Westcliff University, California
Location: Irvine & Long Beach, CA Period: March – June
1. Fixed Costs Before Departure (Visa, Flight & Insurance)
When planning your finances, you have to expect some upfront costs. For the visa (including the SEVIS fee), you should budget between $300 and $400. Flight costs depend heavily on when you book. Since I booked relatively last-minute, my one-way flight (including two large suitcases) was around €700. If you book earlier, you can usually find flights for around €500 per way. Another crucial requirement before departure is arranging an international health insurance plan to ensure you are medically covered while in the US.
2. Monthly Fixed Costs (Accommodation & Car)
Southern California can be pricey, but with the right strategy, you can save a lot of money: • Rent: You should budget around $1,000 per month for a room or apartment.
• Car: A car is definitely necessary on-site. The cost for the car rental was around $700 to $750 per month.
• The Flatmate Tip: If you team up with another person and share both the rent and the car, you can significantly lower your fixed monthly costs—ideally to around $1,000 per person.
3. Cost of Living (Food & Gas)
• Groceries: There are excellent and budget-friendly grocery stores like Trader Joe‘s or even Aldi, where you can buy good food for little money and cook for yourself.
• Eating Out: Eating out every day is not recommended, as restaurant prices will quickly drain your budget.
• Gas: Filling up your tank is much cheaper than in Germany. A full tank costs around $55 to $60 (about €50), depending on the car.
4. Money Management On-Site
A very important practical tip concerns payments: You should definitely open an account with providers like Revolut or Wise. Although German credit cards work perfectly fine in the US, they often come with very high foreign transaction fees, which can easily be avoided this way.
5. Funding Options (Scholarships, BAföG & Family)
• Auslands-BAföG: I highly recommend applying for German Auslands-BAföG, as it is a massive financial help. If eligible, you receive up to €1,300 per month in financial support. Additionally, BAföG covers part of the costs for your international health insurance. On top of that, you get a travel allowance of €500 per flight—meaning a total of €1,000 in support for your round-trip flights.
• Scholarships: You can apply for scholarships directly through Westcliff University or through the sending organization (where one-time grants of around $500 are often available—it‘s best to double-check directly).
• Family: Alongside public and institutional funding, financial support from your parents naturally plays a major and vital role in covering the remaining expenses.
