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Policies for Student Participation
Students of the University of St. Thomas are encouraged to incorporate international aspects of education into their academic plans. Study Abroad assists students in identifying overseas opportunities, which will serve as an integral part of their academic program at the University of St. Thomas.
Participation in the Study Abroad Program sponsored by the University of St. Thomas is not a right, but an opportunity for which students must apply for institutional approval. There are established criteria for participation and a process for applying which include a deadline by which applications must be complete. Furthermore, study abroad is a program, which takes careful thought and planning, especially when students select programs that are not sponsored by the University of St. Thomas and with which we have no familiarity. For such programs, we have a special petition process.
Please read carefully
CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION
1. When applying for study abroad, a student should have a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Some programs may require a higher average. Students below a 2.5 GPA may follow the St. Thomas Appeal Process to seek approval. Students on academic or conduct probation may not appeal to study abroad.
2. Students may not apply for, maintain an approved application, nor participate in a Study Abroad program while on academic or conduct probation. Disciplinary Records may be a consideration for approval in off-campus programs. NOTE: If a student is placed on academic or conduct probation after being approved, the student will be notified that they are no longer eligible to participate in off-campus study and will be subject to the cancellation fee schedule.
3. Sophomores, juniors and seniors may study abroad. Courses taken on UST-approved study abroad programs during the senior year will meet the St. Thomas residency requirement. Students who will be sophomores may be limited in program selection.
Transfer students applying to study abroad must complete at least one semester at St. Thomas before going abroad. If a transfer student applies to study abroad during his or her first semester on campus, grades from previous universities will be reviewed and approval will be conditional upon successful completion of the first semester at St. Thomas (i.e., student earns at least a 2.5 GPA, or higher if required of the student's chosen program).
First year students who will achieve sophomore status by the end of their first semester at St. Thomas (typically because of AP or PSEO credits) must show completion of one semester's grades at St. Thomas in order to apply to study abroad for a semester or year.
4. Complete applications must be submitted by October 1 for spring programs and by March 15 for fall semester, summer and year-long programs. Late applications will not be accepted. If a program has an early application deadline, it is the student's responsibility to meet that deadline (note that the UST London Business and Catholic Studies Semesters have earlier priority deadlines).
5. An application consists of (minimally, as per UST requirements): online Advising Application; Current Transcript; One Language Evaluation if participating on a language program; an Essay (Statement of Purpose) with information about your goals and objectives in studying abroad; some programs may have other or additional requirements.
6. Students must clearly outline how their selected study abroad program will enable them to meet their personal and academic goals.
7. Applicants must demonstrate maturity, responsibility and knowledge of their host country.
8. Falsification of any information on personal data forms (e.g., listing an inaccurate GPA) may result in disqualification for consideration of approval to study abroad.
9. UST Study Abroad will review each complete application to determine UST approval, and will send approved applications on to the respective program. Study Abroad reserves the right to bring any application to the Study Abroad Appeal Committee for review, or to require the student to meet with the Appeal Committee for an interview in order to determine UST approval for study abroad. Among the considerations for approval will be whether the chosen program's format and requirements suits the student's background and abilities.
10. For co-sponsored programs, students must attend one of the pre-departure meetings and the half-day orientation the semester prior to departure or their UST approval to study abroad may be repealed. For UST-sponsored programs, students must attend all of the group meetings and the half-day orientation the semester prior to departure or their UST approval to study abroad may be repealed. The dates/times of these sessions are available no later than the first day of each semester.
ACADEMIC CRITERIA
11. The study abroad program must include study of the host country language if other than English. Students are encouraged to begin language study prior to leaving the United States.
12. The student studying abroad for either a semester or a year is registered at St. Thomas as a full-time student and is required to earn at least 12 (semester) credits each semester.
13. Credit earned by the student on approved abroad programs will normally transfer as credit toward graduation. Credit earned may be applied toward general requirements, major, minor, or allied requirements with the approval of the chair of the department. Course approvals must be obtained prior to departure; exceptions will be considered on an individual basis.
FINANCIAL CRITERIA
14. The student account in the Business Office must be current prior to participating in a UST Study Abroad program.
15. The student studying abroad will be billed by the University of St. Thomas for the cost of the overseas program and an off-campus study fee: $600 for the semester, $300 for the second consecutive semester, and $250 for a short term program (2012-2013). Comprehensive fees vary from program to program.
16. Financial aid, with the exception of work-study and tuition remission, may be used for study abroad. However, grants and scholarships may be reduced if your program’s tuition is less than the cost of full-time tuition on campus. Notes: Work study funding can be used on the UST Rome Campus. Tuition Remission funding may be available if you are participating.
Student Responsibilities and Disciplinary Procedures
Community Expectations
The University of St. Thomas is a private, comprehensive, regional Catholic university and is a community of scholars. As such, it expects all members of its community, regardless of age, to act reasonably, responsibly, maturely and appropriately at all times both on and off campus. Students are subject to disciplinary sanctions for conduct which occurs on or off campus when that conduct is detrimental or disruptive to the purposes and/or goals of the university. Violations of academic policies cited in the University Catalog or violation of policies cited in this Policy Book may result in disciplinary sanctions as outlined within this Policy Book.
Statement on Responsible Use of Alcohol Abroad
1.A student abides by the laws of the country in which they are living.
2.A student does not miss any scheduled event or becomes ill due to the effects of alcohol consumption.
3.A student does not engage in inappropriate behavior toward other individuals, or destructive behavior toward property that is the result of alcohol consumption.
4.A student does not engage in behavior that causes embarrassment to the other members of the group, the faculty members or the in-country hosts as a result of alcohol consumption.
5.Students in a group do not facilitate, encourage or ignore a fellow student who is abusing alcohol. Students are encouraged to discuss issues related to alcohol abuse by other members of their group with the faculty or program director.
6.Students are encouraged to use good judgment if consuming alcohol at private homes or other accommodations.
7.Students are responsible for knowing U.S. customs laws regarding the possession of alcohol upon returning to the U.S. (e.g., you must be 21 years old to legally bring alcohol into the U.S. from abroad).
Disciplinary Rights and Procedures for Study Abroad Programs-Academic and Non Academic
In all study abroad courses and programs, students are subject to the University of St. Thomas Rules of Conduct as stated in this Student Policy Book.
In these cases the faculty or staff person who is in charge of supervising the study abroad program will have the full authority of the Dean of Students (for non-academic violations) and the appropriate academic dean (for academic violations) to adjudicate disciplinary violations of the Rules of Conduct.
When feasible, the faculty or staff person in charge should make every effort to informally resolve problems that arise. However, if a formal process is required, the following procedures for adjudicating violations of the Rules of Conduct will be followed. (The internal disciplinary processes and procedures described in the Student Policy Book do not apply to the study abroad program).
1.The staff or faculty member who administers the program onsite will notify students of alleged violations in writing.
2.A meeting will be held between the student accused and the faculty or staff member after the student receives the violation letter to determine if the student violated the Rules of Conduct.
3.After the meeting, the faculty or staff member will determine whether or not the Rules of Conduct have been violated and, in consultation with the International Education staff and the Dean of Students or the appropriate academic dean, determine sanctions, if applicable.
