ERASMUS, Money, and Americans Abroad

A warning, this will be a long winded post.

 Seeing as in I am in the Facebook group of ERASMUS students I decided it was a good idea to research up on the program. I almost wish I hadn't because it just makes me upset that the US, thinking of itself THE world, cannot implement something similar, especially with our growing minority populations.

To be clear, the source of my information is the university website of University College London and was
published in June 2012.

Firstly, the mobility grant: The chart on this website says that for Spain students receive 370€/month. I already have my piso arranged in Leon and a rough idea of groceries, and I am budgeting about 300€ a month. This amount seems that it would easily cover shared housing and groceries easily.

Secondly, at least at UCL, if one chooses to go for 10 months they pay NO tuition. You read that correctly, 0 dollars, zilch, NADA! This just blows me away. I pay normal tuition fees PLUS an administrative fee for each semester I study abroad. For the fall my bill was $2900, yes I realize this is very cheap for an American university, but when I am taking the same classes as the people paying, oh , NOTHING, I have to say that that is unfair.

Thirdly, travel. Yes, people in the ERASMUS program do have to pay for their transportation to and from their country, though I have had a friend from Germany who had her travel expenses covered. Anyway, the $1000 end of summer flight from the US to Madrid sure beats the $237 flight from Berlin...

Lastly, visas. Please refer to my All About Visas post if you want more information about how an American obtains ERASMUS students do not need to worry about a visa, sure they may have to register when they arrive but there is no fingerprinting, FBI background check, trip to Chicago, or 4 week wait in the mail to get the passport back. This isn't specifically due to the ERASMUS program but it certainly is a truth.

Now let's compare the above 4 scenarios with what happens in the USA when one wants to spend a year abroad in Spain.

Mobility Grant? What is that?  I pay for my mobility with saved money from working in the summer and during the school year, a little bit of loans, and some family help. Yes, there are study abroad scholarships available for Americans but I did not receive the required acceptance letter from Leon in time to apply for any of these. Also, those who receive pell grants are eligible for another scholarship, but I am not in that group.  So, without a US nor an ERASMUS grant my 3700 € will have to come from somewhere else.

Free Tuition? For going to another country? When pigs fly my friends, when pigs fly. My tuition this year will be roughly $6000. Not bad you say? WEll, for a normal American university student, no, not bad at all. But when you are in the SAME classes with the people who pay $0 , or a nominal fee if their tuition is not covered under a full year grant it is pretty infuriating. We are receiving the same lecture, the same exams and the same credits for this course. So please, beg tell me why some get to go for free and some pay $6000? This is outragoues and is probably my biggest beef with the whole scheme.

Traveling to any destination in Europe means BIG BUCKS for anyone in the US, and dropping back by home for a weekend because you are homesick? Not gonna happen. It is a much much much bigger commitment to come 6000km than 500.

Lastly, the bane of my existence, the visa. It cost me in total a little over $200. ERASMUS students don't have to worry about this at all, thanks to having free mobility within Europe. The mental stress of this alone is worth $1000....

So, where does that leave us Americans? Those of us that come from the country that is supposedly most powerful in the world. Well, to be honest, it leaves us SOL. Flights, visas, program fees, tuition... no help from any sort of organization like ERASMUS. With Spanish being the up and coming minority language in the USA one would think that sending students to Spain to learn the language and international relations skills would at least be on the bottom of the agenda.

Well, this is one frustrated American chica signing on.
If anyone has thoughts on this please comment below!!

The Final Countdown!

As August 29th draws near there are many things on  my mind: banking, packing, budgeting, travelling,etc.

For banking I have decided to go with Charles Schwab. They have no min balance, no fees, and unlimited ATM fee reimbursement! I am just waiting to receive my new card in the mail.

I am starting to get an idea together of clothes  I want to bring. My philosphy inlcudes roll a lot, buy a few key items there, and neutrals neutrals neutrals! But I could not resist bringing my red jeans...

Budgeting for study abroad.... balancing needs like rent, food, and travel has appeared easy on paper... but, vamos a ver.

I have so much tentative travelling planned: Cantabria, Navarra, Pais Vasco, La Rioja, Aragon.. and that is just for fall semester. Of course there are also plans for La Feria in Sevilla in April! Viva España!!


 The final -ing in my mind is worrying. Though I know most things are out of my control at this point I can't help but worrying something will go terribly wrong and I'll get sent home or detained. This dream becoming a reality has sent me on a whole string of irrational thoughts. Hopefully my NIE is not as problematic as this person's but if it is, I will deal with it when it happens. For now I am trying to stay in the present and focus on the positive energy and excitement that have brought me this far. So as of now:
Passport ✓
Visa ✓
Suitcase ✓
Last 2 Weeks of Work ✓
Excited, Positive, Outlook- gettin there!

More to come when packing begins!


link credit to Liz at her travel blog, she is an extraordinary blogger!