When you study abroad, you remain registered at Swarthmore and are billed according to the regular billing cycle. Without exception, you are charged regular Swarthmore tuition, room, and board. This is a condition of participation. It is not possible to receive exemptions from fees (such as housing) while studying abroad.

All eligible students will receive the same financial aid for a semester abroad as for a semester on-campus.  Students who study abroad are not billed the Student Activity fee.

Some programs can bill the Global Engagement Office for enrollment deposits, in which case Swarthmore covers the deposits directly.

If the program asks that NONREFUNDABLE program and housing deposits (e.g., down payments) to be paid directly by the students, these deposits are typically reimbursable by Swarthmore. 

However, students are responsible for paying REFUNDABLE housing deposits (e.g., a room damage deposit). Swarthmore does NOT reimburse refundable housing deposits, so students will need to budget in advance if a damage deposit is required by their program. However, students can expect those funds to be returned later by their program (provided they abide by housing contracts).

The following expenses are covered by Swarthmore as a direct payment to an overseas program or as part of the "study abroad stipend" deposited to your account pre-departure:

• Program tuition and fees
• Housing and food
• Flight to host city (up to "fare threshold")
• Local transportation as required
• Insurance abroad

The following expenses are paid by the student, then reimbursed by Swarthmore upon request:

• Eligible visa expenses
• One application fee (for chosen program)
• Checked luggage on flight to program (up to 2 bags, minus those included in flight)
• Transportation between destination airport and program location (at start and end of program)
• Textbooks and other required course materials
• Nonrefundable deposits (if billed to a student)

For your semester abroad, Swarthmore College makes payment to study abroad programs for tuition, fees, and housing. 

If programs provide meals, Swarthmore will also make direct payment for board fees.  If meals are not provided by your program, students will receive funding via a stipend (see stipend details below).

Global Engagement covers your round-trip flight to your study abroad location up to a "fare threshold," which is set based on the cost of a round trip from Philadelphia to the host city during your program dates. If your selected flight exceeds the "fare threshold," you will be billed the cost difference. More details are available on our Flight Arrangements page.

Yes, you will be registered by the Global Engagement Office (GEO) for global assistance services through International SOS as well as Swarthmore's travel medical insurance policy.  Additional details are available on the GEO page on Insurance Abroad.

If your program requires enrollment in their own insurance plan, Swarthmore also covers this additional expense. 

Although your insurance abroad will be covered, you are expected to maintain your usual insurance plan (at Swarthmore or at home).

If a program is not "fully-inclusive," Swarthmore provides students with a "study abroad stipend" for various living expenses while abroad. 

If students are placed in a dormitory or apartment that is "self-catered," a meal stipend will be provided to cover groceries for independent meal preparation as well as occasional dining out.   The stipend is calculated based on the cost of living in the student's host city and the duration of the program.

While dependent on the location and program, in most cases, study abroad stipends also include separate funding for local transportation between housing and classes.  

In very few cases, study abroad stipends may include funds for rent, if (and only if) the program requires rent to be billed directly to the student.

You will receive a study abroad stipend if your program does not cover food, local transportation, and/or housing expenses. 

Certain programs provide some or all meals, or their own meal stipend (included in their board fees billed to Swarthmore). The Swarthmore stipend only covers meals not provided by the program (e.g., if a student receives two meals per day from their program, the Swarthmore stipend would cover one meal per day). Some programs provide students with a transportation pass or do not require local transportation, in which case students do not receive a transportation stipend. Most programs bill Swarthmore for housing, meaning that students do not need a rent stipend.

About 1-2 months before your departure, you will receive a "GEO Stipend Letter" in your GEO portal ("Documents" tab), which includes the exact stipend you will receive in each category.

The stipend will be disbursed several weeks in advance of your term abroad, as a deposit to your bank account linked to Swarthmore.

Swarthmore can cover the application fee for the program that you COMMIT to. This means that only one application fee will be covered, and only if you decide to attend a program. Students are responsible for application fees at the time they submit their applications, and one fee can be reimbursed by Swarthmore after the student has committed to the program.