4.The student will receive a decision letter stating whether it has been determined that the student violated the Rules of Conduct and the appropriate sanction, if any. A copy of the decision letter will be forwarded to the appropriate academic dean for inclusion in the student's disciplinary file.
5.There is no appeal of discipline occurring in connection with a study abroad program. Faculty or staff in charge of the administration of the program have full authority for imposing sanctions, including sending the student home prior to the completion of the class or program.
6.In extreme cases, the faculty or staff member who oversees the class or program may, in consultation with Study Abroad staff and the Dean of Students or appropriate academic dean, immediately suspend a student from the program and send the student home at the student's expense. The decision of the faculty or staff member is final.
Due to the unique nature of a study abroad program, disciplinary decisions made by faculty or staff during study abroad programs are not subject to review by the Dean of Students. However, nothing precludes the dean from taking further disciplinary action if circumstances warrant.
Academic Information
Requirements for Study Abroad
Sophomores, juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and who are in good disciplinary standing are eligible for semester or year study abroad programs. Additional eligibility requirements differ for each program. Some require language proficiency or other prerequisites. Once approved by UST Study Abroad, students must be accepted into their respective program by the sponsoring institution. St. Thomas requires that students studying abroad:
•maintain full-time student status. Full-time status means taking at least 12 semester credits or equivalent per semester. [If you have Minnesota State Grants, you must carry at least 15 semester credits to be considered fulltime. Below this amount, the grant may be pro-rated according to the actual number of credits earned.
•a normal course load for semester study abroad ranges from 12-18 credits, depending on the academic system. Students who wish to take more than 21 credits while overseas must receive permission from the Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies at St. Thomas prior to registration. Contact Study Abroad for more information on this process.
•study the language of the host country (or take a course taught in the language) each semester if studying in a non-English-speaking country.
•follow St. Thomas regulations regarding taking courses S-D-R (these can be found in the current UST catalog).
Students are also strongly encouraged to take a course (e.g., history) about the country in which they are studying. Students who are placed on conduct probation after being approved but prior to departure may become ineligible to study abroad. This means the student could be subject to cancellation fees or no refund of program costs (depending on the particular program’s policies). St. Thomas-sponsored study abroad programs have additional requirements. See individual program materials for more detail.
Important - Transfer of credits
A number of study abroad programs offer courses worth 3 U.S. semester credits. The number of credits will NOT be changed when recorded at St. Thomas. Courses worth 3 credits are not changed to 4 credits.
• You are responsible for knowing how many credits you are taking abroad, and for the conversion of those credits if not already in U.S. semester hours. ASK your program for clarification!
• You must take the equivalent of AT LEAST 12 U.S. semester credits while abroad for a semester (e.g., four courses worth 3 credits each).
• Most students enrolled in a system with 3-credit courses for the semester do take five courses for a total of 15 credits. Being short this one credit usually does not become critical in meeting the 132 required minimum number of total credits to graduate from St. Thomas. Students may appeal to the Committee on Studies if they have fulfilled all course requirements but are short just one credit at the time of graduation.
Consortium Agreements
Students on a non-co-sponsored program which has a U.S.- based office are required to complete a Study Abroad Consortium Agreement as part of their application to study abroad through St. Thomas.
The Consortium Agreement requires the program to report to St Thomas should a student withdraw before the program ends.
Delayed Transcripts
Be aware that transcripts can be delayed from some programs abroad.
It must be understood that sometimes such delays are unavoidable and beyond the responsibility of St. Thomas. Neither can St. Thomas post credit until an official transcript is received from abroad.
To avoid delays, students should know that they are responsible for making all necessary arrangements for their program/university abroad to forward a transcript to St. Thomas. About six weeks after the end of your term abroad, check Murphy online to verify that the transcript from abroad has arrived at St. Thomas. If your study abroad courses do not appear on your UST transcript, contact Study Abroad or Michael Glirbas in the Registrar’s Office to inquire. However, if your transcript has not arrived at UST, you must be the one to request it from your program.
Delayed transcripts can be especially problematic for student financial aid recipients who may need proof of credits earned or actual GPA for any given semester (e.g. veteran’s benefits or certain scholarships), for those who need the credits to advance a grade level or to be in compliance with the UST policy for satisfactory academic progress.
If your transcript is not received in time for it to be posted to your St. Thomas record – this is typically by about the third Friday of October in fall and the third Friday of March in spring -- your assigned time to register for the following semester will be delayed due to you showing a semester of attempted but not completed credit.
Transcripting: Grades and Credit
All students approved by UST Study Abroad to study abroad will have the course titles, credit and grades from abroad appear on their UST transcript. Grades submitted to St. Thomas in a system other than letter grades will be converted based on a grading scale approved by the University of St. Thomas.
Working with Study Abroad staff guarantees elective credit for courses taken abroad for which the student has received a D- or better, with a few exceptions.
St. Thomas will not grant credit for study skills or career exploration courses, courses that are below a college level (i.e. keyboarding or Math below Algebra), or athletic courses.
Expectations for Taking Exams
St. Thomas students are expected to abide by the academic calendar of their host program or institution abroad by taking final exams when the students of the host country take their exams (i.e., not requesting early final exam date). Some programs require the permission of St. Thomas in order to grant such requests. Any requests to St. Thomas for permission for special exam dates should be sent in writing to the Study Abroad Advisor, (e-mail is acceptable; send to
studyabroad@stthomas.edu) and will be taken under consideration by the Study Abroad Appeals Committee. However, note that except for extenuating circumstances, such permission will not be granted by St. Thomas.
Contesting/Clarifying Grades from Abroad
If a student believes that a grade has been recorded in error from the program or university abroad, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the program directly and request that a revised transcript be sent directly to the St. Thomas Registrar’s Office. This policy also holds if a course or other information was listed incorrectly by the program abroad. No changes will be made by St. Thomas without official documentation from the program university abroad.
Transcript Notation
All students who are approved by UST Study Abroad will have a notation on their transcript indicating the program (or university), city and country in which their coursework was completed.
Program Evaluation Forms
Students are required to complete an evaluation form on their study abroad experience in order to receive the record of credit from abroad as it appears on their St. Thomas transcript. Evaluations are sent to all students at the end of their program and should be returned to UST Study Abroad.
Taking Courses S-D-R
Students may take a course S-D-R according to UST requirements (also see above section “Academic Requirements” and the UST course catalog). If students choose to take a course
S-D-R, they must make arrangements with St. Thomas, not with their overseas program. By fax or email, the student must contact the Study Abroad Advisor to request the S-D-R option, and then take the course for a letter grade on the program or university abroad. St. Thomas will then record the appropriate S-D-R mark. If a student receives a letter grade of C- or above, the mark of S (satisfactory) will be given. If a mark of D+, D, or D- is earned, students may opt for either a D grade with credit or an R for no credit. Students choose the D or R option at the same time they make the S-D-R request.
Requests to take a course S-D-R must be made to the IEC within the first five weeks after classes abroad begin in a semester program, or within the first week of a January or summer program.
The International Education Center may grant approval for elective courses to be taken S-D-R. If the request is for a major or minor course, approval of the department chair is required. Core requirements may not be fulfilled using the S-D- R option.
