Fees and Funding

How much does the Mountbatten Program cost?

Fees and Funding

This page will outline the following:

Program fees

Your Program fees are made up of the following:

  • An application fee required on submission of your application
  • A deposit on acceptance to the Mountbatten Program
  • The remainder of your participation fee, which is due once you are placed with a host organization.

If by the end of the placement process Mountbatten has been unsuccessful in placing you, the Initial Deposit will be refunded unless you withdraw from the Program or offers of interviews and/or placements are unreasonably turned down.

Please note, if you opt to enrol in the internship program and the MA your program fee will reflect this.

Please use the tabs below to understand your program fee.

Please click on a tab above to select a study option.

Applicants through our London admissions office

Application Fee: GBP £55 *
Initial Deposit: GBP £600 **
Participation Fee: GBP £2,845 ***
Total fees: GBP £3,500

Applicants through other admissions offices

Application Fee: USD $100 *
Initial Deposit: USD $1,000 **
Participation Fee: USD $3,400 ***
Total fees: USD $4,500
* Payable at Application. Non-refundable.
** Payable on Acceptance onto the Program.
*** Payable in USD $ when placement with a Host Organization is confirmed.

Applicants through our London admissions office

Application Fee: GBP £55 *
Initial Deposit: GBP £600 **
Participation Fee: GBP £10,345 ***
Total fees: GBP £11,000

Applicants through other admissions offices

Application Fee: USD $100 *
Initial Deposit: USD $1,000 **
Participation Fee: USD $15,900 ***
Total fees: USD $17,000
* Payable at Application. Non-refundable.
** Payable on Acceptance onto the Program.
*** Payable in USD $ when placement with a Host Organization is confirmed.

What the Mountbatten Program includes

If you are accepted onto the Program and placed with a host organization, the Mountbatten Program also provides you with:

Your living allowance

Each Trainee is paid a living allowance by Mountbatten Program.

The Trainee living allowance is USD $1,275 before Federal and New York State taxes and is paid monthly in arrears. See United States Taxation.

The allowance is paid from the first day of training with your host organization. If your arrival in New York is delayed, for any reason, your training allowance will be paid from the first day of training with your host organization. Accommodation is also included.

No salary or allowance is paid to Trainees by the host organizations.

Funding the Program

Applicants fund the Program through a number of ways including personal savings and family loans.

We also recommend researching other possible grants and loans available:

Additional expenses

Trainees are responsible for the following additional expenses:

  • US visa application fee (MRV fee): USD $160 *
  • Travel to the nearest embassy or consulate for a visa interview
  • Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee: USD $220 *
  • Airfare costs to and from New York, which vary according to the time of year
  • Personal possessions insurance
  • Approximately USD $2,000 - 2,500 will be needed to cover expenses during the first few weeks. The Program makes arrangements for participants to open a US bank account as soon as possible after their arrival in the USA
  • Travel to and from your placement

* Subject to change.

In addition a security deposit is required for the Mountbatten Program accommodation. The Program will deduct USD $200 from the Trainee living allowance. This will be deducted in USD $100 instalments from the first two living allowance payments.

This deposit is returned approximately 12 weeks after completion of the Program, less any required payments for breakages, damage to apartment furniture, etc.

United States Taxation

As an Exchange Visitor on a J-1 Visa, you are considered a non-resident alien for tax purposes. US law requires that you pay Federal (approximately 10 to 12 per cent) and New York State income taxes. Such taxes are deducted/withheld from your monthly training allowance. However, as a J-1 Visa holder you are not required to pay Social Security (S.S.) or Medicare (FICA).

Tax Filing

The tax year in the United States runs from January 1 through December 31. Trainees are responsible for reporting all income to the IRS to determine their individual tax liability. Trainees are required to file their own Federal and New York State tax returns at the end of each calendar year over which their Mountbatten year spans. The deadline for filing is April 15 of the following calendar year. Since the Mountbatten year covers two tax years, trainees will have to file one tax return during their Mountbatten year and a second after completing the Program. For example, if your training/internship year lasts from August 2018 to August 2019, you will need to file taxes by April 15 of both 2019 (for allowance payments from August 2018 - December 31, 2018) and 2020 respectively (for allowance payments from January 1, 2019 - August 2019).

During the Program, Mountbatten organizes seminars hosted by a qualified tax professional who provides information on the tax filing process in the United States. However, it is the individual responsibility of each trainee to ensure that his/her returns are filed correctly by the required deadline(s). Failure to file timely tax returns may have implications on future immigration status. Mountbatten is not a licensed tax preparer and staff are not qualified or responsible for providing tax advice or assistance in the preparation of trainee tax returns. If you have specific questions, accountants and tax preparation services are readily available in New York for a fee.

Mountbatten accepts no responsibility or liability for any misunderstandings, miscommunications or misinformation provided to trainees in respect of US taxes.

Health Insurance

In accordance with the US Department of State J-1 visa regulations for Exchange Visitor programmes, all trainees must have health insurance for the full duration of their training/internship. As an international trainee, navigating the US health care system can be confusing and often expensive. To ensure compliance with these regulations, and to ease the transition from your home country to the USA, health insurance is included as part of your programme and covers accidental (i.e. unforeseeable) injury or sickness.

The coverage provided exceeds the mandated requirements for medical expense benefits. However, only you can decide whether you would like additional insurance, beyond that offered by the Programme, be it for dental, optical, to cover policy exclusions, including hazardous sports / activities, or otherwise because you want the safety and security of having more than USD $250,000 medical coverage per condition (per injury or sickness). To help you make an informed decision, you will be given a detailed Summary of Benefits prior to your arrival in the United States. Trainees are strongly urged to review the information carefully so that they are fully aware of the policy provisions and exclusions offered by the Mountbatten plan. Trainees with pre-existing medical conditions are required to obtain valid insurance for their condition prior to arriving in New York.

Mountbatten is not qualified to give advice on insurance, beyond our standard cover. Trainees are solely responsible for obtaining their own additional insurance, whether covering exclusions to our standard cover or additional insurance of any description. You are encouraged to seek professional advice and examine the market before coming to a decision.