What to Expect - Life at Colby - Colby College, Waterville, ME

This page should provide you with general information to help you plan financially for your off-campus experience. Please consult Student Financial Services to learn more about your specific aid package and how it would transfer to your desired program.

What to expect?

The cost for approved semester and year-long programs varies widely. There are up-front, clear-cut costs, as well as personal expenses and spending you should consider comprehensively.

Program Fees
Essentially, the overall cost of your off-campus experience will depend on what program you attend. Location, type of housing, and the type of program (direct enrollment, study center, field-based program etc.) will all influence the cost. Many of the programs Colby approves are less expensive than Colby’s tuitions and fees.

Colby Fee
Colby does not charge home school tuition for non-Colby programs. Instead, students pay the fees set by their off-campus program provider (the program fee, referenced above) directly to them. In addition. Colby charges an Off-Campus Study fee of $1,500 per semester. This fee is charged to account for the support OCS provides students during pre-departure, in-country, and reintegration back to campus, as well as the processing of forms, applications, and handling credit transfers.

Note: Students attending Colby-run programs (Dijon, Salamanca, Bigelow) continue to pay their Colby tuition as usual.

Off-Campus Study Financial Aid

COMPLETE FORM: After you’ve been approved by OCS to apply for your program, send the signed “Study Away Statement and Agreement” [LINK] (found on the SFS website and completed by your program provider) to SFS directly. SFS will use this form to calculate your off-campus financial aid package.
RECEIVE FUNDS: Colby does not pay programs or universities directly. Financial aid is distributed to the student or a parent/guardian with the student’s permission and students are responsible for payments to their program/university.
PAY YOUR PROGRAM: OCS financial aid is released from Student Financial Services within 10 days of Colby’s first day of classes each semester and only if all necessary documents have been submitted. If your program begins earlier, or the funds are needed in advance, please note that most programs/universities are willing to wait for the portion of the payment covered by OCS Financial Aid sent to them by SFS. SFS can provide you with an anticipated OCS Financial Aid Sheet to submit to your program/university if necessary.

Payment Plans and Refunds

Check with your program or foreign university if you would like to use a Tuition Payment Plan or Tuition Insurance Plan to see if it is available. Additionally, an employer-contributed fund or College Saving Plan might be used. Please contact the Student Finances Services office for more information.

Please be aware of the refund policy of your program before you send any payment. For Colby Programs refunds policy, please refer to Colby’s policy on off-campus program cancellation.

Other Resources and Scholarships

There are scholarships and grants available for study abroad administered by governments, organizations, and study abroad programs. Please check this (click here:” LIST “) for some ideas and ask us if you need help! Some of scholarships recommended by students:

https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/ (Highly recommended for Pell-Grant eligible/FGLI students)

https://www.borenawards.org/

https://fundforeducationabroad.org/

https://www.iie.org/freeman-ASIA

You can also contact Allyson Hawkins, OCS Assistant Director, with questions about fellowships and scholarships for international travel or research. See our Domestic and International Fellowships page for more information.