Placement in Language Levels Abroad
All language programs abroad require a placement exam upon arrival in order to determine in which level the student will be placed. If the placement level falls just below that which the St. Thomas language faculty approved for the student prior to departure (for example, if you are placed in the equivalent of the 200 level (inter mediate) when the equivalent of the 300-level (advanced) was expected), the student must work with the chair of Modern and Classical Languages (or designated Language Coordinator) to review the course and determine how the course will transfer back to St. Thomas. The student is responsible for initiating this review and for seeing that the results of the decision are communicated by the Department of Modern and Classical Languages to the Registrar's Office.
The student is strongly encouraged to request the review of the course syllabi during the first week of classes abroad, but if verification cannot be completed at that time, the student can begin the process upon his/her return. The student should save all materials from the course -- including syllabus, text - book, handouts, written assignments and tests. This review will determine whether the course was actually a progression since the short course descriptions for study abroad and St. Thomas maybe very similar, but course content may be very different. There are no guarantees as to how the credit will be counted and the review must be conducted to determine the final outcome. Anything for which you receive credit below the 300 level does not count towards the major or minor in French, German or Spanish. Also note: if the student finds him/herself placed in the 'wrong' level after a couple of class sessions abroad, s/he should consult immediately with the academic director on-site to determine if a change in level is warranted.
Policy on Conducting Research Abroad
Conducting research abroad can provide students with access to sources and data not possible in the U.S. Often, study abroad programs have connections that can:
• Pair you with a professor in your field
• Grant you entrance to a library which specializes in your academic discipline
• Provide access to a situation that you want to investigate
In anticipation of doing research abroad (whether independently or as part of your program, or a particular class), be sure to inform yourself of research processes and policies at St. Thomas and of your host institution or program. Certain co-sponsored programs – such as School for International Training, School for Field Studies, or Alliance China -- feature research projects as part of the curriculum. You will want to work with your St. Thomas faculty advisor to verify whether you need to apply to the Institutional Review Board for approval if your research involves human subjects (including observation, surveying, etc) You can learn more at www.stthomas.edu/irb
Getting a Requirement Fulfilled after You Return
Upon completion of a term abroad, if the student believes s/he has taken a course which fulfills a UST requirement, but was not pre-approved, the student should consult with the appropriate department chair immediately after they return. The student should have the department chair complete a Course Approval Form (available at the International Education Center). The student must turn in the completed form to the IEC, who will forward it to the transcript evaluator.
Updating your Contact Information
Remember to update your local address and phone number (in the U.S.) upon your return from abroad, or any time it changes. This can be done by logging in to Murphy. Always leave a permanent U.S. address on record even while you are abroad.
Declaration of Major
Students should make sure that the major/minor appearing on record at St. Thomas is correct before departure. This will ensure proper advising and provide an accurate listing of courses still required to fulfill degree requirements. Contact the Registrar’s Office (MHC 126) to make any updates or corrections.
Senior Residency Requirement
The UST Senior Residency Requirement requires that eight of the student’s last nine courses be taken at St. Thomas or an ACTC college. Students who have been approved by Study Abroad do not need to be concerned with this since students are considered degree-seeking St. Thomas students while abroad. Note that this requirement differs from departmental requirements to take a minimum number of credits on campus.
Major/Minor Minimum Credits on Campus
Some departments require students to complete a minimum number of credits in their major or minor on campus. For major/minor purposes, study abroad courses do not count as “on-campus” courses.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students abroad may receive a warning or suspension letter at their U.S. permanent address from the Financial Aid Office regarding their lack of demonstrating “Satisfactory Academic Progress” because their grades from abroad have not been reported to St. Thomas Do not be alarmed if you receive such a letter if you have been progressing academically abroad. Respond by sending an appeal letter to Paula Benson, paula.benson@stthomas.edu stating that you’ve studied abroad and when you expect your final grades to be received at St. Thomas. Request that your academic progress status be re-evaluated.
Registration
For Study Abroad
Students who study abroad remain registered as St. Thomas students for the duration of their time abroad. Students who fail to complete the necessary study abroad forms risk losing their student status, academic credit, and eligibility for financial aid. It may also necessitate reapplying for admission to UST upon return.
In order to register for study abroad, the Student Waiver and Release Agreement for International Programs form must be signed electronically as part of the online application process. Read the Study Abroad Agreement entirely and sign it. A parent must also sign if the student is considered a dependent for income tax purposes.
UST Study Abroad reserves the right to revoke study abroad approval if a student cannot be registered for their study abroad program due to an outstanding balance on their account. Study Abroad staff will work with the Business Office to monitor holds and make decisions in accordance with each individual program’s cancellation policy.
For Return Semester
Students studying abroad will register online (via Banner) for their return term at St. Thomas. While we realize online access abroad may be less convenient than here on campus, the technology is in place at St. Thomas for you to register online from anywhere in the world. Read carefully the following steps you should take prior to your departure to ensure a smooth registration process for your return to campus.
•Make sure that you have your UST ID# and PIN with you abroad. ID# and PIN requests should be made to the IRT TechDesk (2.6230 or to irthelp@stthomas.edu) and can only be sent to a UST e-mail account. They are required for any of the following: Accessing your schedule, degree audit, grades, registering online for your return semester and making any subsequent schedule changes.
•Make sure that you check your UST email account regularly while abroad. Your registration time will be sent, as usual, to your UST email account prior to the opening day of registration. Make certain that you observe the time zone difference. Banner is available from 5am to midnight Central Standard Time.
•You will not be able to register if you have a hold on your record. Check to make sure:
o Business Office Hold (account past due)
o Health Hold (Student Health Services must have record that your tetanus vaccination is up to date – every 10 years)
o Address Hold (verify your contact info online each semester)
•If you will be taking a course abroad that is a prerequisite for a course you wish to register for from abroad, you must meet with your department chair/advisor to have him/her complete the Undergraduate Registration Authorization form prior to departure. The proper completion of this form (and submission to the Registrar's Office) will ensure that you will be able to register from abroad for a course here on campus for which there is no record of you taking the prerequisite. Students abroad are registered in a ‘holding number’ while abroad, not in specific courses. There is no record here of what you are actually taking abroad until your transcript arrives here upon completion of your study abroad. [Note that students on the London Business and Catholic Studies programs ARE registered in UST courses while abroad, so this step does not pertain to them.] Please include the Course Registration Number (CRN) and your UST ID number on the Undergraduate Registration Authorization.
• While the requirement that you meet with you advisor is waived for the semester you are abroad, it is strongly encouraged that you meet with your advisor during the semester PRIOR to going abroad to review your remaining requirements and the sequencing of courses, etc. It is likely that your advisor (who signs for the fulfillment of UST requirements on the Course Approval Record ) is also the person who will sign the Undergraduate Registration Authorization, you can take care of this (see step 4, above) at the same appointment.
Things to do while abroad
• If you are taking a prerequisite while abroad, indicate that very clearly!! Also, if the department has allowed you to substitute a prerequisite with a different course, indicate as such on the form, and make sure that your department chair has confirmed such permission in writing (e-mail) to Michael Glirbas in the Registrar’s Office.
•Make sure that your student ID number is on all your correspondence, including email.
