Enrollment

Program Costs and Billing

Studying Abroad is an investment in your future.

SFS program costs cover the following:
  • Pre-program advising, visa and travel coordination
  • Tuition and research fees
  • Housing at the field station and on excursions
  • Daily meals and snacks
  • Airport transfers for arrival and departure
  • Field excursions, expeditions, and cultural activities
  • Pre-program advising, visa and travel coordination
  • Tuition and research fees
  • Housing at the field station and on excursions
  • Daily meals and snacks
  • Airport transfers for arrival and departure
  • Field excursions, expeditions, and cultural activities

Program Costs

Click on the button below to view and compare costs for all SFS programs.

SFS Program Costs

Your SFS program cost does not include flights to and from the program (i.e. flights between the U.S., or your home airport, and the program’s designated in-country airport).

Find program cost information below and visit our Financial Aid page for more information on SFS need-based scholarships, grants, and loans.

The SFS Billing Policy

Students will receive an invoice from our billing department via mail or email, about 30 days prior to the billing deadline for their session (listed below). You will not be allowed to participate in the program with an outstanding tuition balance. For applicants who apply after these deadlines, tuition is due upon receipt of the invoice.

Make a Payment

SFS Billing Timeline and Deadlines

The deadlines for tuition and room & board payments due to SFS are as follows:

Summer I or Summer Combined: April 1
Summer II: May 1
Fall Programs: June 1
Spring Programs: November 1

Please note that these are not application deadlines and we will work with students on an individual basis if they apply to a session after these dates have passed.

Not all students pay SFS directly. Your home school may be responsible for making the payments; if this is the case we will indicate it in your acceptance email and send an invoice to your school.

Refund Policy

Under certain circumstances, SFS offers refunds for tuition or room and board. SFS does not offer refunds for costs associated with the program, including flights, visas, immunizations, or program gear. In the event of a dismissal from an SFS program, no refunds will be issued.

SFS’s duties and obligations may be modified or suspended without notice because of force majeure events. In the event of a forced program cancellation, SFS may, in its discretion, extend or amend the program schedule to make up for a closure. In the event of force majeure circumstances, there is no presumption of a refund.

Students who voluntarily withdraw from an SFS program, withdraw because a home institution requires it, or do not complete the required medical, financial, or admissions requirements in time for the program, are entitled to a refund based on the following schedule:

Semester Program: Student DEFERRAL REFund Policy

  • Enrolled students who defer or switch to another SFS program within 90 days of program start will forfeit their non-refundable deposit. They must pay a new deposit to reserve their spot on their new program.
      • DEFERRAL FROM PROGRAMS AT CAPACITY*
      • If the student’s spot cannot be filled, the standard SFS withdrawal policy will apply based on the deferral date.
      • If the student’s spot is filled, all payments made (excluding the non-refundable deposit) will transfer to the new program.
      DEFERRAL FROM PROGRAMS WITH CAPACITY*
      • All payments made (excluding the non-refundable deposit) will transfer to the new program. If the student later withdraws, the SFS withdrawal policy will apply based on the original deferral date.
      *WITHIN 52 DAYS OF START DATE

Semester Program: Student Withdrawal Refund Policy

  • If withdrawal occurs 91 or more days prior to the start of the program, SFS will issue a full refund excluding the deposit, or a student may apply the amount paid to a different SFS program with available capacity.
  • If withdrawal occurs within 90 to 61 days prior to the start of the program, SFS will issue a 50% refund excluding the deposit.
  • If withdrawal occurs between 60 days prior to the start of the program and 14 days after the start of the program, SFS will issue a 25% refund excluding the deposit.
  • If voluntary withdrawal occurs 15 or more days after the start of the program, or if a withdrawal is mandated by a home institution, or if a student is asked to leave the program, SFS will not issue any refund.

Summer Program: Student Withdrawal Refund Policy

  • If withdrawal occurs 52 or more days prior to the start of the program, SFS will issue a full refund excluding the deposit, or a student may apply the amount paid to a different SFS program, depending on available capacity. Payment or refund of a difference in program costs may apply.
  • If withdrawal occurs up to 51 days prior to the first day of the program, SFS will issue a 50% refund excluding the deposit.
  • If voluntary withdrawal occurs after the start of the program, or if a withdrawal is mandated by a home institution, or if a student is asked to leave the program, SFS will not issue any refund, as indicated in the General Refund Policy.

SFS Cancellation Refund Policy

If SFS cancels or suspends a program for reasons unrelated to force majeure events, students are eligible for a refund based on the following schedule:

  • If program cancellation occurs before the start of the program, SFS will issue a full refund of program deposit, tuition, and room and board. Alternatively, a student may elect to apply the amount paid to a different SFS program, dependent on available capacity, and contingent on approval of the home institution. Payment or refund of a difference in program costs may apply.
  • If program cancellation occurs after the start of the program, SFS will issue a pro-rated refund of the program deposit, tuition, and room and board based on the week of cancellation, informed by SFS’s ability to negotiate refunds from vendors. The final value and form of this refund will be determined by SFS at its sole discretion.