Eligibility and Costs

Guiding Principles for the Study Abroad Program at R-MC

It is the goal of the Office of International Education at R-MC to provide every interested and qualified student with the opportunity to study abroad. In order to provide these opportunities for the greatest number of students, the following criteria will apply:

1. Students must be in good standing with R-MC in every respect and demonstrate academic readiness for the challenges of studying abroad by maintaining a 2.75 GPA. They should also possess the curiosity, maturity, responsibility and persistence to be open to unfamiliar ways and handle the ups and downs that are an inevitable part of immersion in a new culture.
2. Qualified students may participate in an exchange program (including tuition, room and board), through ISEP or another university such as Kansai Gaidai, with no surcharge beyond what they pay R-MC that semester (including financial aid). Students and their families are responsible for paying the study abroad application fee, airfare, passport and visa costs for their destination, and international health insurance is often required.
3. Qualified students may also participate in non-exchange study abroad programs through ISEP or other approved providers (see OIE website for listing). Arrangements in these programs vary widely and may include tuition only; tuition and room; or tuition, room and board. For such programs, R-MC will pay up to $10,000 toward the cost of the program. In some cases this will cover the entire cost of the study abroad program; in other cases it will not, and students will be billed a surcharge (payable to R-MC).
4. Information about surcharges and anticipated additional expenses for each program will be provided on the OIE website.
5. If a student’s program includes tuition only, R-MC will bill the student only for tuition in the semester they are abroad, and the student will be responsible for paying their own room & board to their host institution. Some programs include tuition and room but not board; the same principle applies. In addition, all students will be billed a Comprehensive Mandatory Fee ($640 for 2012-13).
6. Students with genuine financial need (as determined by FAFSA) may apply to OIE for need-based study abroad grants, which will be offered to the extent possible to support students who would otherwise not be able to study abroad.

What costs are not covered?

The following costs associated with semester abroad programs are not covered by the tuition, room, board and fees paid to Randolph-Macon. The details of non-exchange programs vary widely; the OIE is in the process of developing budget sheets for each study abroad program to help students understand and anticipate these costs.

• Application Fee (paid to R-MC at time of nomination; application fees to program providers will be paid by R-MC in most cases)
• Passport and Visa costs: ALL students must have a valid passport, and student visas are required for many countries. Costs vary greatly. 
• International health insurance: This is required for all students studying abroad; the cost is included in certain non-exchange programs
• Transportation: Airfare to and from your destination and transportation within your host country (don't forget to count on some travel while you're there!)
• Housing deposits and other expenses specific to a host institutions: Not required by all programs, but if paid, deposits are usually refunded directly to students after they complete their term. Programs may charge fees (such as Lancaster University's nominal "college fee"), charge for trips or additional language courses, or other additional amounts. The OIE will assist students in finding out what these costs are for their particular program.
• Food: Not covered by the host institution's meal plan or stipend, or in the case of home stay, not provided by the host family.
• Other Expenses: Books and other course-related expenses, and of course living expenses.