ACTC Course Requests
It is not possible to coordinate registration for an ACTC course from abroad due to the required departmental signatures, etc. Any and all ACTC course requests should be coordinated with Carol Hagen in the Registrar’s Office, Room 126 Murray Herrick, prior to departure.
First Day of Class Attendance Policy
Students who study abroad for fall semester and miss the first day(s) of spring semester due to an overlap in the academic schedule of their study abroad program will not lose their place(s) in courses in which they are officially registered provided that they inform UST Study Abroad about their semester overlap so that Study Abroad in turn, may notify the instructors. Normally, a week is the maximum which students are allowed to miss. It is a policy of the Dean’s Office that instructors hold places for students when notified by Study Abroad. Students will be responsible for making up any course work. Any questions about this policy should be addressed to Sarah Spencer, Director of Study Abroad.
Student Personal Identification Numbers (PINs)
To obtain a PIN for the MURPHY ONLINE system, you should contact the IRT Tech desk at 651-962-6230 and your PIN will be e-mailed to your St. Thomas account. If you’ve entered your PIN five times, the screen will present the challenge question you set up the first time you logged into the system. Answer the question appropriately (it’s case sensitive; include all punctuation) and you will be prompted to set up a new PIN immediately. Confirm this new PIN and proceed as usual.
Financial Matters
Program Costs
Students are responsible for reviewing their program literature to know exactly what is and what is not included in the fee.
Program Billing
• Application fee (if required) - Students should submit their application fee directly to their program.
• Initial deposit (if required) should be paid directly to a co-sponsored program or to the UST cashier window for
• St. Thomas Programs, once the student is accepted to the program. A deposit is usually required to hold the student’s place in the program, and is most often nonrefundable (check the program literature).
• Program fee balance – Upon receipt of an invoice, the University of St. Thomas will make payment for the balance to the program and bill the student’s account. A UST off-campus study fee is billed to the student’s account. Financial aid funds, if any, are then credited to the student’s account. A UST e-Bill is emailed to the student and any other authorized users for the remaining balance due.
Payment Responsibilities
Students are responsible for paying the initial application fee and the program deposit directly to the program. In addition, students are responsible for paying all on-site program fees as well as any accommodation charges that your program cannot bill to UST well in advance of your departure. UST will pay the balance of your program fee after receiving an invoice from your program. In the event your program sends an invoice directly to you, please forward it to the UST Business Office.
Cancellation/Refund Policies
It is each student’s responsibility to know what the cancellation policies are for his/her program. Students are responsible for all payments made on their behalf to their programs by St. Thomas. Withdrawing from most programs once they have begun often does not result in any refund of charges. Withdrawing from most programs prior to departure results in forfeited deposits and any pre-paid program expenses. Carefully review your program’s literature for its refund and cancellation policies.
The Off-Campus Study Fee will be forfeited for any student who cancels or returns from abroad after their account is billed for study abroad. Please refer to the Cancellation, Withdrawal and Refunds policy as well as the Cancellation Fees and Foreign Currency Exchange policies found on page 11 of this booklet.
Required Appointment with Financial Aid Counselor
Students receiving any financial aid, including merit scholarships or awards, must meet with a counselor in the Financial Aid Office (MHC 152) to have their financial aid awards approved to study abroad by:
• November 1 - for spring semester programs
• May 1 - for summer, fall and year-long programs
Bring your financial aid award information, a listing of your program’s costs, and any other pertinent information to the meeting.
Financial Aid
Your financial aid awards must be reviewed to determine whether or not the type of funding offered to you may be applied for off campus study in an approved program and/or if the amounts offered require any adjustments.
While most financial aid funds can be applied toward the costs of any sponsored or co-sponsored program, there are some funds that cannot be taken off campus. The use of college work study, tuition remission, and International Tuition scholarships is described in this manual. Other grants and scholarships may have restrictions. Refer any questions about your specific funds to your financial aid counselor.
When the costs of an off campus study program differ from the comparable costs for on campus study, adjustments may be made to the funds originally offered you. UST scholarships and grants will be prorated if the tuition component of your program is less than 75% of 16 on campus credits. Educational loans will be reduced to insure that the total amount of funds offered to you do not exceed the cost of attendance for your study abroad program. When the costs of study abroad program exceed the costs of a term of on-campus study, a student will be advised of any additional loan options to help meet these increased costs.
Financial aid recipients must submit all necessary paperwork well in advance of their departure. Students studying abroad follow the same financial aid application process as students who study on the UST campus. Begin the financial aid application process for the following school year before UST’s April 1 priority deadline and allow at least 4 weeks processing time. All financial aid applicants must:
• File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov
• Respond to any requests for missing information or documents
• Accept awards on MURPHY online
• Take any other action requested to finalize the funds offered by UST or state, federal, or private funding providers.
Availability of Funds
Most financial aid funds are directly credited to your UST student account shortly before the start of the corresponding UST term. If the total amount of your financial aid funding will exceed your charges, the UST Business Office will issue you a credit balance refund. It is standard policy to issue refunds beginning 10 days after the add/drop date, typically following the third week of classes, for fall and spring semesters at UST. Plan ahead to insure that you have access to your own source of funds to pay any trip related and/or personal expenses you will incur PRIOR to the receipt of your credit balance refund.
The Business Office encourages all students to authorize eRefund by following the eBilling directions on the Business Office website: www.stthomas.edu/businessoffice.
Financial Aid Office Communication
The FAO will generally communicate with you via your St. Thomas e-mail account so be sure to check your e-mail at least once per week. Sometimes paper correspondence will be sent to your permanent address. Be sure that someone at your permanent address opens any paper correspondence sent to your home by the FAO, the U.S. Department of Education, Guarantee Agencies and/or student loan lenders. There may be documents that require immediate attention. Any FAO correspondence sent to your campus mail box while you are abroad will be forwarded to your permanent mailing address.
Tuition Remission
The employee benefit of tuition remission does not apply to study abroad programs, including:
• All UST-sponsored semester, short- term and summer programs
• All co-sponsored semester, yearlong and summer programs
• All UMAIE-sponsored programs.
Exception 1: Tuition remission is applicable to [any of the] direct exchanges UST has with foreign universities. However, students must inquire if spaces are available on the exchange for the semester(s) in which they wish to participate. Because exchanges require a balance in the flow of students-both incoming and outgoing-over time, they are sometimes suspended for a period of time.
Exception 2: For semester-embedded short-term programs, tuition remission is only applicable to the on-campus portion of tuition. Students must pay the program fee which is in addition to tuition.
If a student attends St. Thomas on tuition remission as the result of participation in the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) or Catholic College Exchange Program (CCEP) [i.e, a parent works at one of the eligible institutions], the same rules of tuition remission apply, that is, it does not apply to study abroad. Students who study abroad on an overseas program sponsored by a tuition remission exchange institution where their parents work (i.e., ACTC or CCEP) may be able to arrange tuition remission, but must contact the sponsoring institution directly (the granting of tuition remission is up to the sponsoring institution).
Working Abroad
Under no circumstances should students plan on earning essential income while studying abroad. While it may be possible to legally obtain employment in some countries with a student visa, there is virtually no way of securing a position prior to departure.
