Fees and Financing

Full program fees are due by the following dates:

Fall semester – July 15       Spring semester – December 15       Summer program – April 30

Where the Money Goes: Study Abroad Finances- read about how your tuition is spent and why

Fall and Spring Semesters*

The $12,300 program fee (Fall 2016)** breaks down as follows:

$7,900 covers tuition for 16 semester credits of courses accredited at the undergraduate or masters level by the Universidad Autónomo Metropolitano (UAM-Xochimilco). (If necessary, Hampshire College issues transcripts for undergraduate students for an additional fee of $300.) 
$2,900 covers room and board
$100 covers ground transportation in Mexico
$1,400 covers housing, food, transportation, and workshops in Chicago.

NOTE: Applicants can apply for intraprogram scholarships by completing our scholarship application and demonstrating need via the Financial Aid Information form filled out by their school's financial aid administrator. Students who are not able to pay the full program fee before the deadline must fill out the Letter of Financial Responsibility and contact us to arrange a payment schedule. IMPORTANT: Transcripts will not be issued until the remaining balance is paid.

Fall and Spring payment deadlines           Fall                   Spring

*Early payment (Full program fee - $500)                 May 31             August 31
Payment deadline (Full program fee)                        July 15             December 15
After deadline (Full program fee + $500/mo)            July 16             December 16

**program fees are updated on a semesterly basis

Chicago Re-entry Program

Your $1400 program fee covers:
• instruction, de-briefing and reflection sessions
• housing with immigrant families who participate in the Centro Autónomo
• food
• class reading materials
• local city transit for program activities

Full payment is due before the program begins.

Summer Program

Your $3100 program fee covers:
• 6 semester credits (4 week program)
• Courses accredited at the undergraduate or masters level by the Universidad Autónomo Metropolitano (UAM)
• Food, lodging and ground transportation within Mexico
• Most books and reading materials

Summer payment deadlines
Early payment (Full program fee - $500)                                 by March 15
Payment deadline (Full program fee)                                        by April 30
After payment deadline (Full program fee + $500/mo)             after April 30

Emergency travel insurance

All students must either purchase emergency travel insurance from MSN's insurance agent or provide proof of their own coverage at least one month before program start date. At a minimum, emergency travel insurance should cover "emergency hospitalization," "emergency evacuation," and "emergency repatriation" to the US. If you wish to use your own coverage please send us a copy of your policy, underlining the places where these three things are listed.

MSN's insurance agent provides coverage through a policy written by Travel Health and Accident insurance through U.S. Fire Insurance Company, policy #US022072. The policy covers accident/emergency hospitalization coverage with a limit of $25,000 per person/per incident and has a $100 deductable per person/per incident. The additional cost is $120 per student for the Fall and Spring semesters and $35 for Summer semesters.

Participants are responsible for
~ $120 for emergency travel insurance (see above)
~ $600 - $1000 for airfare to & within Mexico, back to Chicago, then home
~ $450 - $700 for miscellaneous incidental expenses (click here for our estimated breakdown)

Financial aid

If the participant is receiving financial aid from her/his home institution, the aid may be transferable to the Mexico Solidarity Network Study Abroad program. Consult with your study abroad and/or academic advisor to arrange for this transfer. We offer basic suggestions for finding financial aid here.

Scholarship application process

In addition to scholarships offered by your home institution, the Mexico Solidarity Network offers a scholarship program designed to supplement grants or other financial awards. We cannot provide full scholarships; they are not intended to be your only funding source. MSN is a small non-profit that, instead of relying on grants and foundation money, uses the proceeds from our study abroad program to fund community organizing in Albany Park, Chicago. This commitment to our community project is why we're unable to give full scholarships, and it's also why we favor applicants who are committed to activism and to finding a way to learn about Mexican social movements, whether or not they receive a scholarship.

To apply for an MSN scholarship, fill out and submit this scholarship application with your program application before the posted scholarship application deadlines. Scholarship applications will not be considered unless they are they are totally complete and accompanied by a program application. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of need, with preference given to applicants with proven grassroots organizing experience and to first or second generation Latin@ immigrants.

Scholarship deadlines

Fall - April 15th
Spring - October 15th
Summer - March 15th

Payment Instructions 

Checks should be made payable to the Mexico-US Solidarity Network and sent to Mexico Solidarity Network, 3460 West Lawrence Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625. Visa or Mastercard payments can be made here or by calling our office.

Withdrawal policy

Notification of withdrawal from the MSN Study Abroad program must be received in writing. The $500 deposit is non-refundable and may not be transferred to another semester. In the event of withdrawal, refunds will be made according to the following schedule, calculated from the date MSN is notified by the student in writing:

Fall/Spring Semesters

Before the day of departure from the U.S.:
100% refund less $500 deposit and less any scholarship awards.

By Saturday of the first week of the program:
80% of tuition and fees minus the $500 deposit and minus any scholarship awards.

By Saturday of the second week of the program:
60% of tuition and fees minus the $500 deposit and minus any scholarship awards.

No refunds are available after the second week of the program; however, in case of medical or family emergencies, the Mexico Solidarity Network will consider, on a case by case basis, application of payment to another semester program.

Summer

No refunds are available for the Summer semester after the first day of classes. In case of unforeseen emergencies that force participants to withdraw from the program, the Mexico Solidarity Network will make every effort to facilitate the participant's speedy return to the U.S., but we cannot assume responsibility for the costs of transportation.

In the unlikely event that the program itself is canceled, all funds, including the $500 deposit, will be refunded or applied to a future program, at the discretion of the applicant.