Application Instructions

Application Fee

While CASA covers approximately $24,000 in program costs per Fellow, applicants should be aware of their responsibility for some program fees and travel costs.

Non-Covered Expenses

Each CASA Fellow is expected to pay:

• A non-refundable Program Fees
  • CASA I/III:  $1,850 (for students enrolled in a Consortium school) or $2,500 (Non-Consortium rate)
  • CASA II:   $950 (for students enrolled in a Consortium school) or $1,600 (Non-Consortium rate)
• Insurance (estimate from last year: $804 CASA I/ $440 CASA II/III; varies from year to year) **
• Miscellaneous fees and expenses during travel (i.e. visas, travel over holidays, living expenses not covered by the monthly stipend)

For help covering program fees, applicants should consider applying for additional funding from outside sources. 

Also see expenses for Pay-Your-Own-Way Fellows (panel below).

Covered Expenses

Each CASA Fellow will receive the following:

• Paid tuition for all courses.
• A monthly stipend**
• Roundtrip airfare to Amman or Meknes.
• Some program-related tours and subsidized trips to historical sites in Jordan.

CASA Fellows are responsible for arranging and paying for their housing, meals, and travel over breaks. (Stipends are intended to cover basic living expenses, but may not be enough to cover travel back home over holidays/breaks.)

Further details are shared once fellows are accepted into the program. We also connect incoming students with a designated Fellow from the previous cohort for advice on finding housing and other basics of living in Cairo or Amman.

PLEASE NOTE:

*Only applicants enrolled in a CASA Consortium School, at the time of application, are eligible for the Consortium rate.

**Figures above are based on the current year, but sometimes change from year to year. They are provided only as a guideline; updated information for the coming year will be shared with those who are selected.

PYOW Fellows 

The Pay-Your-Own-Way (PYOW) option is available to a limited number of qualified students who are willing and able to provide funds for all expenses associated with their CASA I program of study (no partial funding is available). This is the only way for non-US citizens to apply to CASA due to the program’s funding restrictions.

The CASA program can often accommodate more applicants than we have funding to support. Therefore, we encourage applicants to apply for outside funding. If you manage to secure outside funding, it may:

• Cover program costs, like insurance and program fees, that are required to be covered by all CASA Fellows
• Provide you with a higher monthly allowance than CASA can provide
• Allow the CASA program to increase the number of participants, therefore increasing your and others’ chances of acceptance into the program.

If you are applying for, or have access to, outside funds, select the PYOW option on the application form. Please note that by selecting this option, you are only giving us an indication that there is a possibility that you will have outside funds, and it is in no way binding.

All CASA applicants, including PYOW applicants, must follow the same procedures to be considered for the program and are evaluated in the same way. Once selections have been made by the CASA Selection Committee, we will confirm with anyone who indicated PYOW status and determine whether they have been able to secure outside funding.

The candidates who agree to enter the program on the PYOW option must agree:

• To assume all financial responsibility for participation, and to abide by the same rules and regulations as a CASA Fellow; and
• To consider this agreement binding until the end of the program.

PYOW Expenses

Expenses for PYOW Fellows for the CASA I Program:
Please note that these costs and expenses are subject to change for each programmatic year.

• Tuition: $7,000 (for 2 semesters)*
• Airfare: $1,400 (approximate amount for one round-trip and does not factor in visits home over breaks)
• Stipend to support basic living expenses: $1120/month (Jordan), $900/month (Morocco) with 1-2 roommates;*
• Required Program Insurance ($810; varies from year to year)*
• Non-Refundable Program Fee: $1850 for students currently enrolled in a consortium school / $2,500 for non-consortium schools
• Selection Exam Fee: $102 (you will receive ACTFL ratings for Reading, Listening exams)
• Application Fee as noted for the year

For CASA Fellows (non-PYOW), tuition and a monthly stipend are covered by the program. The Non-Refundable Program Fee, the Selection Exam fee, and Medical/Travel Insurance are the responsibility of all CASA Fellows, whether PYOW or non-PYOW. 

If selected, PYOW Fellows have the option to coordinate a payment plan with the CASA Coordinator to pay for their tuition. Details will be confirmed upon acceptance.   

*PLEASE NOTE! Most figures are based on the current year, but are likely to change. They are provided only as a guideline; updated information for the coming year will be shared with those who are selected. 

Additional Funding

CASA encourages applicants to seek funding from other sources, and welcomes all qualified applicants to participate in its programs. It is to each applicant's benefit to apply for other sources of funding to subsidize the cost of the CASA program. Some of these programs may have fall application deadlines, and it is best to investigate these sources BEFORE preparing to submit your CASA application.

The following are just a few examples of alternate sources of funding: 

• Fulbright
• FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies)
• Boren Scholarship
• Boren Fellowship
• ACOR Fellowships

Contact the appropriate representative at your university or college for more details regarding these funding opportunities.

Other avenues to pursue:

• Contact the appropriate financial aid office at your home university or college to determine if your institution can help offset your program fees.
   
• The Rotary Foundation and local clubs offer scholarships for graduate study and for professionals in designated fields. You can check their website to find clubs near you and to determine your eligibility.
   
• The Volunteer Forever Travel Scholarship offers $500 awards that can be applied to your program fee, travel insurance, or other trip expenses. The scholarship is open to residents of the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and the European Union and can be applied for in the fall and spring. They offer funding for study abroad programs, but you can also mention that there is a volunteer component of our program. (CASA Without Borders involves community based learning projects or internships which offer fellows the opportunity to pursue long term projects outside of the classroom setting, and help immerse them in the local culture and society. See CASA I Program description for more details.)