These days, Penn students study abroad in all corners of the world.
But wherever students travel, they can't escape the long arm of the University's full-tuition policy.
Implemented in 1994, the policy requires students to pay normal tuition - currently at $16,080 per semester - even when studying abroad at other institutions. So when students take classes at a foreign university, they have to pay Penn's price for an education that may actually cost thousands of dollars less.
As if that weren't enough, students are also hit with a $1,400 study-abroad fee and additional living and food expenses. With the falling value of the dollar, these extra costs are substantial.
It's clear that Penn needs to make these programs more affordable. Scrapping the full-tuition policy and allowing students to pay foreign colleges directly for their education abroad would be a great start.
Administrators say that the current policy provides all students with access to the same type of on-campus academic support. Other higher-ed officials even contend that it makes study-abroad programs more affordable.
But while the policy is well-intended, it doesn't make any sense. Students abroad shouldn't have to pay for academic services they can't use. And the vast majority of all foreign institutions charge lower prices than $16,000 per semester.
Of course, lowering the price of study abroad programs would cost the University a fair amount of money. But it would also provide an extra incentive for traveling and boost study-abroad participation. For a University serious about engaging globally, the benefits are worth it.
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