Fee policies for Non-Dickinson Programs

Why does Dickinson charge a fee for participation in a non-Dickinson program?

The study abroad fee that Dickinson charges ($1,700 per semester for study abroad during the 2011-2012 academic year) is for a number of services provided to students, many of them “behind the scenes."

The fee is not a “finder’s fee.” That is, it is not meant to pay for finding a program for students. The Office of Global Education can advise students on possible programs, or at least point them in the direction of resources where they may find an appropriate program. If Dickinson students have not studied in certain locations of the world, then this chore may indeed prove more difficult than if a student were to choose a more popular destination. However, it has been found that such proactive effort is indeed good preparation for the off-campus experience.

The fee does defray costs for providing access to a range of Dickinson resources and services to students while they are participating in non-Dickinson programs.  Specifically, these resources and services include but are not limited to the following:

• Facilitation of Dickinson course registration for the semester following the student's time away from campus;
• Facilitation of housing placement for the semester following the student's time away from campus;
• Access to Dickinson email, Moodle, and all electronic resources and tools;
• Access to Dickinson library's holdings, its staff, and its research capabilities;
• Pre-departure and re-entry programming and materials;
• Telephonic access to the campus counseling center in the event that it is needed;
• Supplemental international health insurance coverage;
• Emergency evacuation coverage from the program site abroad in the event of a health or security emergency; and
• Facilitation of the credit-transfer process for academic coursework completed while participating in the non-Dickinson program.