Program Finances
Faculty-led programs differ in many ways from standard on-campus courses, the most consequential of which is program finances. Most faculty do not have to concern themselves with revenues and expenditures for courses in-load. As a result, faculty-led programs often make or cancel on the merits of their financial structures.
All faculty-led programs at Kansas State University must be financially self-sustaining. The Office of International Programs and Education Abroad do not have the funds to support programs. Faculty leaders may choose to utilize external funds from sources like grants, or their sponsoring departments and colleges. In all cases, though, faculty must disclose clearly all revenues and expenditures to Education Abroad and the Division of Financial Services.
Program Finances at a Glance
B. Program Fee
B. Compensation
3. Program Viability and Cancellation
B. Program Advance Funds and the SET Card
D. On-Site Expenditures and Receipts
A. Budget Sheet
B. Commitment
C. Late Fees
6. Student Aid
A. Scholarships
C. GI Bill®
Program Revenues
As every faculty-led program consists of two essential parts—an academic course and a study tour—program revenues break down into two respective parts: tuition and the Program Fee. It is extremely important to distinguish between these two revenue streams when building and executing your program. Otherwise, your program’s finances will be unclear and you may risk the program’s failure.
All participants enrolling for credit in a faculty-led program course pay the tuition and fees associated with their regular program of study at K-State (Manhattan, Polytechnic, K-State Online or Olathe).
Billing
Kansas State University assesses tuition for faculty-led programs depending on the time a participant enrolls in the associated course:
- If the participant enrolls in the course prior to the official start date of the corresponding term, tuition will be due the first day of regular classes for that term
- If the participant enrolls in the course after the official start date of the corresponding term, tuition will be assessed on the 15th of the month, and due the 15th of the following month.
College Fee
The college sponsoring the faculty-led program may have mandated additional college fees for faculty-led courses. In this these situations, College Fees are included separately from tuition and are billed directly to participants’ KSIS accounts along with tuition.
The Program Fee is the amount that the Office of International Programs charges participants for the study tour. The Program fee is thus separate from tuition and related fees. The faculty leader and the Office of International Programs determine the Program Fee using the Program Budget at the program proposal stage.
Under university policy, the Office of International Programs may use only program fees to pay for study tour expenses. These funds cannot be used for faculty compensation. As a result, only those funds raised through the Program Fee are available for student expenses on the study tour and, if faculty choose, any faculty travel expenses they wish to pass on to students through the Program Fee.
Billing
The Office of International Programs bills participants the Program Fee through KSIS if they have active student accounts. If participants are not in KSIS, the Office of International Programs will collect personal check or deposit from that participant or his or her college.
Administrative Fee
The Office of International Programs assesses an Administrative Fee of $375 per participant as part of the Program Fee for faculty led programs that do not involve transfer credit from a host university abroad. An Administrative Fee of $815 per participant is assessed for programs that involve transfer credit from a host university abroad. All program participants except for faculty leaders and assistant leaders must pay the Administrative Fee. When a participant pays the Administrative Fee, it indicates the participant’s intent to participate in the applicable study abroad program. The Administrative Fee covers the many different services and facilitation that Education Abroad provides, including but not limited to advising, processing of applications, collecting student information and materials, reviewing contracts, conducting pre-departure orientations, conducting disciplinary clearance checks, risk management processes and emergency response, insurance registration, accounting and paying vendors, billing for programs, ensuring compliance with country and regional laws abroad, and facilitating relevant processes pertinent to campus groups such as the Office of General Counsel, Office of Student Financial Assistance, Registrars, Lafene Health Clinic, Global Campus, Student Life, and others, as applicable to the type of program.
Health, Safety, and Insurance Fee
International health insurance is required for all participants on faculty-led programs. The Health, Safety, and Insurance fee is collected as part of the Program Fee and covers the participant with international health insurance for the duration of the study tour abroad. For more information on international health insurance, please see our Health and Safety Abroad page.
Advertised Rate
Once a program is finalized and the application is published online, the Program Fee’s advertised rate cannot increase for any reason. If actual expenses are lower than budgeted amounts, the Office of International Programs may reduce the Program Fee below its advertised rate before billing participants.
