Advancing disability rights and leadership globally®

Plan Your Expenses

An assortment of foreign currencies are scattered on a table.
An assortment of foreign currencies are scattered on a table.

Let’s get started by building a list of potential expenses you may have when participating in an international exchange experience.

General Fees

  • Tuition (if study abroad)
  • Program fees
  • Airfare
  • Housing
  • Ground transportation (buses, taxis, cars)
  • Meals
  • Passport, visa, and airport fees
  • Materials and supplies (travel gear, textbooks, guidebooks, etc.)
  • Entertainment/cultural experiences
  • Communication needs (temporary cell phone, international calling/internet plans)
  • Travel/medical insurance if not covered by program

Potential Disability-Related Expenses

  • Cost of renting/purchasing adaptive equipment or technology (shower chairs, canes, CCTVs, batteries, repair parts, etc.)
  • Medicine or other medical equipment
  • Travel/wages for personal assistant
  • Private housing versus a roommate
  • Accessible ground transportation
  • Sign language interpreter

These expenses might be paid for in a number of ways, including through your own expenses, a school, an exchange program, vocational rehabilitation funding, scholarships, and more. Though some expenses are not typically paid for in the U.S. (such as a personal assistant or equipment repairs), many program providers are willing to work with you to pay for all or a portion of these costs because they recognize these as signifcant barriers to your participation that are not there for other non-disabled participants. Advocate for yourself and negotiate what you need early on in the process.

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