Swarthmore can reimburse certain visa application expenses (e.g., processing fees, background checks, notarization fees, mailing costs, etc.). ​​​​​​

Should an in-person visa appointment be required, Swarthmore can also reimburse the cost of one round trip to a consulate/embassy by bus or (non-Acela) train up to a total amount of $125.

Note that Swarthmore is not able to reimburse visa expediting for non-programmatic reasons. Likewise, Swarthmore will reimburse for standard visa processing, but not premium visa services.

Your program may require purchase of books and other mandatory academic materials and supplies. These expenses can be reimbursed by GEO and applied against your TAP account. 

Note that the TAP annual maximum (for combined expenses at Swarthmore and abroad) still applies. For Swarthmore to reimburse these expenses, you will need evidence that the course materials are required (e.g., course syllabi).

Yes, GEO can reimburse up to two checked bags, excluding bags included in the cost of your flight. Luggage must be under the airline's weight limit to be reimbursed.

If you need to pay for transportation between the airport and the location of your program, Swarthmore can reimburse these expenses (at the start and end of the program).

When you pay an expense that Swarthmore can reimburse, always save a receipt. Receipts are required to request reimbursement. After you have committed to a program and notified GEO, you can upload receipts to your GEO portal to request reimbursement.

Receipts must show the following information:

• Date of transaction
• Name of merchant
• Transaction details (what was purchased)
• The amount of purchase
• The form of payment used (credit card, cash, check)
• Indication that the amount was paid (i.e., cannot be a quote or estimate)

Handwritten receipts that do not contain the above information cannot be accepted. Credit card statements alone are not acceptable in lieu of receipt.

You can submit reimbursement requests at three stages: Pre-Departure, While Abroad, and Returnee. Pre-departure reimbursement requests are typically processed several weeks before your departure. Reimbursements requested after departure typically take about one month to process.

• The Student Request for Reimbursement Pre-Departure form will show up on your GEO portal after you have committed to a program and notified GEO. Reimbursements that can be requested include the application fee, program deposits, and visa fees.
• The Student Request for Reimbursement While Abroad form will show up on your GEO portal after your program start date. Reimbursements that can be requested include checked luggage (up to 2 bags, minus bags that are included in the flight cost), transportation between the airport and your program location upon arrival, and required course materials, and visa expenses.
• The Student Request for Reimbursement Returnee form will show up on your GEO portal after your program end date. Reimbursements that can be requested include checked luggage (up to 2 bags, minus bags that are included in the flight cost), transportation between the airport and your program location before your return flight, and required course materials.

Deadline for Seeking Reimbursement
Ideally, any/all reimbursement requests should be submitted within two weeks of the return from your program. Per Swarthmore Business Office policy, all reimbursements must be submitted within 182 days (6 months) of the ending date of your program. Failure to do so will result in the expense being declined for reimbursement.

While many expenses are covered by the College, there are other items for which you will need to budget and plan. 

Be aware that some programs, especially direct enrollment programs, charge fees that would not be charged on a cash-free campus like Swarthmore. Other programs offer a similar cash-free experience to Swarthmore. GEO can advise students on the financial inclusivity of different programs if this information would influence their decision about which program to attend.

As there may be expenses out of pocket, please consider how you will cover these expenses before and during your time abroad. Some examples include:

• personal expenses (e.g., toiletries, bedding, calling plans, kitchenware, etc.)
• laundry and/or cleaning fees
• printing fees
• international phone plan
• travel immunizations and medication   
• vacations and optional trips
• entertainment and recreation
• student club fees

Swarthmore does not bill study abroad students the Student Activity Fee, with the expectation that students can instead use these funds for their own activities. For students receiving financial aid, this amount is still included in the financial aid calculation. This means that funds that would otherwise be allocated to pay for the student activity fee, can be allocated instead to cover similar expenses.

You are responsible for any out-of-pocket healthcare related expenses, including vaccines and/or medications required to participate in your program. In general, it is important when planning to remember that some expenses associated with your program will be your responsibility, including costs for medical requirements to attend your program.