Faculty leaders are welcome to use external funds to subsidize their travel or that of participants on the study tour. Many leaders use department or college funds, grants, or even personal funds to reduce the Program Fee. Any external funds credited to the study tour must be included as negative amounts on the Program Budget. Faculty leaders should communicate with Education Abroad at the time of proposal if they intend to utilize any personal, department, or college funds to cover their own travel expenses or reduce the program fee for students. These funds should be clearly identified on the Program Budget.
Education Abroad, in collaboration with the Administrative Support Center and KSU Financial Services oversees the financial management of faculty-led programs. Faculty-led Programs have several financial risks associated with them. Currency fluctuations, unforeseen emergencies (pandemic, natural disasters, political unrest, etc.), and price changes after program budgets are finalized (example: rising fight costs) are some of the main financial risks.When Education Abroad develops Faculty-led program budgets, we try to predict all costs known at the time the budget is constructed. The budget is often built 8-10 months in advance of the international travel. The budgets are designed to avoid financial losses by using conservative exchange rates, over-estimating on some expenses (flight costs, for example), and ultimately basing the budget on a required minimum number of students. This practice of developing conservative budgets is utilized to avoid financial losses. This practice of avoiding financial losses, while ensuring strong financial health of faculty-led programs, may lead to surplus funds collected from the Faculty Led program fee. Sometimes surplus program fees are generated due to strong student recruitment, favorable currency changes, and other estimated costs coming in lower than budgeted.
These surplus funds are managed in a central Program Reserves account. Program Reserves are utilized by KSU to manage the financial risks associated with faculty-led programs, support the development and growth of faculty-led programs and to support the Education Abroad Office.
Program Expenses
The Program Budget is designed to be a comprehensive document of all study tour expenses. Faculty leaders must document all anticipated revenues and expenses, including external subsidies, on the Program Budget. Education Abroad and Administrative Support Center (ASC) Accountants utilize the Program Budget to calculate the Program Fee for the study tour, track expenses, make invoice payments, and reconcile receipts after the tour. The Office of Financial Services uses the Program Budget to approve and audit payments. As a result, the Program Budget is one of the key elements of the proposal and execution of a faculty-led program.
The Program Budget Template is an Excel spreadsheet preloaded with formulas, standard expenses, and tooltips to help you calculate overall costs and fees. Education Abroad will guide faculty leaders in developing the template and in most cases will create the template based on discussions and collaboration with the faculty leader. The Program Budget must be finalized before the Director of Education Abroad may approve the program and you begin to advertise the program with cost information.
In general, Education Abroad advises faculty leaders to budget as accurately as possible to ensure that the Program Fee is as affordable as possible. That said, Education Abroad will advise faculty leaders to plan accordingly for price and currency fluctuations, airfare volatility, or other unforeseen expenses. The funds collected via student program fees comprise the only funds available to the program unless the approved budget includes any external subsidies. Education Abroad and OIP do not have and cannot supply additional funds to support programs that overspend for any reason, including emergencies.
When developing the Program Budget, it is important to distinguish among faculty leader expenses, student program expenses, student out-of-pocket expenses, and tuition and fees. These four sections of the Program Budget produce the respective fees that Education Abroad uses to provide participants with a realistic and transparent expectation of the program’s overall cost.
Faculty Leader Expenses
Faculty leader expenses include all expenditures for all program leaders, including the primary faculty leader, additional faculty leaders, and any assistant leaders. If the program has multiple leaders, include the combined totals for all leaders in this one column. If you wish to include a Student Learning Assistant as a leader on your program, you may include this participant's expenses in the Faculty Leader Expenses column.
Note that, for individual and group meals, OIP will not approve a program that uses the full federal "per diem" rate for leader meals. The faculty leader shall work with Education Abroad to determine the appropriate amount needed for leader meals. The amount of funds available for meals may not exceed the itemized amount that the program collects from students' tuition or program fees. If a faculty leader wishes to use an external subsidy to supplement the budgeted amount for meals, he or she must provide Education Abroad and the ASC Accountants with confirmation involving the department head and college dean to use the those funds to offset the excess funds from the budgeted leader meals
Student Program Expenses
Student program expenses include all expenditures for which you expect to pay on your participants' behalf. This column produces the Program Fee, which OIP will bill to each participant's KSIS account (or collect via check if not in KSIS). In the column, list expenses for each individual participant, not a total for all participants combined.
