Fulfilling Your Financial Responsibility
”Students assume responsibility of all costs incurred as a result of enrollment at Santa Clara University. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of their account balance and financial aid information, and maintain current valid address information at all times to ensure receipt of all University correspondence in a timely manner.”– SCU Undergraduate Bulletin
What are some funding options for study abroad?
Students can use their University aid programs to pay for tuition, housing & program fees for exchanges, affiliates, and SCU-operated programs. You can also apply any other external aids including these common study abroad grants and scholarships.
Who pays the confirmation deposit…the student or SCU?
- For Affiliated Programs Students (except for Summer programs): When you receive your acceptance email or packet from your program,you will be asked to submit a deposit to secure your spot on their roster. Amounts range from $200 - $2,000 depending on the affiliated program. SCU students are NOT responsible for sending this confirmation deposit directly to their program as it will be invoiced to Santa Clara. You DO need to complete the confirmation paperwork and send it in to the program by their deadline.
Students in summer affiliated programs are responsible for the deposit and payments directly to the providers.
- For SCU Program Students: Students participating in any of the SCU-operated programs (Casa de la Solidaridad, Costa Rica Summer, Germany Summer, London, Sydney Internship, Barcelona, Rome) are no longer required to submit a $500 deposit upfront. However, they are still required to abide by the withdrawal / refund policy for study abroad programs to avoid a minimum of $500 withdrawal fee.
- For Direct Exchange Students: Students participating in any of the Direct Exchange Programs (Sophia University, Ateneo de Manila, etc) during the Fall or Spring are not required to submit a confirmation deposit.
How will I be billed for study abroad program cost?
You will continue to be billed by Santa Clara University via ecampus as with your regular studies on campus. This will allow students to utilize their Santa Clara financial aid to assist in paying for their abroad charges.
How much will SCU charge me for my study abroad program?
All Santa Clara University students are charged the same tuition whether they are on campus or abroad. Study abroad students are charged an additional “Housing & Program Fees” depending on the program and location. For a complete list of the Study Abroad Fees announced by the University Board of Trustees in March please refer to:
Additional Fees: If you take any classes with additional fees, sign up for special field trips, or take advantage of certain types of housing (etc.) that are not covered in this base cost, then the program is authorized to bill you directly. If you receive one of these bills from the program, you need to pay it directly to them in order to prevent holds on your transcript at the end of your term abroad.
What will happen if I fail to pay?
Students are responsible to pay Santa Clara University in a timely fashion to avoid late payment fees. All students are charged a penalty fee for each month their account remains unpaid. Failure to pay will affect your ability to enroll in future courses at Santa Clara and may affect your ability to continue in your abroad program, and obtain transfer credits. Santa Clara University is not obligated to accept a study abroad transcript for students who have any financial holds on their ecampus.
- Be sure to review the financial rights and responsibility on the Bursar’s website section which states:
“A financial hold will be placed on all accounts with unpaid balances. This hold will suppress any future registration and issuance of transcripts and diplomas. Holds will not be removed until the balance is paid, a payment agreement is established or the student has sufficient financial aid pending to clear the balance.” – Bursar’s website
When will I be billed for my study abroad program cost?
The regular billing cycles will apply to students studying abroad. Below is a listing of billing dates and payment deadlines.
- Summer billing DUE; May 21st
- Fall billing DUE: August 21st
- Winter billing DUE: Dec 21st
- Spring Semester Abroad Payment Deadline *: March 21st: Spring billing statement available; March 21st: Spring Quarter Payment Deadline
NOTE: Students participating in a Spring Semester abroad program will be billed only during the Winter Quarter and not for the Spring Quarter with the exception of Gonzaga-Florence students who are required to participate in a year-long program and will be billed for all three quarters (Fall, Winter, Spring).
What is the study abroad cancellation & refund policy?
Students can always choose to cancel their study abroad status. However, you need to be aware that your decision to withdraw from a program after you have committed to it may impact you and your family financially. It is your responsibility to download and understand the withdrawal and refund policy.
Can I set up a special payment plan to pay for my study abroad program cost?
Yes, payment plans are available year-round for the term/semester in which you are studying abroad. Payment plans are administered by TuitionPay, an outside vendor, and can be set-up online. For more information or to enroll in a payment plan, simply go to www.tuitionpay.com/scu
Do payment plans apply to summer abroad programs?
- Affiliated Summer Abroad Students: SCU students enroll and pay tuition and fees directly to the provider institution for summer affiliated study abroad programs. Therefore, a payment plan via SCU is not available. You will follow the same study abroad petition and course approval procedures.
- SCU-Operated Summer Abroad Students: Students enroll and pay tuition and fees through Santa Clara so a payment plan is an option.
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