Working at UST Rome Campus
A small number of work study positions are available at UST’s Bernardi Residence. Any student interested in working while residing in Bernardi should contact the Rome director. If hired to work in Rome, a student must access MURPHY ONLINE to print a student employment contract and complete any required forms for payroll. In addition the student must request either the direct deposit or direct tuition payment option by completing a form. To download either of these forms, visit www.stthomas.edu/payroll.
International Tuition Scholarship
The benefit of the International Tuition Scholarship does not apply to any study abroad program.
Health and Safety
Proof of Sufficient Insurance
On the Study Abroad Program Agreement students must verify that they have sufficient health insurance coverage while abroad. Some programs require the purchase of a specific insurance coverage, some programs offer coverage as an option, and others simply require that students show proof of their own coverage.
Insurance Coverage Abroad
St. Thomas requires that ALL students participating in international off-campus programs will be required to have a level of insurance that meets or exceeds the insurance provided by the University’s policy thru Cultural Services Insurance International (CISI).
Some co-sponsored program providers include insurance as part of the program fee. St. Thomas has carefully reviewed all co-sponsored insurance policies and has determined that some provide equal coverage to CISI. Students on these programs are exempt from the CISI insurance requirement but do have the opportunity of enrolling if they would like the additional insurance coverage. They will be notified prior to the beginning of their semester abroad.
Students required to carry CISI will be automatically enrolled, and the premium posted to their UST student accounts.
Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI)
UST’s CISI Plan is designed specifically for students traveling abroad. In addition to providing health insurance, the plan covers medical evacuation and repatriation as well as security evacuations should they become necessary. Students enrolled in CISI will receive complete plan information prior to departure.
St. Thomas Student Accident and Health Insurance Plan
Information on the St. Thomas Student Accident and Health Insurance Plan is available online at www.stthomas.edu/studenthealth. This policy is available to St. Thomas students studying abroad on a semester basis. It does provide coverage abroad, but typically with the need to make payment to the care provided on site (abroad) and file a claim for the allowable medical expenses. Student may enroll by logging in to Murphy Online.
Travel & Health Info
IMMUNIZATIONS
Students are advised to determine whether any immunizations are required of their host country early-on in the process of preparing to study abroad. Typically, it is developing countries that are most likely to require proof of immunization of travelers. Information on illnesses and immunizations such as malaria, yellow fever and cholera, may be easily obtained by visiting the Center for Disease Control’s website at www.cdc.gov/travel. St. Thomas makes the following recommendations to all students studying abroad:
Tetanus
All students are advised to ensure that their tetanus immunization is current (within past 10 years) before going abroad. Tetanus immunizations are available to UST students for a fee at UST Student Health Services. A hold is placed on the record of any student who does not have record on file of a tetanus vaccine within the past 10 years.
Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
St. Thomas advises students to be immunized for Hepatitis B before going abroad. Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended when traveling to areas where risk is higher (see the Center for Disease Control website information under “Immunizations”, above). These series of immunizations are available to UST students for a fee per inoculation at UST Student Health Services.
Hepatitis A is a virus spread through contaminated food and is recommended for all travelers. The Hepatitis A series consists of 2 shots, six months apart. The vaccine is quite effective and usually will give up to 80% immunity after one injection, but the second shot is necessary for complete immunity.
Hepatitis B is a virus spread through body fluids such as saliva and blood and can lead to significant liver failure. The only protection at this time is the immunization. The Hepatitis B shot is a 3-part series in intervals of shots one and six months following the first one.
Meningitis
It is recommended that all students also be immunized for meningitis. Meningococcal infections usually have severe consequences and may be fatal. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Center for Disease Control encourages college students in close-quartered housing situations or residence halls to consider the immunization. It is also a recommendation by the British government for U.S. students who will live in dorms with British students, and take meals with them, etc.
The meningitis vaccine is available at UST Student Health Services for a fee. Students are urged to inquire at their own clinic and with their private insurance to determine whether the cost of the vaccine is covered.
Travel physicals and additional recommended immunizations may be available at St. Thomas Student Health Services for a fee. Please call to schedule a travel clinic appointment: (651) 962-6750. Visit www.stthomas.edu/studenthealth for the most update fee schedule for immunizations and travel clinic appointments.
St. Thomas Travel Clinic
Student Health Services offers a Center for Disease Control certified travel clinic. Information by country and immunizations for travelers are available at the St. Paul campus site. Call the Travel Clinic for an appointment at 651.962.6750 six to eight weeks prior to your departure.
Prescription Medication
Make sure the medication you use is available and allowed [legal] in the country where you are going, and that it is available in the same dosage you take at home. If it is not, review the implications and any appropriate substitutes with your doctor. Make sure you know the generic name, not just the brand name. Find out what steps you may need to take in order to gain approval of its use. Learn what documentation you will need in order to bring your medication through customs. Transport all medications in their original, labeled containers along with documentation of the prescriptions.
St. Thomas Health Hold on Student Record
As per Minnesota State Law, St. Thomas must have every student verify that he/she has a “current” tetanus shot in order to remain enrolled at the university (“current” means within\ the past ten years). Students whose immunization validity expires while abroad will have a health hold placed on their student record at St. Thomas, and registration for the return semester is not possible.
Need for Academic or Physical Accommodation Abroad
Students in need of academic accommodation due to a disability must have formally registered with the UST Enhancement Program - Disability Services in order to request accommodation abroad. Note the following process for making such requests when going abroad:
1.Student has the UST Enhancement Program formally document the need for accommodation (students must present documentation of their disability to the Enhancement Program before the office can verify need for accommodation abroad).
2.Student requests that the director of the UST Enhancement Program submit a letter to International Education outlining the specific accommodation(s) requested.
3.UST Study Abroad forwards the request on to the program or institution abroad.
4.Student should follow-up with the study abroad program, making sure to talk directly with the program director once on-site, and follow any further procedural instructions as advised.
Kim Schumann is the Director of the Enhancement Program -
Disability Services (96)2 6315, Room 119 OEC.
Travel Warning/Cancellation Policy
The University of St. Thomas uses U.S. State Department Travel Warnings as a guideline in determining whether an international UST-sponsored program (e.g., study abroad, sports, volunteer, music tour) will take place or whether a St. Thomas student may participate in a co-sponsored study abroad program in the country in question.
The State Department has three levels of information: Consular Info Sheets, Public Announcements and Travel Warnings. Consular Info Sheets are routinely issued and updated with logistical details about a particular country. Public Announcements are issued for specific incidents or situations that U.S. citizens should be aware of. Travel Warnings indicate that U.S. citizens are advised against travel in a given country, or that they should leave if there.
In using these Travel Warnings as a guideline, St. Thomas will strongly consider canceling a program for which such a warning is issued. St. Thomas also reserves the right to cancel its own programs or its approval of students' participation on co-sponsored programs in countries with severe safety issues but without the issuance of a U.S. State Department Travel Warning. The U.S. State Department information may be found at www.travel.state.gov
St. Thomas Programs:
Should a St. Thomas program be cancelled due to a Travel Warning that is issued for a country in which students are preparing to study or travel (i.e., not yet departed):
• Students will be reimbursed any recoverable costs. Note that this means students could incur a financial loss.