Student Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Student out-of-pocket expenses include all other expenditures that participants may expect to incur as part of the program but will not otherwise be available for the faculty leader's use on the program. For example, it is the participant's obligation to arrange for a valid passport, so Passport Fees are included as a standard student out-of-pocket expense.
Tuition and Fees
The tuition and fees rows on the Program Budget include the most up-to-date tuition and fees rates to provide students with an estimate of tuition and fees they may expect to pay for their participation in the program. The University separately determines and bills participants actual tuition and fees amounts.
Cost Documentation
For any large expenses, including but not limited to airfare, lodging/accommodations, transportation (domestic and international), and activities/excursions, faculty leaders must provide cost documentation at the proposal stage. This documentation must justify the estimates that leaders included on the Program Budget and ensure the Program Fee is as accurate as possible. Documentation may take multiple forms, including email correspondence, website screenshots, vendor price quotes, or other media.
Faculty leaders will want to speak with their department heads and college deans to discuss projected compensation for instruction on a Faculty Led Education Abroad program. Each college and/or department may have different policies related to faculty compensation for instruction of a faculty led program.
Program Viability and Cancellation
Viability
A faculty-led program is viable once it secures financial self-sufficiency through a final roster of committed participants for its program. In other words, a program "makes" once it has garnered enough applicants who have agreed contractually to enroll in the academic course and pay the full Program Fee for the study tour.
Education Abroad determines a program's viability using a scarcity risk management model based on a minimum number of students or participants. This minimum number is one that faculty leaders in collaboration with Education Abroad will specify on the Program Budget when planning their programs. When Education Abroad reviews a program proposal and budget, they may recommend increasing or decreasing the program's minimum number of students depending on the program budget and other factors. Departments or colleges may also make recommendations regarding a program's minimum number of students based on tuition projections or policies outlined in the University Handbook pertaining to course minimums.
If a program's deadline passes and it has not garnered enough committed participants for viability, the following processes may occur:
- In consultation with Education Abroad, leaders may find savings or economies in the Program Budget to accommodate the smaller participant group. (Note that a Program Fee cannot increase for any reason, nor may leaders remove essential academic components of a program to mitigate costs. Participants have the right to withdraw from a program without penalty if leaders remove these essential academic components)
- In consultation with Education Abroad, leaders may utilize available program reserves from previous iterations of the program, if applicable
- The faculty leader's department or college confirms that they will cover any program deficit
- If one or more of the above is not possible, Education Abroad may decide to cancel the program
Cancellation
If a program is not viable, Education Abroad and the Office of International Programs will cancel the program. Of course, you can choose to cancel for any number of other reasons, such as an unforeseen international development or illness on the part of the faculty leader. We encourage you to consider a robust contingency plan in advance of your program's approval to avoid last-minute changes to program content or costs.
We have identified several issues that often lead to a program's failure to achieve viability:
- Miscommunication or lack of clear communication with students and Education Abroad about program details
- Proposals that are incomplete or not submitted by the relevant deadline
- Courses that are too specific in content to develop enough student interest
- Lack of clear rationale for the program and/or poor marketing strategy
- Programs that duplicate the content or compete for a similar student audience of another education abroad program (for example, multiple programs offered by the same academic department)
- High program fees, or fees that are higher than similar options through other study abroad options
- Study tour locations that do not appeal to students or that they (and their parents) may consider risky or unsafe, even if they are not under a U.S. Department of State travel warning
- Lack of a clear contingency plan, including the identification of a suitable replacement faculty leader in the event the primary leader is unavailable to lead the program for various reasons (such as personal issues and changes in professional workload)
When a program is cancelled, Education Abroad will notify:
- the Administrative Support Center (ASC) Accountants to make any possible refunds or credits to participants (note that, if a program is cancelled, participants will receive all recoverable costs as credits to their KSIS accounts);
- the Office of Student Financial Services to address any changes to student aid;
- relevant vendors, such a host universities or 3rd Party Organizations;
- Global Campus and the Registrar through EIS to cancel the program's academic course; and
- all participants to withdraw their applications in StudioAbroad and offer alternative education abroad program options
Study Tour Payment
Once a program has secured its final roster of committed participants, faculty leaders may begin working with Education Abroad to book study tour logistics. Faculty may choose to book these logistics personally, through a travel agent, or with a third-party collaborator. Education Abroad and the ASC Accountants can pay for study tour expenses as long as an invoice and payment information is received for that expense.
