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Billing Statements-Semester Programs

The cost of an off-campus program is charged to a student's tuition account on the normal campus payment schedule. Calvin-sponsored programs (e.g., Semester in Spain, Semester in Britain) will have one charge with the total program cost. For Calvin-endorsed or -approved programs or independent study programs, tuition accounts will be charged the actual cost of the program (minimum charge is Calvin's tuition) and a $125 administrative fee.

If a student has been on-campus the semester previous to going off-campus, please check that there is no charge for on-campus housing. If there is, please contact the Calvin Housing Office (616-526-6120) to have it reversed.

Any additional program charges, such as visa fees or additional airfare charges, will be billed to the student's Statement of Miscellaneous Charges during the semester the student studies off-campus. If there are problems or questions about your off-campus program billing, please contact the Off-Campus Programs Office directly at 616-526-6382.

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Contacting Students Abroad

Since technology varies between countries, communicating with students can be frustrating at times. Here are a few tips:

  • Time difference - Remember that this can delay when messages are received and responded to. We recommend using a website such as timeand date.com and setting a Personal World Clock to the country your student's in to always know what the local time is there.
  • Email - For general correspondence, it is usually the fastest, easiest, cheapest, and most convenient.
  • Phone calls - Follow this method:
    International Access Code + Country Code + City Code (if there is one) + Local Number
    The International Access Code for people making calls from the U.S. to abroad is 011. Country and City codes can be found in the front of your telephone book. Once you dial the number, it is important to wait at least 45 seconds to hear ringing, since there is usually a slight delay.
  • Emergencies - Make sure to get an in-country emergency number for your student before he/she leaves. The Off-Campus Programs Office has emergency contact numbers for its program directors. It may also have your student's number, depending on what information it has received from him/her.

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Cost Comparisons to On-Campus Student Costs

Cost is always a major concern when students plan to study abroad. Calvin strives to make off-campus programs affordable to its students. If a student lives on-campus during the '08-'09 academic year in a dorm room with a 21-meal plan, that student will pay $15,568 per semester. Compare this figure with what Calvin off-campus programs cost during the same academic year:
Program
Cost
Difference
 Remarks
Britain
$17,750
$2,182
  
China
16,150
582
  
France
16,450
882
 Not incl. transportation
Ghana
16,650
1082
  
Honduras Development
TBA
 
Honduras Spanish
15,950
382
 Includes summer session
Hungary
16,525
957
  
New Mexico
15,675
107
 Not incl. transportation
Spain
17,850
2,282
 Includes interim*
Washington, DC
TBA
Not incl. transportation

*Students living on-campus during the Fall semester will receive an interim room and board rebate (dorm room with 21-meal plan). If a student has a smaller meal plan or lives in the KE apartments, the rebate will be less.

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Interim Billing

Off-campus Interim courses are billed to the student's Statement of Miscellaneous Charges, NOT the Tuition, Room and Board statement. Students receive a rebate for any on-campus housing that they do not use by being off-campus (with a Calvin-credited interim program) during interim. Interim reimbursements for Interim '09 are:

Dorm room and 21-meal plan $730
Knollcrest East room only $290

If a student is off-campus for only part of the interim, the rebate will be pro-rated by the number of days the course is off-campus. Questions regarding housing rebates should be directed to the Calvin Housing Office 616-526-6120.

Room and board credits, as well as financial aid grants and scholarships will be reflected on the Miscellaneous statement when it is sent out in mid-December. All off-campus interim course costs are due in full by January 7, 2009. If an interim leaves before Jan. 7, it is the student's responsibility to make sure the balance has been paid. May/June interims are billed in mid-April and are due in full by April 21, 2009.

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Financial Aid for Interim and Semester Programs

For all types of off-campus study programs, state and federal grants and loans are not affected as long as the student is enrolled full-time. The guidelines below pertain to financial aid directly from Calvin only.

Interim
For off-campus interim courses, there are financial aid grants and scholarships. Interim scholarships are granted on a competitive basis. Applications are available in the Financial Aid Office and are due in mid-October for January interim courses and in mid-March for May/June interim courses. Interim grants are given on a need-based system. The maximum for an interim grant is $800.

Students that live on-campus will also receive a housing rebate depending on the number of days their course is off-campus. See Interim Billing for more information.

Semesters
Students participating in a Calvin-sponsored program receive 100% of their current financial aid. Once accepted to the program, students are automatically considered for additional financial aid to cover up to 30% of the additional costs to studying off-campus. (See Cost Comparisons above for dollar amounts.)

The Off-Campus Programs Office offers two scholarships each semester to a student in a Calvin-sponsored overseas program. However, the scholarships have specific requirements. For more specific information, see the OCP Financial Aid web page.

Students participating in a non-Calvin Level I programs receive 100% of their current financial aid, but nothing additional.

Students participating in a non-Calvin Level II receive 50% of their financial aid.

Students participating in any other program will receive none of their Calvin financial aid. See the list of programs and their financial aid levels under OCP Financial Aid. See the Off-Campus Programs office for more information.

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Visiting Students on a Calvin Off-Campus Program

The following is the official college policy on visitors for Calvin off-campus programs:

While we understand the desire of family and friends to visit students who are away from home and campus for a significant length of time, such visits can be disruptive and therefore harmful to group cohesiveness if not done with sensitivity to other students and the program director. The following policies and procedures are based on our experience with such situations.

Any visitor to a Calvin off-campus program must notify the program director at least 3 weeks in advance.

Family and friends should plan their visit to coincide with vacation and/or other periods of free time for students. If this is not possible, family and friends are urged not to visit at times when group excursions are planned.

Students whose family or friends are visiting while classes are in session are not excused from classes or program excursions in order to be with visiting family or friends.

Visitors may not stay in the student’s room. Visitors should stay in a hotel or youth hostel.

If you plan to visit an off-campus student, you must sign a Visitor's Waiver and take it with you to the program site. The completed waiver should be given to the Program Director on the arrival day.

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