Study Abroad Enrollment Drops As Students Struggle with Program Costs

Studying abroad is considered one of the highlights of an undergraduate education: the opportunity to study for a year, a semester, a summer or even a January-term in a foreign country, learning a different language or experiencing another culture. However, because of increasing exchange rates and a falling economy, studying abroad has become increasingly expensive for students, coinciding with recent lower enrollment rates for study abroad programs. The drop in study abroad participation has also had a wide-reaching effect at Smith, as more students decided to live on campus this year instead of studying abroad, creating a fall housing shortage.According to statistics from the Office of International Study, there has been a drop in the number of students studying abroad this year. Over the past five years, the average number of students studying in year-long programs each year was 160. However, for the 2008-09 academic year, only 144 students are currently enrolled in year-long programs. Enrollment in fall semester study abroad programs is also less than the five-year average of 53, at 41 students. Statistics are not yet available regarding spring semester enrollment, so the overall number of students who will study abroad in 2008-09 cannot be calculated yet. However, while there has been a decrease in the total number of students studying abroad so far this year, the enrollment in Smith Junior Year Abroad (JYA) Programs has actually increased, from 56 in 2007-08 to 59.

The decrease in the number of students cannot be attributed solely to rising costs, as enrollments tend to fluctuate each year, but cost is definitely a concern for many juniors; study abroad can be very expensive.

The cost of studying abroad for a year or semester starts with the Smith Comprehensive Fee, which during the 2008-09 year totals $48,108. Smith uses the comprehensive fees to pay approved programs directly for tuition, room and board charges for the accepted students, or to fund the budget for Smith JYA Programs, a budget that totals approximately $2,992,000 for the year 2008-09. Full financial aid is also applicable for students who study abroad on JYA and Smith-approved programs.

However, there are many costs that are not included in the Smith Comprehensive Fee and which are detailed on the Office for International Study website. These costs include: program application fees, passport and visa fees, immunizations, health insurance, airfare to the study abroad location, room and board costs during program breaks, books and personal expenses.

"There are costs that are not included," said Leslie Hill, associate dean for international study. "It is important that students learn in advance about all of the costs for their study abroad program - from application to living abroad to returning home - in order to make a wise decision about where they want to study."

Hill suggested that students look at the specifics of each program, as some programs offer cost-saving methods. For example, Puebla and PRESCHO programs include airfare as part of their fee. Another factor to be considered is that "it is less expensive to live in some cities rather than others," Hill said. Students looking to study abroad should explore many options and consider the cost of living when picking a program. Hill also suggested that students ask questions and talk to other students who studied abroad and are experienced in budgeting. "Study abroad should not be financially stressful, and careful budget planning in advance can prevent that," she said.

Cheri Hardy '09, after studying for a year in Florence, Italy, on Smith's JYA Program, submitted an analysis of her expenses to the Office of International Study, and as a result, the cost estimate listed in the JYA Florence Handbook has been increased. When Hardy consulted JYA informational materials, she found a very large range in the recommended amount of money to be budgeted for a year abroad; she was also unsure if certain costs, such as airfare, were included in this amount. "At the beginning I was very afraid I wasn't going to have enough," she said. "I thought that it needed to be clearer." Now the JYA Florence Handbook advises students to bring $5000 minimum with them to Florence, a number that reflects more accurately the high cost of living when abroad. To future study abroad students, Hardy advises, "Learn how you spend money early on [in the year]." Budgeting is key to the JYA experience, and once a student knows how to budget her expenses, she will be better able to pay for the year or the semester.

David Belanger, interim director of Student Financial Services, has heard about experiences similar to Hardy's from many students. "The number one concern I have heard from students is that they underestimated the amount of spending money they would need on study away," he said. "More specifically, the programs in Great Britain seem to be the ones where costs have been higher than they thought." Belanger's advice is similar to that of Hill: "I would encourage any student going on study away to try and connect with another student that has already participated in their desired program. This would allow them to gain valuable insight in what to do or what not to do. The Study Away office can also provide valuable insight, but I would think first hand student knowledge would be the best way to get an understanding of what to expect."

Another option for students wanting to go abroad, according to Hill, is to take out a small loan to pay for study abroad expenses. However, she stressed, this option should only be undertaken by those students who do not already have a lot of loans. "It may be worth it to have a small loan," she said, especially for an experience that will affect a student's life as much as study After all, Hill said, "A study abroad experience is an incredible investment in your future.