International Students

Welcome to the Office of Student Financial Services! Our goal is to help provide advice and guidance on financial, immigration, taxation and student employment matters as you adjust to life at Colby.

In addition, we work closely with many other offices on campus, such as Colby’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion which offers many services and programs to support our international student population.

Colby College supports international undergraduate, graduate and visiting scholar students who hold a F1 or J1 visa by providing immigration services before arrival to campus and during their stay at the university.

To learn more about visa and immigration services at Colby College click here.

**New for the 2023-24 school year,  Colby will automatically enroll all non-US citizens/students. If your Colby records indicate that you are not a US citizen, Colby will add you to the Student Health Insurance Plan automatically and you will be billed the annual $2,178 premium. No active enrollment is needed by international students as Colby will automatically enroll you. If  you are an international student with a U.S. based health insurance carrier and you believe you do not need the college health plan, please reach out to [email protected]

Yes, it is completely possible; financial aid status should not affect your choice to study abroad. Financial aid is portable to both Colby and (approved) non-Colby programs as long as a student’s plans have been approved by the Off-Campus Study office. In any of these courses of study, a student’s aid is based on the actual cost of the program up to a maximum of Colby’s student expense budget. The evaluation of the aid application includes consideration of necessary personal and travel expenses, and currency exchange rates. More information about financial aid while studying abroad can be found here.

Since program fees are billed by the host institution, they are paid by your family and not Colby. There are two important financial aid forms to be filled out for approved non-Colby programs: the Study Away Budget Statement and Agreement (required of all financial aid applicants, even if the only aid is in the form of loans), which is essentially a budget form to be completed by your program, and the Disbursement of Aid Funds Form, which directs the aid funds to a parent who may then pay your program. Another important note on payment for approved non-Colby study away programs is that an Off-Campus Study Fee of $1500 per semester will be charged by Colby and is due according to the College’s normal billing schedule (The $1,500 Off-Campus Study Fee is considered part of the budget when determining aid eligibility). Click here to access the current Study Away Budget Statement and Agreement.

Understanding the U.S. tax system and filing a tax return can be an overwhelming and confusing experience for any student. That’s why, to make things easier for you, Colby College has teamed up with Sprintax, an online tool specifically designed for international students and scholars which helps you prepare your federal and state returns.

Please note: All 2023 tax obligations on the student accounts must be paid by the end of the Spring 2024 semester.

SENIORS must also pay all tax obligations, as well as any other charges appearing on their account, prior to graduation.

• Learn more about withholding taxes

Colby has partnered with Flywire to accept payments from international students worldwide. Easily and securely make education payments in your own currency, using local payment methods from the safety and convenience of your home. With real-time tracking and Around-the-clock multilingual support, millions of students and families around the world trust Flywire for payment processing.

Did you know?

• Flywire is the global market leader for education payments, the Trusted Choice of millions of students, thousands of institutions and hundreds of recruitment agents and partners worldwide. Flywire offers convenient payment options from over 240 countries and territories, in more than 140+ currencies.
• Flywire supports a variety of local payment methods including bank transfers, credit cards, e-wallets and more.
• Flywire guarantees payment as soon as funds are received in any of our accounts around the world .
• Flywire offers peace of mind by providing real-time payment tracking every step of the way through email, in-app and text alerts .
• Flywire offers Around-the-clock multilingual support via email, phone or live chat.
• Flywire provides a secure and streamlined refunding process with automatic tracking notifications.
• Flywire’s internal controls ensure that funds are secure and protected against fraud.
• Flywire provides a Best Price Guarantee: if you find a better exchange rate at your bank within two hours of booking a local currency bank transfer with Flywire and send us a quote from your bank, we will match it.

Resources from Flywire:

• “International Payments Orientation” videos in English and Chinese
• How to make a payment with Flywire
• More information for students
• Around-the-clock multilingual support

Please Note: A $25.00 transaction fee will be assessed on all wire payments that are received outside of the College’s preferred payment method “Flywire”.

Student Charges and Due Dates

Student Login to Tuition Statement

Many students work on campus at some point over their four years at Colby. Opportunities for on-campus employment can be found in academic departments, the Libraries, Athletic Department, Cotter Union, and more.

Colby College’s student employment policy permits students to work a maximum of 12 hours per week during the academic year.

For more information about international student employment and regulations, visit the Human Resources page for Student Employment where you can learn more about work eligibility and required forms. 

It is understood that not all students are able to return home for the summer and to help address this, each summer the college offers 50-70 varied positions available through the “Colby Summer Employment” program.

Summer employment typically begin after Commencement and Memorial Day, which is a College holiday. The workweek is typically 35 hours, Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30 (an hour for lunch) although some jobs do vary from this schedule, particularly positions in the Facilities Department.

Summer housing is also available on campus for those working and typically ends the second week of August. At that time, Colby students may be relocated to their fall housing but generally may not continue to live on campus unless granted special permission through their employer in conjunction with Campus Life.

For further details, see the campus Human Resource Department (located in Roberts Union) or visit this link.

Colby continues to expand opportunities for our students that both enhance their academic experience and prepare them for meaningful lives and career options upon graduation. DavisConnects, our innovative program that funds and facilitates internships, research opportunities, and global experiences, continues to evolve, and the Colby Labs offer rich experiences with partner institutions and world-renowned laboratories.

Masibonge (Masi) Ngidi-Brown, Director of International Student Programs and Associate Director of the Pugh Center: [email protected]

If you have any questions, please contact the Associate Director Student Employment Services, Suheir Alaskari (ext. 5502, [email protected]) in the Student Employment office, which is located in the Office of Human Resources, Roberts #119/126. Calling or emailing ahead to make an appointment is recommended!

Alyssa Tibbetts, Student Financial Services Specialist: [email protected]

Student Financial Services: [email protected]

Student Payroll: [email protected]