question, so we hope to clarify the pricing, the billing, and who to contact with concerns.
Be aware that as your student continues through the application process, he/she has received a copy of the billing sheet specifically for you, so please ask him/her for it.
If you & your student are looking for a potentially less expensive option, have him/her inquire about Direct Partners.
Bryant Program Providers
A program provider is a company that Bryant has contracted with for all of the logistical arrangements for your student’s study abroad experience. They assist students with applications, visas, housing, courses, etc. In addition, the program providers have someone in country that the students can consult for any issue he/she may be having. We strongly recommend you send your student to the program provider staff in country if he/she is having any type of issue. They are a great resource for assisting your student immediately, so please direct your students to use that resource.
Here is a list of our program providers, and we encourage you to look at their websites:
- API
- Arcadia Global Studies
- CIEE
- IAU
- IES
- WorldStrides
The program providers also include health insurance for each of their programs.
Contesting Charges
If you feel that your student has been charged in error (e.g. housing damages, withdraw fees, etc.), then we strongly recommend having your student contact the program provider. The program providers are the ones who assess charges, and they then send the bill and smaller refunds back to the student.
Bryant does not charge anything above what the program provider has charged.
Non-Included Costs to Consider
Below is a list of additional costs to take into consideration. The Study Abroad Office cannot answer the question “how much will my student need for going abroad” because each student is different. Therefore, here is a list of items to consider, but this is not a comprehensive list:
- Round-trip airfare,
- Visa (if required),
- Cell phone (if obtaining one),
- Public transportation,
- Going out,
- Shopping,
- Additional travel.
We have students who study abroad on a $3,000.00 budget and others who spend over $10,000.00. There is no way for us to predict what your student will spend, but knowing your student’s spending habits better than us should help when you sit down and budget with your student.
Another Consideration
We are happy that your student is interested in participating on a study abroad experience. Please be aware that he/she should not expect that it is exactly the same as it is at Bryant. For example, the bedrooms may be smaller, Wi-Fi slower (or limited), or different meal customs. Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity that is very different from Bryant, so we hope your student continues on this journey.
Understanding Costs and Fees for Studying Abroad
Tuition, Room and Meals
Tuition: The tuition for the majority of Bryant’s approved study abroad programs is exactly the same as a traditional semester on campus. The only exception is if a student selects a program where the tuition is higher than Bryant’s. If the tuition is higher, then the student is responsible for paying the difference. There are very few locations where the tuition is higher, but that changes with the value of the American dollar.
Room: The room rate is dependent upon the type of housing that a study abroad participant receives. Students will be charged either a dorm or townhouse rate depending on what he/she receives. There are many locations where there is not a housing choice, so the student will be charged according to what the housing is that they receive. Additionally, certain programs offer housing options that are not comparable to on-campus living at Bryant (e.g. "Comfort"). In these situations a student is responsible to pay the difference between a single townhouse rate and the cost for the housing by the host institution.
Meals: Students are charged for a meal plan only if they receive meals from their program overseas. If a student does not receive a meal plan, then he/she is not charged for one. Without a meal plan, your student must budget for preparing his/her own food.
Billing
Bryant students are billed for their tuition the same as with every other semester, so you should see no change with respect to the tuition charge (so long as the tuition is not higher than Bryant’s). With regards to room & meal charges, the Bursar’s Office tries to be proactive regarding these charges and placing them on the student’s account. The rate for room & meals is dependent on what the student receives abroad. Therefore, there are times when additional charges could appear on your student’s bill after he/she is already in country (e.g. charged for a dorm style room, but received a townhouse style apartment so there is a cost increase). These charges are usually due to verification that your student’s housing and meals are officially set for the semester, or if there are changes in housing & meal plan options your student has requested.
Financial Aid
A student’s financial aid package may travel with him/her on a Bryant approved program. The Study Abroad Office strongly encourages all students to check with their financial aid counselor to confirm that his/her aid will travel.
GPA Issues
All Bryant students are required to have a 2.75 cumulative GPA in order to apply for study abroad. In addition, students must maintain that 2.75 at the end of the term. If your student must withdraw because of GPA issues, then he/she may not be able to defer, so you should have this conversation with him/her before they apply. The Study Abroad Office informs your student of the ramifications of falling below the GPA, so your student has been made aware of the risks associated with applying and not maintaining the 2.75 GPA requirement.
Cancellation/Withdrawal Policy
Each program provider lists their cancellation/ withdrawal policy on their website. If your student is no longer able to study abroad (e.g GPA issues, financial considerations), then he/she must contact the program provider to withdraw. Bryant does not charge any additional fees to withdraw, but Bryant bills the student based on the invoice received from the program provider for the cancellation/withdrawal penalty. Moreover, if a student returns home during the program, then he/she would not be subject to any refunds. This is even in cases where students are required to return home because of pandemics, civil unrest, and/or natural disasters. The providers make efforts to provide some refunds when they can, but that is not always possible. Bryant University pays in full to the provider for the student’s program (e.g. tuition, housing, etc.), so there will not be a refund from Bryant University. Bryant is committed to ensuring that students receiving their semester credits if they are forced to return home for one of the criteria listed above.
Direct Partners
Bryant has a growing number of direct partnerships overseas. Bryant students will attend a partner institution and the partner sends us a student in return. Our students still pay tuition & study abroad fee to Bryant, but they pay all the other fees directly to the partner institution (e.g. housing, meals, insurance, etc.), which means this could be a more affordable option. Students also work directly with the partner school for all of their visa, housing, social, academic, etc. needs. Since this is a more immersive, independent experience, our students on these programs meet more international students and have a truly unique experience.