HOW DOES BILLING WORK FOR USP PARTICIPATION?

The Uganda Studies Program (USP) is an extension campus of each member institution of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU); each school grants the academic credit for program participation.

The CCCU invoices campuses for the cost of USP participation and in turn campuses bill their students following the campus' established policies and procedures. (For example, some schools charge the exact fees of the off-campus program, other schools charge the campus tuition price, while others charge full on-campus fees plus an additional off-campus study fee. And there's every variation in between!)

Since each school determines their own policies regarding off-campus study costs and the applicability of institutional scholarships and other aid, you should confirm your school's policies with the Off-Campus Study Coordinator on your campus.

HOW MUCH DO I PAY & WHAT'S INCLUDED?

Deposits:
The only expenses USP participants pay directly to the CCCU are the application fee ($50), the non-refundable confirmation fee ($300, deducted from the total housing fee at invoicing) and the $125 non-refundable travel deposit (if the group travel opportunity is selected).

Program Fees:
About six weeks before each semester begins, the CCCU sends participation invoices to each school.  For the 2009-10 school year, that bill will feature these USP semester costs:

Instructional Fees**	$8,000
Room & Board	1,500
TOTAL USP FEES:	$9,500
Optional Travel, estimated*	1,400
TOTAL W/ TRAVEL	$10,900

Keep in mind the total program costs billed to you through your school may differ, depending on your campus's policies.

Expenses covered by USP fees:

• Recommended 16 hours of academic credit
• Round trip transportation to/from US gateway airport, if optional group travel is selected
• Housing
• Board
• Laundry "facility" (i.e., bucket) provided (detergent approx $5 for the semester)
• All necessary expenses during required program-related travel, including immigration & visa expenses (non-US citizens are reimbursed up to the cost for US citizens)

 

Additional anticipated expenses:
(Anticipated expenses are estimates, which will be updated should local costs shift significantly.  You may spend more/less depending on your personal spending habits.)

• Travel between home and US gateway airport, if optional group travel is selected
• Travel between home and program, if optional group travel is waived
• International Student Identification Card ($22)
• Textbooks (approx. $150)
• Local transportation
• Personal medical expenses, if incurred; including preparatory vaccinations (there are several!)
• Personal discretionary expenditures, including personal travel (Recommend  $600-800)
• Passport required for program participation

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

BestSemester makes available an optional roundtrip group travel opportunity to/from the US gateway airport (currently Dulles near Washington, DC) and the program. Accepted students receive an International Travel Memo that outlines the group flight opportunity, itinerary and payment details.

Students electing the group flight are responsible for travel to/from the gateway airport. Students waiving the group flight are responsible for their complete itinerary and for prompt arrival/departure.

^*The posted group flight cost is the anticipated/estimated rate for spring 2010.  If the actual group flight cost is significantly greater than or less than the posted amount, the program will update the posting and invoicing accordingly.

WHAT ABOUT FINANCIAL AID?

You can expect to use all of your Federal and State financial aid to study off-campus through the BestSemester programs. Additionally, most (but not all) campuses allow students to transfer some or all of their institutional financial aid, scholarships and grants to BestSemester programs.

Contact your Off-Campus Study Coordinator, Financial Aid Office, or other applicable office on your campus for more information and to determine how much financial aid can be applied to your off-campus semester. As anticipated expenses for your off-campus semester most likely differ from an on-campus semester, be sure to bring this page so you can adjust your financial aid statement of need.

 

WHAT IF I'M ACCEPTED THEN LATER DECIDE TO WITHDRAW MY USP PARTICIPATION?

We hope this doesn't happen!  Just in case...You need to know the BestSemester Withdrawal/Refund Policy.

 

WHAT IF I DON'T ATTEND A CCCU INSTITUTION?
(First of all, double-check. Click here to find out if you attend a CCCU school.)

Students must be enrolled full-time on a "home" campus in order to participate in USP. If you do not attend a CCCU school, your campus may be willing to enter a one-term consortium agreement with the CCCU to allow your participation.** If not, we will try to help you enroll as a guest student through a CCCU school. Please contact the Uganda Studies Program (usp@bestsemester.com) during or prior to the application phase to discuss your participation.

^**Non-CCCU students will be charged an additional $200 for participation.