HOW DOES BILLING WORK FOR ASC PARTICIPATION?

The Australia Studies Centre (ASC) is an extension campus of each member institution of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU); each school grants the academic credit for program participation.

The CCCU invoices campuses for the cost of ASC participation and in turn campuses bill their students following the campus’ established policies and procedures. (For example, some schools charge the exact fees of the off-campus program, other schools charge the campus tuition price, while others charge full on-campus fees plus an additional off-campus study fee. And there's every variation in between!)

Since each school determines their own policies regarding off-campus study costs and the applicability of institutional scholarships and other aid, you should confirm your school’s policies with the Off-Campus Study Coordinator on your campus.

HOW MUCH DO I PAY & WHAT'S INCLUDED?

Deposits:
The only expenses ASC participants pay directly to the CCCU are the application fee ($50), the non-refundable confirmation fee ($300, deducted from the total housing fee at invoicing) and the $125 non-refundable travel deposit (if the group travel opportunity is selected).

Program Fees:
About one month before the semester begins, the CCCU sends participation invoices to each school.  For the 2008-09 school year, that bill will feature these ASC semester costs:

Expenses covered by ASC fees:

• Recommended 16–17 hours of academic credit
• Round trip transportation to/from US gateway airport, if optional group travel is selected
• Housing
• Board
• All necessary expenses during required program-related travel
• Local transportation

Additional anticipated expenses:
(Anticipated expenses are estimates, which will be updated should local costs shift significantly.  You may spend more/less depending on your personal spending habits.)

• Travel between home and US gateway airport, if optional group travel is selected
• Travel between home and program, if optional group travel is waived (NB: program itinerary typically requires arrival in Sydney, Australia and departure from Auckland, New Zealand; subject to change)
• *International Student Identification Card ($22)
• Australian student visa (currently $400 AUS, approx $350 US; subject to change)
• Textbooks (approx. $150)
• Materials required for elective classes (e.g., art supplies, dance shoes, photography materials, etc.)
• Optional private music lessons.  A one-hour, weekly private music lesson is $2000 AUD; a half-hour private lesson is $1000 AUD.
• Personal medical expenses, if incurred
• Personal discretionary expenditures, including personal travel (Recommend $75-100 AUD per week)
• Passport (required for program application)
  

* International Student Identification Card (ISIC). BestSemester requires all students participating in international programs to hold a valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC).  This is a supplementary ID card that provides, among other benefits, special insurance if you were to need a medical evacuation back to the United States. 

BestSemester will process an ISIC for you, if your home campus does not issue ISICs.  The ISIC costs $22 and requires a passport-sized photo.  If you will be purchasing your ISIC through BestSemester, you may save time & energy by including the $22 and photo along with your confirmation materials.

 

Note that you will be required to provide a clear photocopy or an electronic copy of your ISIC, if you purchase your ISIC from your home campus.

 

       Special Dietary Requirements Policy

While students with special dietary requirements are welcome to study with ASC, please note that due to the nature of our program as well as our agreements with our homestay families and student housing facilities, we are only able to accommodate a limited number of special need diets at an additional cost to the student.  Prices are listed below.

 

If you have special dietary requirements, please be prepared to be flexible, share responsibility for your needs, and purchase some food for yourself.

 

Cost list for students with special dietary needs 2008-2009:

 

Specific allergies (other than gluten) will be determined based on allergy

 

Lactose Intolerant -                                          $50.00 per semester

Vegetarian -                                                     $170.00 per semester

Gluten Intolerant/Celiac Disease -                     $350.00 per semester

 

Give that we must make special arrangements for the above meal arrangements, student must declare their preference prior to arrival on the program.  Please note that in view of the special arrangements and additional costs involved, students cannot request “occasional” special diets (e.g. “borderline vegetarians”).  For the purposes of the program, a student must choose to be either vegetarian or non-vegetarian for the entire semester.  Charges to vegetarians apply.  (Please reference cost list above).  Payment due upon arrival at program.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

BestSemester makes available an optional roundtrip group travel opportunity to/from the US gateway airport (currently LAX in Los Angeles, CA) and the program. Accepted students receive an International Travel Memo that outlines the group flight opportunity, itinerary and payment details.