• Students will be advised on whether they may apply for or be able to participate in another suitable program (depending on time until departure, etc); or,
• If another program is not feasible for students seeking to earn academic credit abroad, they will be advised on registering for UST courses on campus.
Should a St. Thomas program be cancelled due to a Travel Warning being issued for a country in which the program is already taking place:
• Students will be given assistance in arranging departure from that country (may be to a third country). Students may incur costs associated with this change in travel plans.
• St. Thomas will refund any recoverable costs to the student. Note that this means students may incur a financial loss.
• St. Thomas will make every effort to arrange for the student to complete the requirements for earning academic credit for the program, if applicable, but this is not guaranteed.
• The University has no responsibility or liability for a student who remains in the foreign country after receiving notice of St. Thomas' cancellation of the program.
Should a student choose to withdraw from a St. Thomas program in a country for which a Travel Warning has been issued, or withdraw from a program in a country for which no Travel Warning has been issued and about which the student has concerns, but St. Thomas does not cancel the program:
* The student is subject to the cancellation fee schedule published for that program. Note that this means the student may incur a loss.
Co-Sponsored Study Abroad Programs:
If St. Thomas withdraws its approval of a program in a country for which a student is preparing to study due to the issuance of a Travel Warning:
• The student is subject to the policies of the program sponsor regarding cancellation and reimbursement of any payments or deposits; students may incur a financial loss.
• Study Abroad will advise and assist the student in finding another suitable program if time allows, or;
• Study Abroad will advise the student on registering for UST classes.
If St. Thomas withdraws its approval of a program in a country for which a student is currently studying due to the issuance of a Travel Warning:
• The student is subject to the policies of the program sponsor regarding cancellation and reimbursement of any payments; students may incur a financial loss.
• St. Thomas will offer advice on arranging departure from that country (may be to a third country). Student may incur costs associated with change in travel plans.
• The student is subject to the policies of the program sponsor regarding reimbursement of any recoverable costs and the possibility of completing the requirements for earning academic credit for the program. Note that students may incur a loss and/or may not be able to earn credit (full or partial).
Quarantine Requirement// Exclusion from Campus
In addition, if any of the above cancellation situations are due to a pandemic or epidemic in the country of study, and if a UST community member returning from those countries has had a known risk of exposure and is determined by medical screening that quarantine is warranted, that individual will not be allowed on campus (of any one of the St. Thomas sites - St. Paul, Minneapolis, Owatonna or Rome) for a period as determined by the current medical guidelines.
Pre-Departure, Overseas, and Before You Return
FERPA Statement and Study Abroad
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, affords students the right to authorize the release of education information to third parties. The IEC requests that students authorize the release of education information to third parties by electronically signing the Application Consent form as part of their online application. Students sign to the following statement:
I understand that the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, affords students the right to authorize the release of education information to third parties. I also understand that studying abroad may involve circumstances which require the University of St. Thomas to release certain information to third parties, but for which it may be difficult to obtain my prior written permission. For these reasons, I herewith authorize university officials to release my education information to parties who, in their judgment, have an interest in the study abroad contemplated by this document provided that these officials, in their judgment, are acting in my interests as well. The authorization is valid from the time I submit this signed document to UST Study Abroad through a period of one semester after my program ends abroad.
Students who have questions about this policy should contact a study abroad advisor.
Power of Attorney
Students are advised to consider assigning someone at home (e.g., a parent) with Power of Attorney for the period they will be abroad. The person with power of attorney may act on your behalf to conduct business in your absence (for example assist with your banking transactions or having access to your University records). Power of Attorney forms are available on a number of web sites, or in many office supply stores. Typically the forms have you indicate the areas or reasons in which the person can act on your behalf. Power of attorney is recognized in order to conduct University business and access records, etc.
Parent Consent Form
An option which pertains only to St. Thomas business is for students to complete a St. Thomas Parent Consent Form in order for a parent to act on the student's behalf at St. Thomas - in having access to the student's academic and financial records - while the student is abroad. The form is available on the Registrar's web site: www.stthomas.edu/registrar (click on 'Forms'). Once this form has been completed and signed by the student, parents may conduct University business on the student's behalf (e.g., obtain a transcript) by showing a legible copy on the occasion of each request. Be sure to leave a copy behind with a parent.
Student’s Mail While Abroad
You will need to close your campus mail box for the period you are abroad. At orientation you will be given a box closure request slip. You need to complete the form and return it to the Campus Mail Services at any time. Your box will then be marked “abroad” for post office employees to follow these guidelines: First Class U.S.mail will be forwarded to your U.S. permanent address (Third Class U.S. mail – i.e., “junk mail” – is tossed out); If you wish to leave a different forwarding address on file with the St. Thomas post office, you must do so before you leave.
It is strongly advised that students take the necessary steps so as to NOT have mail delivered to their campus mail box in their absence (e.g., informing credit card companies and magazine publishers, etc., of your change of address prior to departure). You will need to re-open your mailbox upon your return to campus. This is done by signing at the Post Office window in the basement of MHC.
UST Study Abroad strongly encourages students to request that a parent or other individual at your permanent address open any mail that you receive from St. Thomas or from your study abroad program while you are abroad. There may be documents that need immediate attention. Also, if you have student loans, be sure your parents open any mail from the U.S. Department of Education, a guarantee agency, or student loan lender.
Passports
Students are responsible for obtaining a passport on their own and applying in sufficient time so as to not jeopardize their ability to travel as planned. Information is available at www.travel.state.gov. UST Study Abroad cannot issue, or ensure issuance of a passport.
Student Visas
If a program destination requires a visa the program provider will provide information to students upon acceptance. The ability to issue a visa rests solely with the host country. St. Thomas and the Study Abroad staff cannot provide legal advice, or ensure issuance of a visa. Students are responsible for obtaining a visa and applying in sufficient time so as to not jeopardize their ability to travel as planned. International students often have requirements differing from those for U.S. students and may require a visa when U.S. students do not. International students must notify International Student Services immediately upon acceptance to a study abroad program to learn about requirements for studying abroad.
Student E-mail Accounts
It is essential to maintain your St. Thomas e-mail account while overseas because you remain enrolled as a full-time St. Thomas student. Be sure to change your password as required every 120 days, or you will not be able to access your UST account or records.
Checking Your UST E-mail Account
From the time students begin a study abroad program application and until they return from overseas, it is expected that students will check their UST e-mail account on a regular basis for announcements and important information from the IEC and other on-campus departments. Please note that UST e-mail accounts may be forwarded to another e-mail (e.g., hotmail, yahoo) account; information on how to do this is available on the IRT website: www.stthomas.edu/irt/communication/email/owa/
Financial Aid Re-application
Students abroad for the year or for spring semester must make arrangements to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the following school year to receive grants, need-based scholarships, student loans and work-study. Priority consideration for funding is given to applications filed by April 1.
It is imperative that you and your family make arrangements in advance of your departure to prepare your tax returns, if applicable, and complete your FAFSA. Visit www.fafsa.gov.
