Many students at Carleton College participate in an off-campus study program sometime during their college experience. It is to their advantage to be concerned and aware of how their financial aid will transfer to their program. In addition, students should plan ahead, as there may need to be correspondence between Carleton College and the sponsoring institution. It is recommended that students begin planning 6-12 months before the off-campus experience by reading through the documents below. If more questions occur, students should contact the Student Financial Service Office to make an appointment to visit with a Financial Aid Officer.

Program Expenses

For Carleton seminars, the comprehensive fee for a one-term seminar covers tuition, room and board, and program-related expenses. Travel to the seminar site, books, and personal expenses are your financial responsibility, as they are when you are studying on campus.

For affiliated and unaffiliated programs, you are responsible for paying the deposit required by the program. You must pay that deposit directly to the sponsoring institution, often to confirm your place in that program. Check with the institution regarding billing procedures and deadlines. It is your responsibility to convey that information to your parents and to the Business Office before you leave campus. Program fees are charged at rates established by the sponsoring institution and usually are based on the academic calendar year of that institution.

Fifteen-week semester programs are more common than 10-week programs. This means that participation in a fall semester program may be more expensive than a term at Carleton, because you are paying for up to 27 credits and 15 weeks of room and board compared to Carleton’s 18 credits and 10 weeks of room and board. Conversely, a spring semester program may be less expensive because it is replacing two 10 week terms at Carleton.

Talk with your family and with students who have participated in the program to learn more about realistic budgeting. Program expenses can be influenced by cost of living at the program site, the exchange rate, additional travel and personal expenses, damage deposits, foreign registration fees, etc. Gather together as much financial information as you can, develop a budget, and determine what you can afford.

Financial Aid for Off-Campus Studies Programs

If you receive financial aid from Carleton and/or other sources, you may apply your aid to any off-campus studies program approved by the Academic Standing Committee. The Student Financial Services department maintains the following polices:

• Your financial aid package will be available for use toward an off-campus studies program only after your Petition for Off-Campus Studies has been approved by the Academic Standing Committee and the Student Financial Services Department has been notified by the Dean of Students Office.
• Carleton students may use their financial aid package for any Carleton sponsored OCS program. Financial aid will transfer to ONE non-Carleton sponsored, OCS approved program.
• Your entire financial package, including grant, loan, and work-study is based on the estimated cost of a year at Carleton College.
• If you participate in a program which is more costly than Carleton’s estimated costs, your grant funds will not be increased, but you may request additional loan funds. If your total program expense is less than the estimated cost at Carleton, your financial aid package is subject to review, and may be reduced.
• Program deposit fees and expenses not included in the program fee, such as travel, are your responsibility. Students receiving need-based aid may request additional loan assistance to cover costs that exceed those incurred for a comparable period of time on campus.
• Normally, your annual financial aid is applied 33% to fall term, 33% to winter term, and 34% to spring term. The exception is the academic year in which you take a semester off-campus studies program for 27 credits and attend Carleton for only one term during that year. In this case, you may request, in writing, that 50% of the aid be applied to the semester program and 33% to your Carleton term, for a total of 83% of the annual aid package.
• If you participate in a fall semester program and return to Carleton for both winter and spring terms, you should expect your expenses to be more than that of for a regular academic year. In this case, financial aid is applied at the rate of 33% to the fall semester, 33% to the winter term, and 34% to the spring term.
• If it is impossible to fulfill your total work contract due to the length of time you will be off campus, you may request, in writing, a loan for the unearned amount.
• You must submit to the Student Financial Services Office, 60 days prior to the starting date of the program, a written request for additional funds along with the appropriate budgetary information. Discretionary travel expenses are not to be included in your off-campus study budget. Only legitimate costs directly associated with the program will be considered.
• You must maintain your full-time student status (enrolled for at least the equivalent of 12 Carleton credits) in order to qualify for financial aid.
• If you want your financial aid to apply to non-Carleton programs, and if you are paying Carleton College through the AMS monthly payment program, you must make the following arrangements with the Business Office:
  1. Ask the sponsoring institution to send the bill or invoice (not program brochure) with your name and the program name to the Carleton Business Office with complete information as to the address of the sponsoring institution and the schedule of payment dates.
  2. Make those arrangements before leaving campus. Remember that it is your responsibility to see that bills are paid and to supply the necessary information.
  3. Carleton College will pay the program sponsor the amount billed by that program, and then bill you the difference between the program fee and the amount of your financial aid (excluding work).

Other Financial Resources

Normally, additional loan funding is available to students receiving need-based aid to meet direct costs of an off-campus study program, the cost of travel associated with the program, and/or to replace unearned work-study income. A complete loan application must be submitted to Student Financial Services to have the loan proceeds considered part of the payment for off-campus study.

You may need additional funding to help cover the costs of an off-campus studies program. Organizations and institutions may offer program and travel scholarships. The competition for them is stiff, and the lead time for applications is often 6-9 months. Plan early and write your proposal carefully. Individual departments may also have information about grants and scholarships for a particular area of study.