Common expenses that are paid for in advance of the study tour include:
- Fees due to third-party program providers
- Group lodging, if not already included in program provider fees
- Group airfare through travel agent, if not budgeted as an out-of-pocket expense for students
- Host country transportation expenses, such as tour buses
Once faculty leaders have secured travel arrangements, they may forward to Education Abroad and the ASC accountants any invoices for pre-tour payments they wish to make using Program Fees from committed participants. Even if participants have not yet paid their Program Fees but nonetheless are committed to the program, the ASC Accountants may use university funds to pay invoices and reimburse the university using Program Fees later collected from committed participants.
If faculty use personal funds for any pre-tour expenses, the ASC accountants can reimburse these funds. Please note, however, that due to Division of Financial Services policy any faculty leader reimbursement will occur only at the conclusion of the study tour after all receipts have been collected and all program expenses have been reconciled. If faculty do not want to use their personal funds to pay for their individual travel costs, such as their individual airfare and, in some cases, separate lodging, they have the following additional options:
- Book these expenses through their academic department. Education Abroad would be able to transfer the funds to the faculty leader’s department at the conclusion of the study tour after all program expenses have been reconciled.
- Book these logistics through a travel agent and submit invoice and payment information to Education Abroad.
- Please note: In some case, such as Airbnb, it is not possible for Education Abroad to book travel arrangements on behalf of the faculty leader due to the vendor’s booking policies. In these cases, reimbursement is often the only option.
*A note regarding faculty leader personal airfare reimbursement. If a faculty leader is planning to travel abroad earlier and/or stay later than the official program dates (such as for a conference or for personal travel), they may be asked to submit a “cost comparison” for their airfare reimbursement. Reimbursement for airfare would be up to the cost of airfare based on the actual dates of the program. Education Abroad is not able to reimburse for any increased costs due to non-program-related travel.
If a faculty leader has indicated that his/her college or department will support either the leader travel expenses or student program expenses, and Education Abroad is expected to make booking for these expenses, funds for those expenses must be transferred to the ASC accountant prior to payments being made for those expenses. These expenses can be interfunded from the department/college to OIP.
Program Advance Funds and the SET Card
Prior to departure on the study tour and after all pre-tour payments are complete, the ASC Accountants may provide faculty leaders with a program advance from the remaining Program Fee funds collected from committed participants. In most cases, the ASC accountants will issue these funds in the form of a SET (Single Event/Travel) Card, a temporary business procurement card that operates as a declining balance Visa debit card. To limit risk these SET Cards are linked to the faculty leader through a specialized PIN number, contain only the program funds available for group purchases, may only work in countries listed in the program's itinerary, and are active only from the tour's start date through five days after a tour's end date. The ASC accountants may issue program advance funds no earlier than than fifty calendar days prior to a study tour's end date.
Faculty leaders may use the SET Cards at any Visa-approved point-of-sale for purchases as well as at ATMs for cash withdrawals. To ensure that the SET Card works properly, faculty leaders should make their first transaction abroad at a point-of-sale rather than an ATM. SET Cards should only be used outside the United States. For purchases prior to departure from or after return to the United States, faculty should use personal funds, for which the ASC accountants may reimburse these funds.
SET Card funds cannot be used for individual meals purchases, even if the program has collected funds from participants for this expense. Instead, faculty leaders may use personal funds to make individual meals purchases, for which OIP will reimburse them up to the amount budgeted for this line item at the conclusion of the study tour.
If faculty make any pre-tour payments using personal funds, they may not reimburse themselves using funds from the program advance (whether from the SET Card or a cash advance). Instead, the ASC accountants may reimburse these funds at the conclusion of the study tour.
Faculty cannot use program funds for alcohol purchases unless they gain pre-approval from the Director of Education Abroad for such expenses. If the Director grants approval, faculty must use personal funds for such purposes, for which the ASC accountants will provide a reimbursement after the tour's completion. In no case may faculty use program advance funds or the SET Card for alcohol purchases. For more information about alcohol purchases, see the Alcohol Expenses Reimbursement policy below.
The faculty leader is personally responsible for all program advance funds and must use them in accordance with the Program Budget and State of Kansas regulations. The leader may make minor adjustments between line-item categories depending on the circumstances on-site. If faculty have any questions or problems using the SET cards, they should email the Division of Financial Services at bpc@ksu.edu and notify Education Abroad as soon as possible.