Off-Campus Housing
St. Thomas does not assist students in finding off-campus housing, but a “Housing Bulletin Board” can be found in the International Education Center library. Fall semester students who will need housing for spring should leave their name and contact information on the board before they go abroad. Spring semester students who need to find someone to take their place (sub-lease for spring semester) may then contact those students who are abroad for fall semester only. The Commuter Center in Campus Square maintains listings of off campus housing on their website (www.stthomas.edu/commutercenter) and in a book in their Murray Hall office.
Graduating Seniors
Graduation – If seniors plan to graduate at the end of their semester abroad, they must apply for graduation before they go abroad. Inquire at the Registrar’s Office.
Senior Portraits – If seniors will be gone in the fall, arrangements can be made to have yearbook photos taken the summer before they go abroad. Contact David Banks Studios at (612) 571-2265 and tell them it’s for the St. Thomas yearbook. Also inform the Aquinas editor of your plans, by dropping a note to UST Mail #4024.
On-campus Recruiting – Students who wish to participate in on campus recruiting upon their return (senior year) should contact Paul Strickland in the Career Center (612) 962-6760 prior to their departure to review the time line and procedures for participation.
Yearbooks
Students abroad for the fall or year can pick up a copy of the yearbook upon return at the Center for Student Leader ship and Activities (CSLA).
Work Study Positions
Students who would like to continue in their work-study position upon return to UST should make arrangements directly with their supervisor prior to their departure.
Extended Stay
Students who decide once abroad to stay another semester with the same program must make arrangements with their program and send written notification (fax or e-mail are acceptable) of their intent to the program and to the International Education Center. Students may not apply to a new program once abroad.
Cancellation/Withdrawal/Refunds
It is imperative that students know their program’s cancellation/ refund policy before applying or changing plans. Students are responsible for any payments the university makes on their behalf.
If for some reason a student cancels from a program at any time after being approved by UST Study Abroad and accepted by the program, or withdraws once the program has begun, it is the student’s responsibility to:
• notify both the program and UST Study Abroad in writing immediately
• register for UST courses as soon as possible
Students will be charged a cancellation fee equivalent of their off-campus study fee if they cancel from their co-sponsored study abroad program after the following dates:
December 1 for January Term and Spring programs
May 1 for Summer programs
August 1 for Fall programs
As well, it is each student’s responsibility to know what the cancellation policies are for his/her specific program. Students are responsible for all payments made on their behalf to their programs by St. Thomas. Withdrawing from most programs once they have begun often does not result in any refund of charges. Withdrawing from most programs prior to departure results in forfeited deposits and any pre-paid program expenses. Carefully review your program’s literature for its refund and cancellation policies.
Cancellation Fees and Foreign Currency Exchange
If St. Thomas makes the payment for a student’s program fees in a foreign currency and the student cancels, that student is subject to any charges due to currency rate fluctuations between the time the fees were paid and again refunded. That is, the refund amount could be less than anticipated due to fluctuating exchange rates. Please note that these policies also apply if the cancellation is due to academic or conduct probation.
Procedures for Making On-Campus Housing Arrangements
St. Thomas students interested in arranging for student housing on campus are encouraged to contact the Campus Living Office before their departure. Applications for On- Campus Student Housing are available at any time, and students may indicate if they are interested in housing for either the whole year or just for one semester. Students traveling abroad for a semester and who are interested in housing for only one semester should participate in the returning student room application and sign up period in the preceding spring semester. Students traveling abroad for the entire year or students traveling in the spring semester who are interested in housing for the subsequent academic year will be able to do the entire process of applying, choosing roommates, and selecting a specific room on-line through the internet. This completely internet based process allows students studying abroad to participate in the full process from overseas without needing to identify a proxy at the St. Paul campus. Information and a link to this application and room selection process will be located at www.stthomas.edu/residencelife.
Residence Life Cancellation Fees for Study Abroad
Students must notify the Residence Life Office, in writing, of their intent to cancel their on-campus housing. Cancellations are handled in accord with the Student Residence Agreement found on the Residence Life Website; however, students participating in study abroad trips are not charged a cancellation fee.
Students who plan to study abroad during the spring semester, but live on-campus during January Term must pay on-campus housing fees for January Term. Failure to notify Residence Life, in writing, of your cancellation may result in fees.
Information for Co-Sponsored Programs
Credit
Students approved to study abroad on co-sponsored programs by UST Study Abroad are guaranteed elective credit for their course work abroad in which they receive a passing grade (D- or better).
In order to have the credit fulfill specific requirements, students must receive approval from the appropriate departments. This can be done by completing the Course Approval Record before going abroad.
The exact number of credits a student earns abroad will be determined upon return to St. Thomas. If you earn credits in US semester hours and your transcript from abroad lists US semester credits, those credits will not change. If you earn credits in another university system (point, units, etc.), either your program or the St. Thomas Registrar will convert them to US semester credits. It is your responsibility to know the semester-credit equivalent of courses you take abroad.
All course credit from abroad will be applied to the St. Thomas transcript. Failing grades will not earn credit, but will be computed into the GPA (just as for courses on campus). It is not possible to specify that only certain courses apply.
A 3-semester credit course will satisfy a St. Thomas core curriculum requirement. In general, a course must be worth at least 2.7 credits to fulfill a requirement. However, it is up to each department to determine if the student has fulfilled all of the requirements for a major or minor in terms of the types of courses and total number of credits. Students should discuss credit and course requirements with the appropriate department chair prior to departure.
Elective Credit Abroad
Students approved to study abroad by the International Education Center are normally guaranteed elective credit for university-level course work abroad for which they receive a passing grade (D- or better). However, there are some types of courses for which St. Thomas will not grant credit:
• Athletic courses (e.g., tennis, golf, swimming); St. Thomas will grant credit for Health and Physical Education courses. PHED100 equivalents must be approved by the Health and Human Performance Department Chair.
• Study skills or career exploration courses
• Courses below college level, such as keyboarding, ESL, Math below College Algebra, Grammar and Writing courses with a level below ENGL110, technical college courses.
Be sure to ask before going abroad if you have questions about a specific course on your program abroad such as those above. Direct your inquiry to Michael Glirbas (mjglirbas@stthomas.edu) in the Registrar's Office.
Meeting with Major/Minor Dept. Chair
All students should discuss the course descriptions and the requirements for their majors/minors with the department chairperson prior to departure (many students consult with their department chair early-on in the process, when selecting a program). Freshmen and sophomores without declared majors must meet with their academic advisors. If a student knows which major/minor he/she intends to declare, this should be done prior to departure, even if earlier than second semester of the sophomore year.
Course Approval Record
Students must provide department chairs with course descriptions when seeking approval signatures (course syllabi are sometimes required as well). The student must obtain the appropriate signatures on the Course Approval Record:
• for major coursework credit – signature of the department chair
• for minor coursework credit – signature of the department chair
• for core requirements – signature of the respective department chair
Course equivalents and/or substitutions for major/minor requirements must be indicated on the form by the appropriate department chair.
Students are advised to get alternate courses (i.e., more courses than they will actually take abroad) pre-approved in the event that courses are cancelled or there are scheduling conflicts abroad.
The completed Course Approval Record must be returned to the International Education Center. Students should keep their (yellow) copy, and take it with them abroad.
Students who do not submit a completed Course Approval Record prior to departure may be required to meet with the Transcript Evaluator upon their return.