Unlike childhood vaccines and routine boosters, travel-specific vaccines are typically not covered by insurance. These vaccines can be quite expensive and often require a series of multiple injections.

The cost of vaccines can vary from year-to-year as well as by location. For planning purposes, Swarthmore’s Student Health and Wellness Center has provided the following information for travel vaccines given on-campus during the 2025-2026 academic year.

• Hepatitis A: $95
• Japanese Encephalitis (2 doses): $365 per dose
• Rabies vaccine (2 doses): $420 per dose
• Tetanus-only booster (Td): $25
• Typhoid: $125

Some vaccinations are not available on-campus. For information on vaccinations not listed above and/or to evaluate what is available elsewhere, you can use GoodRx to compare costs between health services and nearby pharmacies.

• For example: Yellow Fever is listed as available at the CVS in Target and other local pharmacies for $150-$200.

Once study abroad funds are transferred to your account, you are responsible for this money.  GEO is not in a position to reimburse you for stolen money or for any stolen items. 

Some students take out personal property insurance to protect against loss.  Losses may even be covered by a parent/guardian homeowner's or renter's insurance.

Be sure to resolve any financial matters before you return to the United States, as they are so much more difficult to handle once you're no longer local. These include small things, like outstanding library fines, and bigger issues such as security deposits. Programs will not send your final transcript if you have outstanding financial obligations.

In the case of security deposits, make sure you understand how the deposit will be returned (i.e., the amount, currency, where it will be returned and when). If you receive any unexpected refunds from your study abroad program, please contact the Global Engagement Office.

You are encouraged to create a budget for your abroad experience and stick to it while you're abroad. Consider your costs for personal expenses, independent travel, immunizations, travel medications, and the loss of the campus work opportunity for the semester. Remember to budget for unexpected expenses, which will inevitably arise.

The savings you'll need will depend on your intended program. Some programs, especially programs run by third-party providers, include most living costs in the fee they bill to Swarthmore, and less money needs to be saved. Other programs, especially direct enrollment programs, involve various fees paid by the student (which are either reimbursed by Swarthmore or the student's responsibility). It's important to research the amount of savings that your program recommends for costs not covered by Swarthmore. When in doubt, you can contact your program or GEO.

Most countries' visas do not allow students to work while abroad. Also, students are not allowed to continue their employment with Swarthmore remotely. If you receive work-study funds, it is important to plan for a loss of these funds during your semester abroad.

The financial aid office provides the opportunity for students to apply for a federal direct loan, and/or a Swarthmore College Loan to replace the amount of your campus job as noted on your financial aid decision. Students who are not eligible for a federal direct loan may be eligible for the Swarthmore College loan. 

You may also choose to work extra hours during the semester before or after your study abroad experience. If you apply for summer research funding, part of that funding may also make up for lost income.

You can find an extensive, but not comprehensive list of external scholarships including federal and national scholarship programs on the GEO website.  

Many programs also offer scholarships for their students, usually intended for a specific audience (financial need scholarships, study abroad ambassador positions, diversity scholarships; etc).  

Note that scholarships that are deducted directly from your program tuition or fees will not benefit you financially (since you pay Swarthmore's tuition and fees, and Swarthmore pays tuition and fees to your program). Scholarships awarded to you directly (e.g., as a deposit to your bank account) will often benefit you but may impact your financial aid from Swarthmore. 

Always let the Financial Aid Office know if you have been awarded an outside scholarship.  A grant may result in a reduction of Swarthmore Scholarship. Students should meet with the Financial Aid Office to understand their individual situation.

If you are concerned about how you might cover your expenses while abroad, please contact the Financial Aid Office. 

One route that they can discuss with you are different low-interest loan options. While taking out a loan may be something you are trying to steer away from, sometimes a small loan can go a long way while you are abroad. Study abroad alumni have mentioned how knowing the money was there in case they really needed it was helpful. And if you decide not to use the money, you can pay it right back when you return to campus!

Important: if your study abroad program starts earlier than when you would receive your funding/refund from Swarthmore, you will need to plan on securing funds for this period in advance (through savings, scholarships, loans, etc).