Study abroad fees & billing

Program fee

There are two types of exchange programs: university-wide exchanges (any student can apply) and departmental exchanges (only students in specific departments can apply). In both types of exchanges you pay a program fee that is equal to the tuition you normally pay to UW. Like your tuition, this program fee depends on your residency status. The program fee covers the cost of instruction at the foreign university.

Administrative fees

The Study Abroad Fee is an administrative fee that supports all the operations of UW Study Abroad including staff salaries, communications, advising, applications, student enrollment, support of students abroad, and credit transfer. The fee amount depends on the length of your exchange. 

An additional administrative fee is charged when you participate in an exchange through the Foster School of Business. You will see this additional fee listed on your payment contract. You can contact the Foster School if you have any questions about their administrative fees.

UW Student Abroad Insurance fee

The UW Student Abroad Insurance fee pays for insurance and emergency assistance while you are abroad.  The fee will be charged to your UW student account according to the duration of your program abroad (see the fee schedule below).

Program fee

The program fee is calculated as the sum of program expenses, plus any fees charged by UW centers abroad (if applicable), plus a contribution to the Study Abroad Program Assistance Fund.

Program expenses

The program fee for faculty-led programs depends on program expenses. Program expenses include housing, excursions, field trips, and any other activities or events provided to all students on the program. It also includes the cost of instruction: instructor salaries and instructor housing & travel.

Fees charged by UW centers abroad

If you are participating in a program at the UW Rome Center (UWRC) or UW Leon Center (UWLC) you will be charged a fee to cover the Center’s operations and staff. The UWRC and UWLC staff arrange housing, book field trips, and maintain the facilities in which you take your classes abroad.

The Study Abroad Program Assistance Fund

Also included in the program fee is a contribution to the Study Abroad Program Assistance Fund (SAPAF), calculated as 7.5% of total program expenses. Starting Summer 2025, the SAPAF will reduce to 5%.

The SAPAF is an insurance fund for all our faculty-led programs (around a hundred per year) and is used to refund students in the event of program cancellation and other emergencies, or if participants withdraw from the program leading to a budget shortfall. If the SAPAF reaches a UW-permitted maximum amount, additional contributions may be used for study abroad scholarships, the seeding of new study abroad programs, and emergency expenses related to UW Study Abroad operations.

Administrative fee

The Study Abroad Fee is an administrative fee that supports all the operations of UW Study Abroad including staff salaries, communications, advising, applications, student enrollment, support of students abroad, and credit transfer.

An additional administrative fee is charged when you participate in a faculty-led program through the Comparative History of Ideas (CHID) department or the Foster School of Business. You will see this additional fee listed on your payment contract. You can contact CHID or the Foster School if you have any questions about their administrative fees.

UW Student Abroad Insurance fee

The UW Student Abroad Insurance fee pays for insurance and emergency assistance while you are abroad.  The fee will be charged to your UW student account according to the duration of your program abroad (see the fee schedule below).

Program fee

Students participating in partner programs, direct enrollment programs, and internships pay a program fee that is determined by the partner organization (e.g. CIEE, IES, CET). These fees include instruction, housing, and some in-country field trips. Program fees are published on the partner organization’s website and you pay the fees directly to them.

Administrative fees

The Study Abroad Fee is an administrative fee that supports all the operations of UW Study Abroad including staff salaries, communications, advising, applications, student enrollment, support of students abroad, and credit transfer.

An additional administrative fee is charged when you participate in a partner program through the Foster School of Business. You will see this additional fee listed on your payment contract. You can contact the Foster School if you have any questions about their administrative fees.

UW Student Abroad Insurance fee

The UW requires all students traveling abroad to purchase the UW Student Abroad Insurance or equivalent. Many UW partner programs include insurance that is equivalent to the UW requirement. If your partner program does NOT include equivalent insurance, the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee will be included in your payment contract. This fee pays for insurance and emergency assistance while you are abroad. The fee will be charged to your UW student account according to the duration of your program abroad (see the fee schedule below).

Program fee

Students participating in departmental (partner) programs pay a program fee that is determined by the partner organization (e.g. ALBA Barcelona, IES Abroad). Program fees are published on the partner organization’s website and you pay the fees directly to them.

Administrative fees

The Study Abroad Fee is an administrative fee that supports all the operations of UW Study Abroad including staff salaries, communications, advising, applications, student enrollment, support of students abroad, and credit transfer. The fee amount depends on the length of your exchange.

An additional administrative fee is charged when you participate in a departmental program through the Foster School of Business. You will see this additional fee listed on your payment contract. You can contact the Foster School if you have any questions about their administrative fees.

