Finances

Arcadia posts excellent information regarding all three of these sources of money while you study in New Zealand. Read their recommendations carefully.

The first thing to note is that students are responsible for making for their *own flight arrangements* and paying for their own airline tickets. 

However, to offset that cost, Holy Cross issues each student who studies abroad a one-time travel credit. The amount of that credit is a good faith estimate of the cost of an average round-trip flight from Boston to your host institution. This dollar amount will appear as a credit on your Holy Cross tuition bill. To repeat: the travel credit is not a dollar-for-dollar reimbursement of the actual airline ticket you purchase. It instead reduces what you owe Holy Cross by the amount of that credit. 

If you have still have a surplus on your bursar account AFTER you have paid your tuition and all your financial aid, loans, scholarships etc., have been disbursed, the Bursar's Office will return excess funds upon completion of the "Refund Request Form." The Refund Request Form must be completed and signed by the student. 

Important note: because it is a one-time credit, your flight credit does not cover travel home for any holiday, nor travel home for the break between semesters if you are studying abroad for the academic year.

**We strongly recommend purchasing tickets directly from the airline (rather than a third-party vendor like Expedia or Travelocity) because making changes or cancellations is generally easier to do directly with the airline. We also strongly advise students to purchase airline tickets that permit a change of date. Students therefore should purchase a flexible flight. 

Therefore, research many different airlines. 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 and 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.

It varies, depending on current prices for a round-trip ticket from Boston to the airport of your host institution.

Once you are accepted into the Study Abroad program, you can look for an email from our office informing you of the flight credit. For New Zealand, you can anticipate a flight credit approximating $3,000.  

• All students will be charged Holy Cross home tuition and the standard room charge. There will be no charge for a meal plan since student housing in New Zealand is self-catering. 

• Financial aid "travels." This means that your sources of aid will cover the cost of HC tuition and housing for the period time you study abroad. (Read the subsection below for more information). 

• All students will receive a travel credit (see above). The credit is a good faith estimate of the cost of a round-trip flight from Boston to your host institution, including any busses/taxis/transfers once you're on the ground. Once you are accepted into the program by your host institution, you will receive an email from Holy Cross with the amount of the travel credit.  

• All students will be billed a mandatory $210 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: $200 max. for academic year, $175 for semester-only student.  The reimbursement is for cultural and group activities that get you involved with your host community. Eligible fees 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).

Fees for private gym membership are NOT eligible for reimbursement. 

Personal travel inside and outside your host city is NOT eligible for reimbursement. 

To repeat: Gym fees and personal travel come from your own pocket.

To get reimbursed 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.

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 allows for students to receive Holy Cross credits for their courses abroad and grades will be on their Holy Cross transcript. 

The College of the Holy Cross is committed to making study abroad an opportunity for all our students.  In order to do this, the College must be able to provide need-based financial aid for students when they study 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, covering relevant fees. 

This said, it is your responsibility to apply for aid for the period of time you plan to study abroad, as you normally would were you to not study abroad at all and instead stay on campus for the year/semester. But since you are planning to study abroad...

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. This is 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, if applicable, which it is NOT for NZ programs), 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 They are well informed and incredibly supportive, and they will both guide you and answer any/all of your questions! 

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)

• Visa fees

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

• Meals not provided by a meal plan (if applicable, which it is not in this instance)

• Books

• Personal expenses (including bedding and travel)

• Laundry 

As already mentioned, all students are allowed to submit activity/club receipts for reimbursement: $200 max. for academic year, $175 for semester-only study. The reimbursement is for cultural and group activities that get you involved with your host community. As stated elsewhere, eligible fees 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).

Gym fees are NOT eligible for reimbursement. 

Personal travel inside and outside your host city is NOT eligible for reimbursement. 

Gym fees and personal travel therefore come from your own pocket.

To get reimbursed 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.