Finances

Credit cards are widely used in Italy. The most common are Visa and MasterCard, and to a lesser extent, American Express. Be prepared to show identification in order to use your card (this happens infrequently, but you should always have your ID with you anyway!)

Be sure to notify your bank and credit card companies that you will be traveling so that
1) they do not freeze your account, and
2) to ensure that your card and PIN will work while you are abroad.  

 ATM/debit cards can be used to obtain cash if they have a major credit card logo (Visa, MasterCard) on them. The exchange rate for ATM withdrawals is usually the best available since it is the bank’s own bulk rate plus a 1-2 percent charge. Keep in mind that when you change cash abroad at a dedicated exchange business, they may have what appear to be low exchange rates, but they frequently also charge a large commission. ATMs are typically the way to go. It is recommended that you carry the phone number of your local bank in case you misplace your ATM card. 

Digital banking apps like Revolut are becoming popular. You may want to look into them and consider setting one up before departing the States. Revolut, for example, is widely recognized and convenient, allowing you to exchange money in real-time, spend and withdraw money from ATMs in numerous currencies, and make peer-to-peer payments. 

To help offset the cost of airfare, Holy Cross generously offers every student studying abroad a "travel credit" on their HC bursar bill for the dollar amount of a round-trip flight from Boston to the student's ultimate destination, which in your case is Milan. 

Think of the travel credit as a one-time, line-item deduction from your upcoming tuition bill: you will not receive cash or a check from HC, but instead see a credit on your tuition bill that reduces what you owe the College by the amount of a good faith estimate of what it costs in the moment to fly round-trip from Boston to Milan - usually somewhere around $1,500, although that amount may vary semester to semester, year to year. 

Note: If you still have a credit on your bursar's bill AFTER you have paid your tuition (and after all your financial aid, loans, scholarships etc. have been disbursed), the Bursar's Office will return excess funds via the "Refund Request Form." This form must be completed and signed by the student. 

Even with the travel credit, you are responsible for making and paying for your own flight arrangements to Italy. When you book your flights, we strongly recommend you purchase your tickets directly from the airline rather than a third-party vendor (like Expedia or Travelocity). Why? Making changes or cancellations is generally easier to do directly with the airline. 

Related, we also strongly advise students to purchase airline tickets that permit a change of date. You should therefore purchase a flexible flight, researching many different airlines to see what they offer. Some will waive change fees, regardless of fare type. For other airlines it depends on the fare you purchase. 

Be sure to read all of the rules associated with any airline ticket before purchasing! As indicated in the Study Abroad Acknowledgement and Release Form, Holy Cross is not responsible for travel expenses - including but not limited to airline tickets and transportation to / from airports - which result from program suspension or termination, schedule changes, flight changes, emergency evacuation, or any other exigency. Such expenses are the sole responsibility of the student.

As mentioned above, it varies, depending on current prices for a round-trip ticket from Boston to Milan. 

After you are accepted into the CIEE Milan program, you will eventually receive an email from our office informing you of the amount of this year's flight credit. 

• All students will be charged Holy Cross home tuition and the standard room charge. There is no "board" fee / meal plan charge for the CIEE Mlan program.
  
  

• If you are student who receives financial aid, that aid covers the cost of studying abroad since you pay Holy Cross for tuition while you study abroad, not your host institution, CIEE Milan.

• All students will receive a travel credit. As detailed above, the credit is a good faith estimate based on the cost of a current, round-trip flight from Boston to Milan. 

• All students will be billed a mandatory $200 per semester for GLOBAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE and international MEDICAL/TRAVEL INSURANCE provided by International SOS (ISOS) and Cigna Global health/Lloyd’s insurance. (Students are NOT charged the Health Service fee.)

• All students are allowed to submit activity/club receipts for reimbursement up to $200, maximum, for the academic year, and $175, max, for semester-long study for cultural and group activities that help you become more involved with your host community. Culturally-immersive activities eligible for reimbursement include:

• Fees for joining a local club/society/sports team 

• Fees for participating in a local cultural event or organization (upon approval from the SA Office).

Note: Non-refundable enrollment options, non-refundable application fees, and gym membership fees are NOT eligible for reimbursement. Similarly, personal travel is NOT eligible for reimbursement. 

To receive reimbursement, you will be asked to fill out the student ACH form found in your study abroad portal (sa.holycross.edu). You will then upload the ACH form and receipts and email them to Tammi Valeri at tvaleri@holycross.edu. 

The College of the Holy Cross Study Abroad Program operates on a home tuition policy. Students on Holy Cross-approved study abroad programs will remain continuously enrolled at Holy Cross while studying abroad. This status allows students to receive credit at Holy Cross for courses taken abroad. Grades earned abroad therefore will appear on a student's Holy Cross transcript. 

The College of the Holy Cross is committed to making study abroad available to all students. In order to do this, the College must be able to provide need-based financial aid for any student interested in studying abroad. To accomplish that, the College relies on tuition revenue in order to give need-based aid. In addition, using the home tuition policy allows for federal financial aid to be applied to the student’s bill. The College also provides additional services such as cultural programming, onsite advisors, tutors, and travel allowance. Finally, as an enrolled Holy Cross student, the Study Abroad Office provides a full range of support services and programming from initial inquiry through pre-departure support while abroad and when they return to campus.

When you study abroad, your financial aid travels with you, as described above. Whether you receive 100% aid or 20% aid, you can expect to be awarded the same amount for the semester/year you are away from Holy Cross, provided that you complete and submit all applications as you normally would, on time. This is important because determination of financial aid eligibility for studying abroad via a College-approved program is calculated just as it is for students who are living on campus, and financial aid is based on the standard cost of attendance. 

If you and/or your family are financing your education with loans, you should consider the total cost of attendance at Holy Cross when determining the amount of loans you are requesting for the period of time you will study abroad. (Note: the total cost of attendance at Holy Cross includes not only tuition, fees, room & board/your meal plan, but also books, supplies and personal expenses. To review the specific costs, go to:  https://www.holycross.edu/bursars-office/tuition-fees).

If you are awarded scholarships from sources external to Holy Cross - for example, a study abroad partner university - you must report the scholarship to the Financial Aid Office. They will then determine how that external scholarship is applied to your HC bill. 

Should you have specific questions regarding your financial aid award or how billing and disbursements work as you plan to study abroad, please contact the Holy Cross Financial Aid Office at 508-793-2265 or financialaid@holycross.edu 

The Study Abroad Billing FAQ page will also serve as a helpful resource as you plan. 

Students are responsible for:

• Refundable deposits (i.e., housing deposits if applicable)

• Transportation to and from their home airport, on both ends of their trip 

• Meals 

• Books

• Personal expenses (including bedding, entertainment, and travel)

• Laundry 

As previously mentioned, all students are allowed to submit activity/club receipts for reimbursement up to $200, maximum, for the academic year, and $175/semester. The reimbursement is for cultural and group activities that help you become more involved with your host community. Activities eligible for reimbursement include:

• Fees for joining a club/society/sports team on campus

• Fees for participating in a local cultural event or organization (upon approval from the SA Office).

Note: Non-refundable enrollment options, non-refundable application fees, and 

gym membership fees are NOT eligible for reimbursement. Similarly, personal travel is NOT eligible for reimbursement. 

To receive reimbursement for your student activity, fill out the student ACH form found on your application portal for study abroad (sa.holycross.edu). Upload the ACH form and receipts and email them to Tammi Valeri at tvaleri@holycross.edu.