Financial Planning
Program Costs
Pitzer College employs a one-price policy, which allows all Pitzer students to have international and intercultural experiences as part of their Pitzer education. Students participating in semester or year-long programs are charged Pitzer College tuition, the on-campus universal room rate, the on-campus 19-meal plan rate, the activity fee, and a $600 airfare contribution. Students participating in domestic programs are exempt from paying the $600 airfare contribution.
Please note: Students living off campus without a meal plan in the semester prior to studying abroad are still required to pay the universal room and 19-meal plan rates for the semester they will be abroad.
Students participating in summer study abroad programs through Pitzer College are charged a comprehensive fee, similar to the tuition for two summer session courses. The $600 travel contribution is not charged to summer program participants.
The fees students pay to Pitzer College for either a semester program, a year-long program, or a summer program cover program tuition, non-refundable program fees, housing, meals during the program period, a round-trip airline ticket, visa fees, a transcript, and any other mandatory expenses required by the program. In addition, the fees charged by Pitzer are allocated not only for direct study abroad costs but also for the College's indirect costs incurred even when the student is abroad.
Fees paid to Pitzer College do not cover the following expenses. Students should consider these expenses in their budget planning.
- Passport and passport-sized photos required for applications and visas
- Cost of pre-departure medical exams, required immunizations, or prophylactic medication
- Additional costs incurred for airfare that exceeds the price of a standard round-trip ticket or if arriving before or extending after the program dates, changing a ticket, or if participating in a domestic program
- Cost of housing and meals before or after the program or during school breaks (e.g., breaks between terms or semesters, spring break)
- Refundable deposits
- Expenses for items or services not typically provided on the program but to which students may be accustomed (e.g., email or internet access, access to computer labs, athletic facilities, etc.)
- Expenses for items or services not typically included in the cost of attendance on campus at Pitzer (e.g., personal entertainment, independent travel during school breaks, field trips that are not a required part of a course, mobile phone charges, laundry charges, supplies for furnishing rooms, backpacks/luggage, etc.)
- Equipment or clothing (e.g., winter jackets, boots, rain gear, formal attire, etc.) needed for climate conditions, cultural reasons, or activities at the program site
- Extra course fees, lab fees, and school supplies
- Expenses resulting from a difference in the cost of living. Expenses in your study abroad location may be the same, higher, or lower than in Claremont.
Room and Meal Allowances
In cases where a program does not include housing or meals, students will receive an allowance from the Office of Study Abroad and International Programs to cover these costs. Students may also receive allowances for other incidentals recommended by the program.
Important Note: The charges Pitzer College levies on students do not directly correspond to the amounts they receive for their program, as costs vary by program, program type, and location.
Airfare Policy
All students participating in an international study abroad program must book their flights with Pitzer's designated travel agent. Students will not be reimbursed if they purchase tickets independently. Students attending a domestic program will cover their airfare and are not required to work with Pitzer's designated travel agent.
Pitzer College will cover round-trip airfare based on travel from the closest major international airport to the student’s permanent address city in the US to the designated international airport for the exact dates of the program. For international students, the costs covered by Pitzer are based on the price of a round-trip flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). If baggage is not included in the ticket issued by the travel agent, Pitzer will reimburse students for one checked bag that meets the airline’s standard size and weight requirements. Students who deviate from the program dates, request stopovers, or make any other special arrangement with the travel agent may be subject to a difference in airfare if it exceeds the airfare for the standard flight based on the previously indicated parameters (location and program dates). Students who wish to change their flights after a ticket has been issued will be responsible for any change-related fees.