Cost & Aid
Hamilton’s study abroad fee is $1500 per semester program. A student participating in a single, full-year program will be charged $2000 for the academic year, divided equally each semester. This fee does not apply to Hamilton programs.
Hamilton provides support before, during, and after a student's experience abroad. This support includes maintaining an off-campus study resource center, advising at all stages of the study abroad experience, processing applications and leave of absence declarations, transferring financial aid, transferring credit, travel health services, and support for course registration and housing arrangements for the semester the student returns. Students also maintain access to library resources, academic advisor and departmental resources, and technology resources such as their Hamilton email account.
Study abroad programs set their own tuition and fees. Information about tuition and fees is available on the individual program websites. Make sure to check for this information as part of your research when searching for a program.
The program's "comprehensive fee" will often include tuition and housing, but there will be other expenses beyond that fee. Please read the fine print in order to understand what is included in the comprehensive fee. Some programs don't include housing or food in their comprehensive fee, which means you'll want to take those expenses into consideration as well. Other expenses you may be responsible for are the program deposit, airfare, in-country travel, books. Make sure that you and anyone providing financial support for you understand what is covered by your program fee.
Billing is coordinated by Hamilton’s bursar regardless of the institutional sponsor for the off-campus program. Financial Aid recipients will have your financial aid applied directly against your off-campus study program costs. Your expected family contribution will be the same as it would be if you were taking classes on campus.
Many Hamilton students who study abroad receive financial aid, and Hamilton College will work with students receiving aid to make their study abroad goal achievable. Financial aid covers program fees and some additional expenses up to the cost of attendance (COA) at Hamilton. If your program exceeds the COA at Hamilton, there are no financial aid funds available to cover the excess amount. Once you have a good idea of where you will go and with which program, consult Diane Barrett in the Financial Aid Office (315-859-4395) to be sure you understand your financial aid situation.
Billing will be coordinated by Hamilton’s bursar regardless of the institutional sponsor for the off-campus program. Financial Aid recipients will have your financial aid applied directly against your off-campus study program costs. Your expected family contribution will be the same as it would be if you were taking classes on campus.
You may also be eligible to apply for outside scholarships to help with study abroad expenses. Please note that outside scholarships are factored into your financial aid package. Scholarships may not reduce the amount of your expected family contribution. If you are interested in a particular scholarship, speak to the Financial Aid Office in order to understand how it would be applied to your financial aid package.
Many Hamilton students have successfully applied and received national scholarships. Students who are eligible and interested in applying for the Boren Scholarship, Gilman Scholarship, the Freeman Asia Scholarship, Fund for Education Abroad, and the Critical Language Scholarship should contact the Student Fellowships Coordinator. Also, check out tips for applying to the Gilman.
Many program providers also offer scholarships to participate in their programs. Always check to see if scholarships are offered through your program.
Other sources of information are listed below.
Study Abroad Financing Guides
- Financial Aid and Study Abroad: Basic Facts for Students
- The Guide to Financial Aid & Scholarships for Studying Abroad
- Complete Guide for Your International Ambitions
- Going Global: A College Student's Road Map to Studying Abroad
Study Abroad Scholarships
- Bridging Scholarships (Japan)
- David L. Boren-NSEP Scholarships (for study in areas deemed critical to U.S. security)
- BUTEX Scholarships (for semester or year study at some UK universities)
- Coccia Institute Scholarships (summer study in Italy - please see your Italian professor)
- Critical Language Scholarship
- Diversity International Women of Color Scholarship
- Freeman Asia Scholarships (East and Southeast Asia)
- Fund for Education Abroad
- Gilman Scholarship (available to Pell Grant recipients)
- IFSA-Butler First Gen Scholarship
It is important to be realistic about what you can do when you study abroad. Financial aid will travel with you in order to ensure that you can participate in the academic program (up to the cost of attendance at Hamilton), however other activities like entertainment and travel not included in your program fees will be at your own expense. While we understand that being able to participate in cultural activities and visiting other locations is an important part of the learning experience, you will need to plan in advance to ensure you have the funds to do these activities.
- Studying abroad in a location with a lower cost of living may be something to consider. Cities like London, Stockholm, and Sydney can be expensive places to live in. Think about this as well when you chose an academic program.
- Students as early as their first year will start setting aside money from campus jobs for their study abroad experience. Others have opted to work summers and also save a portion of the earnings for extracurricular activities.
- Students may also want to consider fundraising as a way to get financial support. Consider contacting hometown businesses and organizations that may consider supporting you. Other ideas for fundraising can be found in this GoOverseas.com list.
