Plan ahead for your finances abroad and establish a budget for your expenses by following 这些步骤:

1)识别成本

List out anticipated costs based on the program cost info (ex: tuition, program fee, personal expenses, airfare). 成本 will depend on your program, and the specific costs will be listed on each program's page on the Spartans Abroad Portal. If you have questions about what the expenses are be sure to ask an SAA staff member.
In order to budget for your meals and personal expenses, compare the cost of living between San Jose, California and your program destination. 看看这个 cost of living comparison website- Numbeo (菠菜网lol正规平台 has no affiliation with this website).
It is also important that you account for any bills or responsibilities you will still have while you are away. Will you still need to pay for your cell ph一个? 造一辆车 付款? These kinds of responsibilities do not go away when you go abroad, so be sure to factor them in as well!

2) Identify available funds

Once you have listed out all your anticipated costs, you should identify all of the areas where you can get funds to help you pay for them. 这可以包括 financial aid, scholarships, income from work, savings, etc.

3) Calculate amount needed

Subtract the amount of available funds from the amount of anticipated costs to determine the remaining amount needed for your program budget.

Make a simple budget like the examples below to see what you will need to make your 旅行成为现实!

Sample Budget - Semester Program

Faculty-Led程序

Another free resource that can be helpful in planning for travel is Intuit MintLife's Travel Budget Calculator (not affiliated with 菠菜网lol正规平台).

Other important budget factors

信用卡 & 银行

If you plan to use your credit card while abroad, make sure to check if it has any foreign transaction fees. These can be costly and can add as much as 3% per transaction! Check for any ATM withdrawal fees as well, so you know what to expect when withdrawing 海外现金. Be sure you notify your bank of your plans so your credit and/or debit cards are not deactivated while abroad.

外币

Make sure to research what your 钱 is worth in the country you plan to visit and account for the conversion in your budget. 像 XE Currency Converter can help give you an idea of current exchange rates. Remember that these rates are constantly fluctuating; allocate additional funds in your budget for this just in 情况下. 

机票

机票 prices are always changing, and can be costly. For Faculty-Led程序s, you have to wait for the cohort to pay their fees in full before booking your airfare, which can add to the cost as well. Some airlines may allow you to lock in your airfare up to a week ahead of time for a small fee. As always, be sure to read all the fine 打印. If you do buy your ticket early through an airline – just remember, if the program is canceled, you will be responsible for the loss you incur, so read the cancellation and refund policies carefully before you make this decision.