Students electing the group flight are responsible for travel to/from the gateway airport. Students waiving the group flight are responsible for their complete itinerary and for prompt arrival/departure. (NB: ASC often arrives in Sydney, Australia and departs from Auckland, New Zealand; subject to change.)

^*The posted group flight cost is the anticipated/estimated rate.  If the actual group flight cost is significantly greater than or less than the posted amount, the program will update the posting and invoicing accordingly.

There are two ways for you to travel to/from ASC:

1) Opt-in to ASC’s pre-arranged international group travel OR

2) Arrange your own international travel.

Please carefully read about each option. ASC has reserved seats for all participants on the group flight. After considering the options, you will be asked to confirm your participation in the group travel or opt-out of the group travel via the ASC Travel Intent Form. Those opting for the group travel will submit a non-refundable travel deposit along with the Intent Form. Those opting out of the group travel will return the signed intent form (only) and will provide the program with a copy of their individual itinerary. Once a student decides to travel independently, it is not possible to later choose to join the international group travel.

What you need to know about the International Group Travel option:

The group flight is for international travel to/from the gateway airport (Los Angeles International Airport, LAX). Group travel participants are only responsible for arranging travel to/from the gateway airport. It is advised that domestic flight arrangements to/from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) be made to include a minimum of 4 hours between arrival at LAX and the flight departure to Australia, as well as between your arrival at LAX in November and your domestic flight home.

What you need to know about the individual travel option:

ASC enrollment requires participation in all orientation activities and debriefing sessions. The program begins upon the group travel arrival and ends with the group travel departure.

Please note that the program includes three different travel components and you are required to schedule your flights in accordance with all these components.

Other things you should know if you book your own travel to/from Sydney:

1. The ASC Program will not pick you up from the airport in Sydney unless you arrive within 15 minutes of the ASC group flight. You will be required to find your own transportation to Wesley Institute and be on time for orientation events. Taxis from the airport to Wesley cost roughly $50 depending on the time of day.

2. If you arrive earlier than the allotted program dates, such as the day before orientation begins you will need to find your own accommodations as you will not be allowed to stay in the homestay or student housing facility you’ve been assigned to until the commencement of the program.

3. The ASC Program will fine you $50 if you are late to orientation due to booking your own transportation.

WHAT ABOUT FINANCIAL AID?

You can expect to use all of your Federal and State financial aid to study off-campus through the BestSemester programs. Additionally, most (but not all) campuses allow students to transfer some or all of their institutional financial aid, scholarships and grants to BestSemester programs.

Contact your Off-Campus Study Coordinator, Financial Aid Office, or other applicable office on your campus for more information and to determine how much financial aid can be applied to your off-campus semester. As anticipated expenses for your off-campus semester most likely differ from an on-campus semester, be sure to bring this page so you can adjust your financial aid statement of need.

WHAT IF I'M ACCEPTED THEN LATER DECIDE TO WITHDRAW MY ASC PARTICIPATION?

We hope this doesn’t happen!  Just in case…You need to know the ASC Refund Policy.

WHAT IF I DON'T ATTEND A CCCU INSTITUTION?
(First of all, double-check. Click here to find out if you attend a CCCU school.)

Students must be enrolled full-time on a “home” campus in order to participate in ASC. If you do not attend a CCCU school, your campus may be willing to enter a one-term consortium agreement with the CCCU to allow your participation. If not, we will try to help you enroll as a guest student through a CCCU school. Please contact the Australian Studies Centre (asc@bestsemester.com) during or prior to the application phase to discuss your participation.

^**Non-CCCU students will be charged an additional $200 for participation.