CHAPTER 1 - Want to Study Abroad?

Before You Read - Paying for College

A. Look at the expenses on the Student Budget Worksheet below. How much do students in your country pay for these things? What other expenses do students have?

¹ Expenses are things you spend money on
² Income is money that comes to you
³ Tuition is money used to pay for teaching
⁴ Entertainment refers to things you do for fun
⁵ Part-time work is less than 35—40 hours a week.

B. Look at the Income section of the worksheet. What are other ways students get money? Discuss your answers with a partner.

A Student Budget

College is an exciting time to learn and to make friends that will last a lifetime. Many students do not like to worry about money, and would rather not think about it. However, it doesn't matter whether a student's parents pay for everything, or whether the student works part-time to help pay for his or her education. All students can get into money trouble if they're not careful.

The cost of a college education can be high. In English-speaking countries, the average cost per student per year can be well over US$15,000. Students must also pay for books, paper, pens, etc. These can cost $500 to $1,000 per year. Students must also pay thousands more per year for room and board.¹ Add money for clothes, travel, and other personal expenses, and the average cost of one year at university can be $20,000 to $30,000, or more.

So, students need to spend their money carefully. At most universities, councillors² can give students advice on how to budget their money.

This is what they suggest: At the start of a school semester, write down your income-for example, money you will get from your family or from a part-time job. then, list all of your expenses. Put your expenses into two groups: those that change (food, phone, books, travel), and those that will.stay the same (tuition, room and board). Add together all of your expenses. Are they more than your income? Will you need to borrow from family or friends, or will you need to get more money by doing part­ time work? Often, students find it is easier to plan out their own budget, and save their own money, rather than trying to borrow from others.

As you can see, there's more to learn at college than just what's taught in the classroom!

¹ Room and board is the cost of a place to stay and eat meals.
² Councillors are people who offer helpful ideas to others.