Charges
Tuition charge
Students who entered in the fall of 2018 and onwards (mostly students in the Class of 2022*) will be charged Amherst tuition for each study away semester on an approved program. (Amherst exchange programs may have different fees according to the agreement with the exchange partners.) The College will pay the tuition fees of the study away program on behalf of the student, which includes payment (or reimbursement of) expenses related to obtaining a transcript, e.g., school of record fees, course fees, course readers. Students are responsible for accommodation, meals, and non-billed expenses, such as textbooks, optional trips, and personal travel expenses.
Tuition insurance charge
Students will be charged tuition insurance. A.W.G. Dewar Inc. offers optional, independent tuition insurance covering medical withdrawals; subscribers are assured a refund of tuition within the terms of the plan for medical withdrawals. All medical withdrawals under the program are insured at 80% of the insured term tuition less any refund or credit due to you from the college. More detailed information is available at https://www.amherst.edu/offices/controller/student-accounts/tuition-insurance. If you do not wish to participate, an online waiver must be completed before the waiver deadline.
Health Insurance charge
Students will be charged the Amherst Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), which offers comprehensive global coverage. Students will be able to waive this insurance, but only if they confirm to the College that they will have comparable coverage for the duration of their trip, including any pre- or post-program travel and coverage upon return to the U.S. (Students waive the health insurance in the Study Away Approval Checklist in the Amherst College Travel Registry.) Single-semester students who study away in the fall semester only will be billed for a single semester and, upon resuming their studies at the College, will be billed the SHIP for their semester back on campus (with the ability to opt-out). Should students want to waive insurance while they are in residence at Amherst, they may do so with the regular opt-out process through Gallagher. Please note: If a student is in residence at Amherst in the fall semester and is enrolled in the Amherst Student Health Insurance Plan at that time, the student may not opt-out of the health insurance for the spring semester. Enrollment in SHIP in the fall means enrollment for the full year.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is portable and comprehensive for students attending approved study away programs. Students do not need to apply for financial aid or scholarship from the program or host institution; if they do, the family contribution will not be reduced. Family contributions remain the same for study away. More information on financial aid and study away can be found here.
Program enrollment deposits
For program deposits that are billed against tuition, the College will pay these deposits on behalf of students who are confirming their enrollment in a program. Students are responsible for program deposits that are billed against housing and non-tuition expenses. If the student withdraws after the program deposit has been paid by the College, the College will post any non-refundable fees to the student’s account. (Students are responsible for other deposits, e.g., housing deposits.) Students returning to their studies at the College may not enroll in courses with outstanding balances.
Refunds
For tuition refunds, the College will follow Amherst’s tuition refund policy since students are charged Amherst tuition. For housing, food, and non-tuition expenses, which are charged by the program, the College will follow the program’s refund policy. In the absence of a refund policy, the College will follow Amherst’s refund policy. Students are responsible for all non-refundable fees extended on their behalf, which will be posted to the student’s account. Students and their families should carefully review, and are responsible for knowing, the refund policies of both the program and of Amherst and be aware that students may not resume studies at Amherst until any outstanding balances have been paid.
Credit transfer
Students may not transfer away or take a personal leave of absence to participate in a study away program and transfer the credit retroactively. Students must be enrolled in the Study Away Placeholder course at the start of their approved program to be eligible to transfer credit and financial aid. A full list of academic policies is available here.
Transcripts
In the event there is a fee for the official transcript to be issued to the college, Amherst will pay for one transcript to be sent to the Office of the Registrar. Students are expected to pay for any additional transcripts. This includes transcript fees for study away programs that are not degree-granting institutions, which may have an accredited, degree-granting college or university that charges a fee for the transcript.
Outstanding balances
Students who have outstanding tuition balances on their Amherst account may not resume their studies at the College until the balance is paid. Students should direct inquiries to the Controller’s Office. Students who have outstanding balances with their programs may find that the program will not release transcripts until balances are paid and they need to direct any questions to the program. The College will place holds on students’ course registrations if there is a delay in receiving transcripts from study away.
*Students in classes prior to the class of 2022 who take leave from the college will have a five-year period away from the college, starting in spring 2020, in which their study away semester will follow the former tuition model. After the five-year period, in the spring of 2025, all students regardless of class year will follow the new tuition model.
Voluntary withdrawal
Voluntary withdrawals have serious implications for credit and financial aid. Students are fully responsible for all financial aid funds disbursed on their behalf. Voluntary withdrawals will result in the full cancellation of all Amherst financial aid funds paid on the student's behalf. Federal funds will be subject to federal regulations that might require a student to repay federal aid funds. Cancellation of financial aid funds, both institutional and federal, will result in a charge to the student's Amherst account. The balance of that account must be repaid before a student resumes their studies at Amherst College.
Students who are considering leaving their program early - a voluntary withdrawal - must contact the Director of the Global Education Office immediately to ensure that they understand the likely consequences of the choice they are considering.