Cost

Billing Overview

Students are billed their regular Cornell tuition for their semester or academic year abroad. Additional expenses are paid directly by the student prior to arrival or on-site. These expenses may include visa, round-trip airfare, housing, meals, books, and other personal expenses.

The Office of Global Learning prepares a budget based on the Total Estimated Costs of Attendance (see below for a sample).  For more information, see the Finances page.

Financial Aid

If you are eligible for financial aid when you are on campus, you will maintain your aid eligibility when you study abroad for a semester or year, subject to the same conditions. This includes, but is not limited to, maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Aid awards are re-packaged to accommodate the Total Estimated Cost of Attendance of your semester/year abroad, using the estimated budget prepared by Global Learning (see sample below).

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) remains the same for the academic year.

If the total budgeted costs are more than the cost of a semester/year at Cornell, your aid package will likely be increased. Likewise, if your budgeted costs are less than a semester/year at Cornell, aid will be appropriately reduced to reflect your decreased need. 

Your federal work study is converted to a loan when you study abroad. You may choose to take this amount out as a loan or not. If you opt to decline the loan, alternative aid resources will not be available to replace that award.  Students who wish to accept the loan must work directly with the Financial Aid office to initiate the process.  

Students participating in an off-campus program should sign up for direct deposit through the Bursar’s Office to insure timely delivery of any aid reimbursements.

Financial Aid is disbursed 10 days before the start of Cornell’s term (or 10 days before your program’s start date if it starts after Cornell).  If you require an early disbursement of financial aid to cover airfare or other expenses included in your official budget, you can work with the Office of Financial Aid. If you will be eligible for a refund due to a credit balance (i.e.: your financial aid covers more than the charges on your bursar bill), they may be able to assist you. Please direct any questions to the Financial Aid Office.

Budget Breakdown

The Office of Global Learning provides the below estimated budget so you can understand the total estimated cost of attendance of your program and how each aspect will be charged.   Whether these expenses are billed by Cornell through the bursar system or paid by you directly, all estimated expenses below are eligible for financial aid (if relevant).

Total Estimated Cost of Attendance*

*Estimate based on 2024-25 tuition rates and exchange rates in effect in May 2024.

NOTE: Cost information on program web pages is updated over the summer. Official budgets are prepared with information available at the time of preparation (see below).

Official Budget

The Office of Global Learning will send you your official budget via email in May for fall/year students and in October for spring students. If you share the email address(es) of your parent or guardian in your application, we will send them a copy as well. A copy of your budget will be sent to Financial Aid automatically.  This is the budget that the Financial Aid Office will use to calculate your aid package for your semester/year abroad, if relevant.

Deposit

If your program charges a deposit, this will be paid by the Office of Global Learning on your behalf. Note: deposits for housing are paid directly by the student.

CALS has created a cost comparison spreadsheet between exchange programs and most attended study abroad programs offered through the Office of Global Learning for reference. These comparisons are based on best estimates. Please note, we cannot provide a cost comparison for all programs. You can do a cost comparison using the same categories if your program of interest is not listed. 

Direct questions concerning financial aid awards and disbursements to the Office of Financial Aid (607-255-5145 or finaid@cornell.edu)