HOW DOES BILLING WORK FOR RSP PARTICIPATION?

The Russian Studies Program (RSP) 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 RSP 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 RSP 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 RSP semester costs:

Expenses covered by RSP fees:

• Recommended 16 hours of academic credit
• Round trip transportation to/from US gateway airport, if optional group travel is selected
• Housing
• Laundry facilities available at no cost (must provide own detergent, softener; approx. $10 for the semester)
• Board
• Local transportation
• All necessary expenses during required program-related travel, including immigration & visa expenses (non-US citizens are reimbursed up to the cost for US citizens)

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: RSP itinerary usually requires arrival in St. Petersburg and departure from Moscow, or vice versa; subject to change)
• International Student Identification Card ($22)
• Textbooks (approx. $150)
• Personal medical expenses, if incurred; including preparatory vaccinations
• Personal discretionary expenditures, including personal travel (Recommend $600-700)
• Passport required for program application

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

BestSemester makes available an optional roundtrip group travel opportunity to/from the US gateway airport (currently JFK International airport in New York) 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: RSP itinerary usually requires arrival in St. Petersburg and departure from Moscow, or vice versa; 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.

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 RSP PARTICIPATION?

We hope this doesn’t happen!  Just in case…You need to know the RSP 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 RSP. 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 Russian Studies Program (rsp@bestsemester.com) during or prior to the application phase to discuss your participation.

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