2023/2024 PROGRAM TRANSITIONAL YEAR
(2024/2025 program fees will be published in January 2024)

Financial Aid Budget Explanation for 2023/2024 only.
(Program comes with the Full Ride FBU scholarship for one selected student. FBU scholarship covers Oct.1, 2023-July 31, 2024 with the total amount of $9,879 USD)

Program Fee: $30,704 (program fees are offset by $15,352 PGSA per semester from WMU Study Abroad office)-transitional year only.
Room: approx $700 (6 weeks pre-sessional course. Note: main semesters housing covered by FUB scholarship-approx 750 (euros/month)
Board: $4,400 (estimate of approx. $100/week for 11 months incl. pre-sessional course.)
Fees: $718 (Pre-sessional lang. course approx. 700 euros; social fees of approx. 250 Euro/semester are covered by scholarship)
Books: $400 (approx., some fees are incl. in scholarship stipend)
Airfare: $1,400 (estimate)
Local Travel: $500 (additional, Semester Studi ticket x 2 is incl. semester social fees)
Passport: $165 
Insurance: $48  (Insurance for pre-sessional lang. course. In addition, WMU Intern. medical insurance is provided by WMU for the full academic program commitment; German insurance for main semester is incl. in stipend 500 Euro/semester; )
Immunizations: $100 
Miscellaneous: $3,520 ($80/week x 11 months)
Visa: $180 German residence permit, approx. estimate

Living costs: Your living costs mainly depend, of course, on your personal requirements and habits. You should count on spending a minimum of 600 to 700 Euro (rental fees, grocery, leisure time etc.).


Cost:
The WMU program fee includes:  undergraduate tuition, housing for the main semesters, admin. fees, international health and emergency assistance insurance and orientation.
The WMU program fee does not include: meals, costs associated with pre-sessional language and culture course, airfare, books, local transportation, passport, visa fees/study permit (if study is longer than 6 months).
For students who prepare their own meals, food costs are inexpensive. Students should plan for extra expenses, such as weekend travel, personal spending money, etc.

2023/2024 transitional year only: One full ride scholarship is available for a student chosen to attend Freie University of Berlin. This scholarship covers two semesters of study. Nominated undergraduate students should receive the following approx support from FUB: a grant of  750 euros for 10 months, health insurance allowance of 500 euros per semester, FUB student fees allowance of $270 euros/semester, waiver of registration fees. The scholarship will be paid in equal installments (example: 780 euros/880 euros)

Pre-sessional language course fee (approx. 600-700 euros), costs for housing during pre-sessional course, health insurance, meals and miscellaneous for the duration of the course are not covered by scholarship and should be paid by students from personal funds.

The amount of the scholarship is determined by officials at the Free University in Berlin, not officials at WMU. All scholarships are contingent on funding. One WMU student may be awarded a waiver of the WMU program fee at the suggestion of the WMU German Exchange Committee, dependent on funding.

Program fees are subject to adjustment due to changes in actual exchange rates or other factors. In addition, programs may be modified or cancelled in the event of insufficient enrollment. Program dates are subject to slight adjustment by the home/host university.

Note: For tax purposes, the university requires the program fee billing to be divided into qualified fees (tuition) and non-qualified fees (non-tuition costs). The total program fee equals the study abroad commitment fee plus qualified fees and non-qualified fees added together.
Example:
      Commitment fee
      + Qualified fees (tuition)
      + Non-qualified fees (other costs)
      = Total program fee

Program commitment fee:  Once a student is accepted to the program, they need to decide to officially "commit" to the program or withdraw. When a students makes the commitment decision, this is a financial commitment. Once a student is "committed", the Program commitment fee is non-refundable. Additionally, students are responsible for the Program Fee, less any expenses that WMU Study Abroad is able to recover. The program fee is billed to the WMU student account for the semester of enrollment in study abroad credits. The program fee is due within 30 days once charged to the WMU student account. After 30 days, per university accounts policy, holds will be placed on past-due balances.

Financial Aid and Scholarships:
Students eligible for federal or state financial aid may use their awards for studying abroad.  After a student has been accepted to the program, he/she must complete required paperwork with WMU Financial Aid to apply financial aid to the program costs.  It is the student's responsibility to complete the paperwork prior to departure and to maintain compliance with financial aid regulations while studying abroad (i.e., remain enrolled full-time). 
Please note: Disbursement of financial aid may not coincide with the start date of the program abroad so plan ahead. Some out-of-pocket costs may occur prior to financial aid disbursement for the semester, such as the commitment fee, passport, airfare, immunizations, visa or residence permit fees (if applicable). These costs vary by program and WMU Study Abroad Specialists are available to answer questions about the program budget.