WHAT COSTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GSEP?  

Participation in GSEP is FREE! We want all NAU science and engineering majors to be able to enhance their undergraduate career for a global marketplace, so there are no additional fees or tuition in order to participate in GSEP. You need to apply for and be admitted to the program before you can take advantage of the many special GSEP offerings, however, you continue to pay regular NAU tuition.  

Costs for out-of-country GSEP elements

Although the on-campus portion of the GSEP is free there are, some costs associated with travelling abroad to complete the study-abroad semester and the international internship. These costs center around your personal costs for airfare and room and board abroad, and are generally modest. In most cases, living costs abroad are substantially lower than on-campus at NAU due to government subsidies and generally lower costs for housing.

The goal of this page is to give you an overview of what the costs for the GSEP international elements might be. Note that the exact costs will depend on which partner institution/country you choose, on changing prices over time, and on your personal preferences. Below is just an outline of the major cost categories.

Airfare

Depending on carrier, current market, and destination, airfare varies between $600 and $2000 for a round-trip ticket. Although GSEP staff will be happy to provide general advice on planning and booking air travel, we have no connections with air carriers and generally expect GSEP participants to arrange their own travel to the host destination. This also allows students flexibility in trip planning (e.g., adding other travel before or after their GSEP program abroad) and makes it possible to apply frequent flyer miles and other rewards bonuses that students may have access to.

Room and Board

We have negotiated special lodging arrangements with all of our GSEP partner institutions, speak to your GSEP advisor for guidance in finding appropriate housing. Depending on location, meal arrangements in student dining facilities are available for at least some meals, although it is more common in other countries for students to cook in dormitories (kitchens are generally included), or to otherwise manage their own households. In general, we have found that overall costs for room and board while abroad are lower than equivalent accommodations on the NAU campus. Thus, room and board while abroad will generally the same or less than on-campus at NAU; there is no additional cost for being abroad.

Extra-curricular Travel

Most GSEP participants will want to take advantage of their time abroad to leave the partner campus during their stay, to travel within the host country and in nearby countries. Such travel is purely optional, however, and thus need not increase the cost of the experience abroad. For students who do elect to incorporate extra-curricular travel while abroad, GSEP staff can provide guidance in planning such travel, including many suggestions of how to keep costs to a minimum.

Personal and entertainment expenses

Many students will want to indulge in the vibrant student community at their chosen partner institution; some examples include meals out; the occasional visit to the pub with friends; theatre, concerts and other events; and buying gifts for family back home. Depending on the individual, these expenses can be considerable and should be part of your planning process, but again, they are not necessarily any higher than normal entertainment expenses while on-campus at NAU.

Other incidental GSEP fees

As emphasized earlier, there are no specific additional fees associated with participating in GSEP in general. There may be optional trips or activities, however, that require a participation fee to take part. For instance, the optional 10-14 day exploratory GSEP Spring trip, offered at the end of the second year in the GSEP track, includes a modest fee to help defray the cost of providing the faculty chaperones for the group. There are no required trips with such costs, however, and costs will always be clearly detailed in advance for each such trip offering.

GSEP Commitment: Affordable international study and internship

In comparison to the benefits received, the costs for internationalizing your engineering or science degree are truly minimal: aside from the cost of an airline tickets, the costs are no higher (and often lower) than what you would be paying anyway on the NAU campus!

A specific goal of NAU and the GSEP program is to encourage widespread and comprehensive internationalization, in order to produce top-notch graduates in the Sciences and Engineering who are truly prepared to lead in tomorrow's global economy. To make this dream accessible to all, we have kept costs in mind in designing every aspect of the GSEP program, making every effort to truly maximize the program's benefit-to-cost ratio.

There are also a number of scholarships available to meritorious students, sponsored by NAU, the Center for International Education, and a variety of private donors, that provide funds to help defray out-of-pocket expenses associated with GSEP travel. Information on such scholarship opportunities are made available to GSEP students as they begin planning for their travel abroad, and all GSEP students are encouraged to apply.