Guide · 8 min read
How much does it cost to study abroad?
Published prices from real programmes, and the costs that are never in the brochure.
“How much does it cost?” is the first question most students ask, and the hardest to answer in general. Prices depend on the country, the city, the type of programme and what is included. To give a concrete starting point, we gathered the published prices of 40 semester and summer programmes at host universities around the world, all listed by StudyAbroad.com.
What a programme price usually includes
Provider and partner-university programmes usually bundle tuition, housing and on-site support into one fee. Many add orientation, excursions and health insurance. Flights, visas, meals and personal spending are usually extra. Always read the inclusions list line by line: two programmes with the same price can offer very different value.
Published prices, programme by programme
Prices are in US dollars, as published by each programme, and are listed from lowest to highest semester price. They were correct when we last checked and can change at any time, so confirm them on the programme page before you budget.
| Host university | City | Semester | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Vision University | Tbilisi, Georgia | $8,495 | – |
| University of Pécs | Pécs, Hungary | $8,495 | $3,495 |
| Mahidol University | Bangkok, Thailand | $8,795 | – |
| Shih Chien University | Taipei, Taiwan | $9,995 | – |
| Udayana University | Bali, Indonesia | $9,995 | – |
| Undiknas University | Bali, Indonesia | $9,995 | – |
| Al Akhawayn University | Ifrane, Morocco | $10,995 | – |
| Dong-A University | Busan, South Korea | $10,995 | – |
| Hankuk University | Seoul, South Korea | $10,995 | $5,495 |
| J. F. Oberlin University | Machida, Japan | $10,995 | $4,495 |
| Monroe University | New York, United States | $10,995 | – |
| Shanghai University | Shanghai, China | $10,995 | – |
| Universidad Pablo de Olavide | Seville, Spain | $10,995 | $3,895 |
| , France | $10,995 | $5,695 | |
| Universidad LCI Veritas | San José, Costa Rica | $11,595 | – |
| Stellenbosch University | Stellenbosch, South Africa | $11,995 | $7,095 |
| Universidad de la Sabana | Chía, Colombia | $11,995 | – |
| University of Cagliari | Cagliari, Italy | $11,995 | – |
| Liverpool Hope University | Liverpool, United Kingdom | $12,495 | $6,195 |
| Universidade Europeia | Lisbon, Portugal | $12,495 | – |
| Zagreb School of Economics & Management | Zagreb, Croatia | $12,495 | $4,395 |
| Masaryk University | Brno, Czech Republic | $12,895 | – |
| , Mexico | $13,395 | – | |
| American College Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | $13,495 | – |
| LCI Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain | $14,995 | $8,395 |
| Queen Margaret University | Edinburgh, United Kingdom | $14,995 | – |
| Universidad Austral | Buenos Aires, Argentina | $15,995 | – |
| University of Nicosia | Nicosia, Cyprus | $15,995 | – |
| University of Waikato | Hamilton, New Zealand | $16,495 | $11,595 |
| University of Wyoming | Laramie, United States | $16,495 | – |
| Florence Culinary Arts School (FCAS) | Florence, Italy | $16,695 | $5,995 |
| Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore | Milan, Italy | $16,995 | – |
| Queen’s University Belfast | Belfast, United Kingdom | $17,995 | $6,995 |
| University of Limerick | Limerick, Ireland | $18,495 | $6,295 |
| Accademia Riaci | Florence, Italy | $18,995 | $5,995 |
| Edge Hill University | Ormskirk, United Kingdom | $19,995 | – |
| London Metropolitan University | London, United Kingdom | $19,995 | – |
| University of Strathclyde | Glasgow, United Kingdom | $20,195 | $5,195 |
| Richmond American University | London, United Kingdom | $20,795 | $5,995 |
| , France | – | $17,995 |
The costs that are not in the price
- Flights. Book early and be flexible with dates. Return flights between continents can cost more than a month’s rent.
- Visa and immigration fees. Student visas carry application fees and sometimes health surcharges. See our student visa guide.
- Insurance. Check whether the programme includes it and what it covers, including medical evacuation.
- Food and local transport. These vary more than anything else between cities. A student travel card often pays for itself in a week.
- Weekend travel. Most students travel more than they planned. Set a budget before you go.
- Currency. Exchange-rate swings can add or remove hundreds over a semester. Use a card with no foreign transaction fees.
Ways to bring the cost down
Exchanges through your own university are usually the cheapest route, because you pay home tuition. Programmes in Central Europe, South-East Asia and Latin America tend to be cheaper than those in London, Sydney or Tokyo. Summer programmes cost less in total, though more per week. And scholarships are more plentiful than most students think: start with our scholarships directory.