UW Student Abroad Insurance fee

The UW Student Abroad Insurance fee pays for insurance and emergency assistance while you are abroad.  The fee will be charged to your UW student account according to the duration of your program abroad (see the fee schedule below).

Program fee

There is no program fee for Independent Learning. Independent Learning is an option for qualified graduate and advanced undergraduate students participating in some types of global internships and in international activities that do not align with other study abroad program models. These activities include independent research and fieldwork for theses or dissertations, internships, practicums, clinical electives, government or department-sponsored fellowship programs (e.g. FLAS, Fulbright), or participation in programs not affiliated with the UW, or employment as a TA on a UW Faculty-led Program. By enrolling in Independent Learning students maintain their UW students status and enrollment during the period of study abroad but do not pay tuition or program fees for credits earned.

Administrative fee

Independent Learning fees depend on whether you are enrolling for credits, or for zero credit. See table below for administrative fees associated with participation in Independent Learning. The UW Study Abroad administrative fee supports all the operations of UW Study Abroad including staff salaries, communications, advising, applications, student enrollment, support of students abroad, and credit transfer.

UW Student Abroad Insurance fee

The UW Student Abroad Insurance fee pays for insurance and emergency assistance while you are abroad.  As a FRILA participant, you will be charged the One Quarter fee for each quarter you are abroad (see fee schedule below).

• The Study Abroad fee and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed to your UW student account at the beginning of the first term abroad.
• If you are participating in an exchange through the Foster School of Business, the Foster Study Abroad fee is also billed to your UW student account at the beginning of the first term abroad.
• The program fee is billed as follows:

Autumn semester (A):
Your program fee is 1.5 quarters of your current UW tuition and fees, and it is billed at the beginning of autumn quarter.

Autumn semester (S/A):
Your program fee is 1.5 quarters of your current UW tuition and fees. 0.75 quarters x your current UW tuition and fees are billed at the beginning of summer and autumn quarters.

Autumn semester (A/W):
Your program fee is 1.5 quarters of your current UW tuition and fees. 0.75 quarters x your current UW tuition and fees are billed at the beginning of autumn and winter quarters.

Spring semester (W/Sp):
Your program fee is 1.5 quarters of your current UW tuition and fees. 0.75 quarters x your curernt UW tuition and fees are billed at the beginning of winter and spring quarters.

Spring semester (Sp/S):
Your program fee is 1.5 quarters of your current UW tuition and fees. 0.75 quarters x your current UW tuition and fees are billed at the beginning of spring and summer quarters.

Year-long (A/W/Sp) :
Your program fee is 3 quarters of your current UW tuition and fees. One quarter of your current UW tuition and fees are billed at the beginning of each quarter.

• The Study Abroad fee, a program fee, and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed to your UW student account at the beginning of the term abroad with the following exceptions:

Spring Break (W):
The Study Abroad fee, a program fee, and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed at the beginning of the winter quarter.

Spring Break (Sp):
The Study Abroad fee, a program fee, and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed at the beginning of the spring quarter.

Early Fall:
The Study Abroad fee, a program fee, and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed to your UW student account at the beginning of the autumn quarter (this may occur AFTER returning from your study abroad program). If you are receiving financial aid, the fees for your Early Fall study abroad program will not be due until the tuition deadline for the autumn quarter. By that time, your financial aid should have been disbursed. If you are awarded a UW Study Abroad scholarship for your Early Fall study abroad program, your scholarship is disbursed at the beginning of the autumn quarter.

• If you are participating in a Faculty-led Program through the Comparative History of Ideas (CHID) department or the Foster School of Business, the CHID Study Abroad fee or the Foster Study Abroad fee is also billed to your UW student account on the same timeline as the fees listed above.

• The Study Abroad fee and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed to your UW student account at the beginning of the first term abroad, with the following exception:

Early Fall:
The Study Abroad fee and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed to your UW student account at the beginning of the autumn quarter.

• You pay a program fee directly to the program provider.
• If your program fee is due before your financial aid disbursement, please visit the provider’s website or contact them to inquire about a deferral form, disbursement form, or any other payment options they may offer. For any other program fee questions, also contact the program provider.

• The Study Abroad fee and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed to your UW student account at the beginning of the first term abroad.
• If you are participating in a Foster School program, the Foster Study Abroad fee is also billed to your UW  student account at the beginning of the first term abroad.
• You pay a program fee directly to the program provider.

The Study Abroad fee and the UW Student Abroad Insurance fee (if applicable) are billed to your UW student account at the beginning of each quarter you are enrolled.