All faculty leaders must meet with the program's accountant and Education Abroad Advisor (or the Director or Assistant Director of Education Abroad) before departure. At this meeting, they will review faculty-led policies and procedures, sign SET Card and program advance funds authorization documents, and receive their advances and associated PIN numbers. In addition, all faculty must undergo a Division of Financial Services training program for proper use of the SET Card. Education Abroad will also review the Faculty led Programs Emergency Response and Preparedness Handbook with the faculty leader and discuss any questions or concerns the faculty leader may have regarding health, safety, communication, and risk management during their study tour abroad. All faculty are expected to become familiar with the content and protocol in the Emergency Response and Preparedness Handbook prior to departure.
On-Site Expenditures and Receipts
Faculty leaders must obtain original receipts and maintain an expense list for all payments made on behalf of the program (except for individual meals under most circumstances, as detailed below). Faculty also should produce digital copies of all receipts, either as scanned files or photographs. For any expenses for which leaders cannot obtain receipts, they must record the expenses on an expense list, along with an item description, the currency used, and the date and cost of the transaction; and produce a digital copy as proof of purchase (such as a photograph of a price tag). If leaders exchange currency while on the study tour, they should submit bank receipts that reflect the exchange rate for the transaction along with the other expenditure receipts.
Individual meals accounting operates differently from other program expenses. As long as faculty do not spend over their budgeted amounts, they do not need to collect receipts or record expenses for individual meals. If in doubt, faculty should procure receipts and record transactions for all spending.
Faculty are encouraged to keep a daily ledger with detailed notes of all their expenses, payments, and transactions to ensure accuracy upon reconciliation at the end of the program.
After completion of the study tour, faculty leaders must return their expense ledger and original (and digital, if possible) copies of all receipts within fourteen days of the study tour return date or sixty calendar days after the issuance of the program advance funds, whichever comes first. At the time of reconciliation, the ASC accountants will provide other documentation that faculty must sign. After the ASC accountants reconcile all receipts and transactions, they will notify the faculty leaders of the amount of unused program funds due and payable to Kansas State University.
If they have any remaining program funds in cash at the end of the tour, they must exchange these funds into U.S. dollars and return them in full to the ASC Accountants with their receipts and expense lists. If faculty plan to travel after their tour's termination, or otherwise do not plan to be in Manhattan within this reconciliation window, they may submit their receipts and expense lists electronically to the ASC Accountants.
If leaders have any remaining cash on hand, they must return these funds to the ASC Accountants for deposit into the Program Reserve. If faculty have any funds that they cannot convert, or the amount is small enough that conversion would be financially prohibitive, they must purchase those funds in U.S. dollars and return that amount to OIP. Like any other personal funds, this purchased currency may only be used for personal expenses, not program expenses.
If there is a deficit in faculty leader expenses determined after reconciliation of costs, the faculty leader, in consultation with Education Abroad, has the following options to account for the actual deficit:
- Use department or college funds
- Use personal funds
Student Funds
The overall cost of a faculty-led program for a participant varies widely from program to program. The number of credits of a program's course may vary from zero to nine or more, with a corresponding range of tuition and fees rates; a study tour's location, duration, excursions, and lodging options may all significantly affect the Program Fee. Nevertheless, most programs offer three credits of tuition for their courses and include Program Fees within a range of $2,500 to $6,500. Whether airfare is included in the Program Fee or as an out-of-pocket expense will have a significant impact on the Program Fee.
As part of their program applications, all participants must sign the Budget Sheet and return it to Education Abroad prior to the program's deadline. This Budget Sheet details the estimated, itemized costs of the faculty-led program and requires agreement to the financial policies of the Office of International Programs and Kansas State University as listed in the Conditions of Participation. A participant’s particular study abroad experience may be more or less expensive than the estimate provided on the Budget Sheet, depending on the participant’s personal expenses and choices. These estimates are not guarantees and are not otherwise binding on the University. Participants may use these Budget Sheets to consult with the Office of Student Financial Assistance and calculate the possible federal financial aid award they may receive.
Participants agree to the following policies (listed in the Conditions of Participation) once they submit a signed copy of the Budget Sheet to Education Abroad and commit to their faculty-led program applications.
