1. Careful early planning is critical. Setting up study abroad in such a way that the experience will yield a positive result and that there are no problems with passports or visas, transfer of credit, or the student’s position with respect to Sewanee and the overall academic program here requires effort and thoughtful involvement on the part of the student planning to go.
2. The deadline to submit a request for portability of financial aid for Advent Semester of 2012 is no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 15, 2012. The deadline for portable financial assistance is strictly enforced, and the deadline applies to ALL semester study abroad. Failure to meet the specific deadline means that Sewanee financial assistance, no matter how important it might be, cannot be given. In addition, simply asking for portability of aid by the deadline does not guarantee that the aid will be given. Providing incomplete information (e.g., not listing a program), misinformation (e.g., listing the wrong program or a different one from that indicated by the faculty member writing on your behalf ), not including on your form a solid rationale for studying abroad or for a program choice, or failing to get the form for faculty support submitted can result in failure to receive the aid. There are also certain basic criteria used in determining portability (e.g., grade point average, class status) which you should know. Do not apply if your cumulative gpa is below 2.5 or if your major gpa is below 3.0. Tuition remission based on the national exchange program and International Scholarships are not portable. Granting of financial assistance cannot be taken for granted. The deadlines required for portability of aid apply to all aided students, including those choosing from the complete range of program options. In other words, a student must ask for portability even if the program choice is European Studies or Sewanee Semester in Spain.
3. Choose a program in consultation with the Study Abroad Office. For credit transfer to Sewanee, study abroad programs must be ones approved by Sewanee. The Coordinator of Study Abroad can clarify the status of a given program. Although most programs listed on the Sewanee Study Abroad website have approval status, not all programs among those listed will meet the needs of any given student. A program should be chosen carefully and in consultation with the Office of Study Abroad to meet the individual academic needs of the student involved.
4. Some things are beyond the control of Sewanee. Programs which are not run by Sewanee have their own admission criteria. Those criteria as well as their program operations are not under the control of those at Sewanee. When a student goes on such a program, all payments are due to the program itself and not to Sewanee. In addition, the Office of Study Abroad cannot be responsible for problems any student has in getting a passport or visa.
5. Plan to meet all general distribution requirements prior to going on study abroad. They all have to be met before the end of your junior year, and Sewanee Semester in Spain is the only program through which any Sewanee general distribution requirements can be met. No others are in this category. Also, don’t expect your Sewanee grade point average to be affected by study abroad courses except in very special program cases. Only a small fraction of study abroad programs available yield grades which count in the Sewanee grade point average. If there is any question about whether your program of choice is in that second category (affecting your Sewanee gpa) at the time you are planning, you may check the College Catalog or confer directly with the Office of Study Abroad.
6. To avoid problems, complete and submit your ticket and your leave form-- carefully, accurately, and by the deadlines specified. In order to study abroad during Advent Semester of 2012 you must declare your intent to study abroad by submitting your Study Abroad Ticket to the Office of Study Abroad no later than 4:30 p.m. on March 26, 2012. The deadline to submit your Leave of Absence for Study Abroad (LOA-SA) form, for Advent Semester of 2012, is no later than 4:30 p.m. on April 23, 2012. A student seeking to go abroad to travel or study without any credit transfer has the option of a regular leave of absence. A student seeking to go abroad to study with the idea that credit will be accepted at Sewanee must submit a Study Abroad ticket by the indicated deadline and must complete all portions of the “Leave of Absence for Study Abroad” form and submit it by the deadline indicated above. In rare instances (e.g., when a student is wait-listed by a program), the student may not be able to complete the form by the Sewanee deadline and should ask explicitly and in writing for an extension. Failure to abide by these deadlines or to submit the forms in a way that is complete and satisfactory may mean that a leave of absence for study abroad will not be given. Credit pre-approvals are critical if credit is to transfer. If a student denied a “study abroad leave” still wants to travel or study abroad, that student may choose a regular leave of absence and anticipate no credit transfer to Sewanee, including any transfer after the student returns since pre-approval is required.
7. As a responsible student, you should share details of your plans for study abroad with your parent(s) or guardian(s). It is important that they be well informed by you and know, among other things, that you have acknowledged an understanding of these processes by checking the “I Accept Responsibility” button below. You may copy this document and send it to them, and we request that you notify them prior to checking the button below.
By checking the “I Accept Responsibility” button below, I not only acknowledge that I understand the above but I also take ownership of the words and understand that I can be quoted with respect to this information as though it were my own. I understand the importance of deadlines in planning study abroad and will abide by them.
