Each Semester at Sea voyage lasts an entire semester or all summer. When looking at the cost of the voyage it's important to remember that a student is paying for tuition, room and board, and the experience of a lifetime. With all expenses added together, starting around $10,000 for a summer voyage and $20,000 for a full semester one, Semester at Sea costs about as much as a semester at many schools. But in addition to that, Semester at Sea strives to give even the poorest students a chance to go and provides a learning experience unmatched by any in a traditional classroom.
What Semester at Sea Costs Pay For
The cost of each voyage pays for between 9 and 12 credit hours. These classes are held at sea on the ship and each student gets credit from the University of Virginia. Students are also getting a room with a bathroom they share only with their roommate! A bathroom shared by only a couple of people sure beats the mass bathroom in many college dorms! Not only that, but Semester at Sea crew members clean the beds and tidy up the room every day just like in a hotel.
Students also get three delicious meals a day while on the ship. And, don't forget, a voyager is paying for travel as well! It isn't cheap to visit at least 8 countries in a single semester, but Semester at Sea students do! Suddenly $10,000 for 9 college credits, a hotel-like room, three meals a day, and world travel sounds like a pretty good deal!
Professors, Staff, Crew, and Non-Profit
The tuition costs are paying a lot of salaries! There are around 30 professors who took off an entire semester from their home colleges and over 30 staff members taking a semester off as well. Plus the ship itself houses over 200 crew members who spend their days cleaning the ship and making sure the voyagers are happy.
Not only that, but Semester at Sea in a non-profit organization. Tuition costs don't even cover their expenses and they have to rely on donations and grants to, quite literally, stay afloat!
Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Work-Study Programs
There are plenty of ways for folks who can't afford Semester at Sea to pay for it. The voyage offers a number of scholarships and grants to students based on need, academic performance, and much more. The program gives out $3.25 million every year in financial aid. FAFSA and other loans can be used to pay for Semester at Sea as well. Not only that, but there are plenty of outside scholarship opportunities that can be used. Semester at Sea also offers a monthly payment program to make paying a bit easier.
Plus, Semester at Sea offers a work-study program. Students can get $4,000 off a semester long voyage if they are accepted for work-study. These students spend a simple two hours each day at sea working on the ship. They might help out in the student life office or in the computer lab. Two hours a day is hardly a sacrifice in exchange for a chance to go abroad.
Semester at Sea is Worth the Money
Voyagers are each paying for classes, food, a room, the salaries of the crew and professors. They're also paying for the ship's fuel and docking costs! But whether students pay in full or take advantage of the countless financial aid opportunities, they are paying for more than just these tangible things.
A student on Semester at Sea is seeing the world. Many have never even left the country! All students see at least eight different countries and cultures. They meet people from all over the world and make friends for life. Some voyagers even get married in the future! No other college in the world offers classes about African Music and then takes the students there, only to teach about Asian culture the following week and then go there! The cost of Semester at Sea isn't just for the classes, it's for the experience and the chance for students to open their eyes to the world and see its wonders firsthand.
Katie Ouderkirk - Katie Ouderkirk started working at a barn when she was ten. As the years went on she worked at a number of different barns, two zoos, and ...
Join the Conversation