Finances
I agree that I shall be solely responsible for all financial obligations and liabilities that I may incur while participating in the Program. The releasees do not assume responsibility for financial risks, costs, payments, or the like, associated with participation, dismissal, withdrawal or other association with a participant in any Program. I understand I am strongly encouraged to purchase travel insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and other applicable insurance.
I agree that I must read, understand, and agree to the Faculty Led Program Budget Sheet found in my online application before I may be accepted into the Program.
Billing
I understand that, if I am enrolled in the Program’s course properly, Kansas State University Education Abroad will assess the tuition, fees, and program fees associated with the Program to my KSIS account prior to the start of the course term. I understand that failure to make these payments may result in dismissal from the Program and my placement offered to another student; or a hold on my KSIS account that may prevent me from enrolling in coursework at Kansas State. Any late fees or collection costs that result from my failure to timely make any payment due, or otherwise from my action or inaction, are my sole responsibility and chargeable to me.
Financial Aid
I understand that in order to be eligible for Federal Financial Aid for a fall or spring semester Program, my total enrollment at Kansas State University must equal a minimum of twelve (12) Undergraduate or nine (9) Graduate U.S. credits during the semester term. I understand that, if enrolled in this minimum, my Federal Financial Aid award will be based on enrollment in twelve (12) Undergraduate or nine (9) Graduate U.S. credits for the semester. It is my responsibility to finalize arrangements or disbursement of all financial aid and scholarship money, if any, as well as the terms regarding acceptance of those funds.
I understand that in order to be eligible for Federal Financial Aid for a summer term Program, my total enrollment at Kansas State University must equal a minimum of five (5) Undergraduate or three (3) Graduate U.S. credits during the summer term. I understand that, if enrolled in this minimum, my Federal Financial Aid award will be based on enrollment in five (5) Undergraduate or three (3) Graduate U.S. credits for the summer. It is my responsibility to finalize arrangements or disbursement of all financial aid and scholarship money, if any, as well as complying with the terms regarding acceptance of those funds.
Withdrawal
I understand that, once I am Committed to the Program, if I withdraw from participation in the Program for any reason, I will not be reimbursed for any Program Fees except to the extent that Kansas State University can recover those costs and expenses from third-party program providers. I also remain responsible for the Program Fees that I have not yet paid to the extent payments have already been made by, or charges are due from, Kansas State University as a result of my commitment to the Program.
I understand that if I wish to withdraw from the Program, I must complete and return to Education Abroad the Withdrawal Form at http://www.k-state.edu/abroad/about/policies.html. I understand that the general Kansas State University withdrawal, drop, add, and payment deadlines may not apply to and may vary by Program course.
Refunds
I understand that all payments, including without limitation the Kansas State University Education Abroad Administrative Fee, the Study Abroad Placeholder Course Fee, and any applicable Program Fees associated with my participation in this program, become non-refundable and non-transferable at the time my application status becomes committed, with the following exceptions: (1) if the minimum number of students for this program is not met, and Education Abroad cancels the Program for this reason, I will receive a full refund of the Program Fee, including the Kansas State University Education Abroad Administrative Fee; (2) If this Program is cancelled at any time for any other reason, including without limitation for safety reasons and other reasons outside the control of Kansas State University, I will be refunded only those costs and expenses recoverable to Kansas State University by third-party program providers.
Dismissal, Termination, and Cancellation
I understand that dismissal or termination from the Program abroad and corresponding courses of action will be at my expense and may include loss of program fees, costs, and/or university credit. I understand that Kansas State University or the host institution has the right to dismiss me from the Program at any time for behavior, which, in the judgment of Education Abroad and/or Faculty Leader, disrupts the Program or brings the Program into disrepute.
I understand that Kansas State University reserves the right to cancel the Program in the case of insufficient participation or for other reasons deemed appropriate. Kansas State University also reserves the right to make changes to the Program (including but not limited to the faculty leader) or alterations in the Program’s proposed schedule and itinerary.
By (1) completing the application, and (2) being accepted by the faculty leader and Education Abroad, the participant is considered “accepted.” The participant is then responsible for changing the status of his or her application from “accepted” to “committed”. Faculty leaders may provide no more than two weeks (ten business days) for participants to commit to their applications. Once an applicant changes the application status to “committed”, the applicant is responsible for the Program Fee, even if the applicant withdraws from the program.
