By Amy Boyd
Reporter
March 24, 2006
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Mark Matson
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In a new study abroad policy to take effect fall 2006, Milligan will limit the number of students permitted to participate in formally-linked off-campus study programs and include a basic fee for all participants.
The new policy will allow 10 students per academic year to study through these programs. In the past, Milligan has not limited the number of students allowed to study abroad. The new policy also covers the rules about financial aid for students who wish to study abroad with both formally-linked and not formally-linked programs.
Formally-linked programs include those to which Milligan directly sends tuition money, and the student receives a Milligan grade for the course on his or her transcript. These include the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) programs, the Private College Consortium for International Students (PCCIS) program in London and the International Business Institute (IBI) business program.
Other programs can be selected on a case-by- case basis, but the student handles all the paperwork directly, and the credits are considered transfer credits.
The new policy, approved in February, states that students studying with formally-linked programs are eligible for campus-based financial aid while students studying with programs that are not formally linked may only receive federal and state financial aid subject to the federal and state policies that govern such programs.
Students studying abroad will be charged a $500 processing fee on top of the amount for the program.
CCCU Representative Dr. Bussema said many CCCU institutions do charge an administrative fee.
According Academic Dean Mark Matson, Milligan sends all the money for tuition plus fees to CCCU on behalf of students studying with this program. The CCCU program charges a fee that is made up of tuition, fees, room and board, which varies from $10,350 to $14,450 depending on the program. The money is then placed on the student’s bill at Milligan.
Since Milligan sends the money to the programs, “it becomes an expense item,” Matson said.
Milligan will no longer give financial aid to students who have already been on a study-abroad program and desire to attend another off-campus program.
“This policy seems unfair to those who wish to study abroad for more than one semester,” said junior Jared Sayre, who studied abroad in China for the spring 2005 semester through CCCU.
Regarding study-abroad programs in the summer, Matson said, “(Milligan) could allow financial aid to apply to a summer program, but it would mean that no aid would be available for the following fall semester.”
Matson explained that generally there are only two semesters of aid awarded per year, both in federal and institutional aid programs. He said it might be possible for a year’s aid to be split over three terms, but total aid awarded is an annual figure that is divided between the fall and spring semesters.
The new study-abroad policy has become stricter due to the “explosive growth which was more than we could adjust for,” said Matson.
According to Milligan records indicating the number of students involved in study-abroad programs, only two students participated in the study-abroad program in spring 1998, as opposed to 11 students in spring 2005 and nine students in spring 2006.
“It’s intended to slow it down a bit,” said Matson regarding the effect the new policy will have on the number of students participating in a study-abroad program in the future.
However, Matson expressed his desire to see Milligan’s study-abroad program grow over time, but right now the college cannot handle it financially since the number of participants has risen.
Applications for study abroad programs and more information regarding the new policy are available in the academic dean’s office on the first floor of Derthick.