Any late fees or collection costs that result from a participant’s failure to timely make any payment due, or otherwise from the participant’s action or inaction, is the participant’s sole responsibility and chargeable to the participant. For example, if Kansas State University is charged collection fees on a payment due from a participant, those fees will be charged to the participant.
If a participant does not pay the Program Fee after payment is due, the University will issue a hold on the participant’s KSIS account. The hold will be removed after the payment has been made. Participants themselves are ultimately responsible for all program payments due by the established deadlines. It is the participant's responsibility to track payment deadlines.
Student Aid
Education Abroad and Office of Student Financial Assistance take the lead in advising students on aid options for faculty-led programs. Nevertheless, faculty leaders should keep in mind what student aid options are available and, as best as possible, promote accurate and timely information about them as part of their program promotion initiatives.
Participants have limited scholarship opportunities available for faculty-led programs. It is important for them to keep in mind that there are various sources of scholarship funds, not just those offered through the Office of International Programs.
OIP Scholarships
The Office of International Programs features its own OIP Scholarships program with several opportunities for faculty-led program applicants. There is no application for these scholarships, as all students who have applied to viable programs are considered for the scholarships. Please note that scholarships are very limited and amounts are usually between couple hundred dollars to a thousand dollars. It is important, therefore, that students be advised to consider OIP Scholarships more as a bonus and not something they are necessarily depending on in order to fund their education abroad experience.
Award disbursements are made to students' KSIS accounts at the same time the program's tuition, fees, and Program Fee are billed and due.
College or Department Scholarships
Several departments and colleges at Kansas State offer study abroad scholarships for their students. Students should contact their colleges or departments directly for additional details, including award eligibility, application procedures, and deadlines.
Nationally Competitive Scholarships
The U.S. Department of State and Department of Education, along with several nationally recognized international education organizations, fund a number of nationally competitive study abroad scholarships. National scholarships often are based on different factors such as academic merit, financial need, academic major, foreign language study, or non-traditional locations. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, for example, is a great opportunity for Pell-eligible students enrolling in faculty-led programs that are longer than twenty-one days. For more information about nationally competitive scholarships, direct students to or contact Education Abroad.
External Scholarships
Education Abroad maintains a scholarship list of many external opportunities for which many Kansas State students have applied to their faculty-led program expenses.
To ensure a program's accessibility to all students, faculty leaders should keep federal financial aid guidelines in mind. Not all students may apply or use federal financial aid, but faculty should design their programs to allow students who do use these funds to employ them effectively on their programs.
All students who wish to use federal financial aid must be considered "full time" students under the policies of the Office of Student Financial Assistance. For Fall and Spring terms, Kansas State undergraduate students must enroll in at least twelve credits and graduate students at least nine credits, inclusive of a faculty-led program course's credits, to qualify for aid. For Summer term, Kansas State undergraduate students must enroll in at least five credits and graduate students at least three credits, inclusive of a faculty-led program course's credits, to qualify for aid.
Kansas State University disburses federal financial aid to students' KSIS accounts ten days before the faculty-led program's course begins. For more information about federal financial aid, contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
Students interested in using their GI Bill® benefits should contact the Veterans Affairs Office on campus early in the application process. It is important for students to understand what their GI Bill® will and will not cover before they commit to their program.
Other Policies
Alcohol Expenses Reimbursement
Kansas State University does not permit the use, possession, or distribution of alcohol during any University-sponsored study abroad program time, unless it is pre-approved by Education Abroad based upon demonstrated educational and cultural benefits to the student(s). Participants shall be allowed to opt out of participation in any such event. Other than these pre-approved events, use, possession, or distribution of alcohol is not permitted during program time and is not a reimbursable expense for the faculty leader. Participants should also inform themselves and abide by the host country’s laws and customs related to alcohol consumption.
Kansas State may reimburse alcohol expenses only if faculty leaders gain the permission of the Director of Education Abroad in advance of their program’s study tours. To gain this permission, faculty leaders must complete the Alcohol Reimbursement Pre-Approval Form and submit it to Education Abroad for approval. Faculty leaders must justify on this form how the use, possession, or distribution of alcohol in designated program activities demonstrates an educational and cultural benefit to students.