Registration for Courses Abroad
Obtaining course pre-approval signatures at UST does not mean students are registered for those courses abroad. Depending on the program, course registration may take place through the mail beforehand, or upon arrival or during program orientation. Students are responsible for knowing when/where the course registration takes place for their program/university and for following that procedure.
Seeking Course Approvals from Abroad
Students may find courses abroad which were not preapproved but which may fulfill requirements. Students are encouraged to contact the appropriate faculty department chair from abroad to seek approval (see list of chairs at stthomas.edu/studyabroad), or may choose to wait and ask the faculty to review the course syllabus, and the student’s course work, etc., upon the student’s return to St. Thomas in order to determine course equivalency.
If students need to make changes in their courses once abroad and wish to seek approval, they may contact the appropriate department chair by e-mail or by fax at (651) 962-6360. This fax number is for the central fax machine in the post office of Murray Hall. Students should be sure to include the name and campus mail number of the fax recipient. This process takes time and students may not receive word on approval for several weeks.
Transcript Evaluator
Michael Glirbas is the transcript evaluator and also manages posting credit from abroad to St. Thomas transcripts.
If students who are going on UST co-sponsored programs seek to fulfill general requirements abroad, Michael Glirbas may be able to sign for those courses (if St. Thomas faculty have reviewed them for this purpose).Students may also consult Michael if they have questions about earning credit in a foreign university system. Contact Michael at 651-962-6712.
Program Transcripts
Students are responsible for requesting that a copy of their transcript be sent from their program or university abroad to:
Admissions, Mail 32F, University of St. Thomas, 2115
Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105
Students who do not present a transcript showing record of academic work completed abroad receive the grade of “F” for the period they were overseas. Contact Study Abroad if your transcript is going to arrive at St. Thomas more than one semester after your return.
Important Contact Information
Study Abroad Fax (651) 962-5199, Mail 44C-1
Tim Dohmen, Associate Director (651) 962-6444
E-mail: tedohmen@stthomas.edu
Sarah Huesing, Assistant Director (651) 962-6484
E-mail: sehuesing@stthomas.edu
Lauren Viner, Program Coordinator (651) 962-6448
Email: lauren.viner@stthomas.edu
Sarah Spencer, Director (651) 962-6450
E-mail: sespencer@stthomas.edu
Financial Aid Office Fax (651) 962-6599
Fill in your advisor’s contact information here:
Name _______________________
E-mail _____________________
Phone ______________________
Campus Mail# _______________
Registrar’s Office Phone (651) 962-6700 Fax (651) 962-6710
Carol Hagen (registration for return semester coordinator)
E-mail: cahagen@stthomas.edu
Michael Glirbas (transcripting coursework from abroad)
MHC 126, Mail #5001
E-mail: mjglirbas@stthomas.edu
Academic (major/minor) Advisor:
Fill in your advisor’s contact information here:
Name _______________________
E-mail _____________________
Phone ______________________
Campus Mail# _______________
Main St. Thomas Fax Number (651) 962-6360
This is the central fax machine, located in the St. Thomas Post Office. Please be sure the name of the person to whom you are sending the fax is clearly indicated. Include the campus mail number whenever possible. No collect calls are accepted on campus. This is a university-wide policy.
UST: Catholic Studies Semester
Contact Information
Bernardi Student Handbook
During orientation at the Bernardi residence you will receive a printed copy of the Bernardi Student Handbook. You may preview it on-line, however, in order to gain an insight into your housing for the semester. The web address is www.stthomas.edu/rome/guidebook/default.html.
Overseas Mailing Information
While in Rome, all Catholic Studies Semester students should have mail sent to the following address:
University of St. Thomas – Bernardi Campus
C/O student name
Lungotevere delle Armi, 16
00195, Rome
ITALY
Student Visas
All students who will be in Italy for longer than 90 days are required to obtain a student visa. The visa is a stamp that the Italian Embassy or Consulate places into your passport, that will permit you to stay in Italy longer than 90 days. UST Study Abroad will work with students to help them obtain their visas via a group application process.
Important Contact Information
Study Abroad Mail 44C F651-962-5199 T651-962-6450
Lauren Viner, Program Coordinator (651) 962-6448
Email: lauren.viner@stthomas.edu
Sarah Huesing, Assistant Director (651) 962-6484
E-mail: sehuesing@stthomas.edu
Center for Catholic Studies Mail 55-S
Ann Serdar T651-992-5703
Email: amserdar@stthomas.edu
Dr. Robert Kennedy, Chair, Undergraduate Catholic Studies
T651-962-4823
Email: rgkennedy@stthomas.edu
UST: London Business Semester Fall 2013
Contact Information
Accessing London Business Semester Information and Updates
Stay up-to-date on program information by visiting the London Business Semester website: http://www.stthomas.edu/londonbusiness. Additionally, all program participants are enrolled in a Blackboard community in order to ease communication regarding the program.
Overseas Mailing Information
While in London, all London Business Semester students should have mail sent to the following address:
AIFS London
C/O student name
Dilke House
Malet Street
London, WC1E 7JN
United Kingdom
Visas
U.K. visas are required for UST: London Business Semester. Study Abroad will provide complete application
instructions for students. Students are responsible for following these instructions, and completing their own application within the timeframe specified by Study Abroad.
Important Contact Information
Study Abroad Mail# 44C (651) 962-5199
Tim Dohmen, Associate Director (651) 962-6444
Email: tedohmen@stthomas.edu
Lauren Viner, Program Coordinator (651) 962-6450
Email: lauren.viner@stthomas.edu
Program Directors
Jonathan Seltzer (651) 962-5472
E-mail: selt9207@stthomas.edu
Christopher Michaelson (651) 962-4349
E-mail: cmmichaelson@stthomas.edu
Students of the University of St. Thomas are encouraged to incorporate international aspects of education into their academic plans. Study Abroad assists students in identifying overseas opportunities, which will serve as an integral part of their academic program at the University of St. Thomas.
Participation in the Study Abroad Program sponsored by the University of St. Thomas is not a right, but an opportunity for which students must apply for institutional approval. There are established criteria for participation and a process for applying which include a deadline by which applications must be complete. Furthermore, study abroad is a program, which takes careful thought and planning, especially when students select programs that are not sponsored by the University of St. Thomas and with which we have no familiarity. For such programs, we have a special petition process.
Please read carefully
CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION
1. When applying for study abroad, a student should have a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Some programs may require a higher average. Students below a 2.5 GPA may follow the St. Thomas Appeal Process to seek approval. Students on academic or conduct probation may not appeal to study abroad.
2. Students may not apply for, maintain an approved application, nor participate in a Study Abroad program while on academic or conduct probation. Disciplinary Records may be a consideration for approval in off-campus programs. NOTE: If a student is placed on academic or conduct probation after being approved, the student will be notified that they are no longer eligible to participate in off-campus study and will be subject to the cancellation fee schedule.
3. Sophomores, juniors and seniors may study abroad. Courses taken on UST-approved study abroad programs during the senior year will meet the St. Thomas residency requirement. Students who will be sophomores may be limited in program selection.
Transfer students applying to study abroad must complete at least one semester at St. Thomas before going abroad. If a transfer student applies to study abroad during his or her first semester on campus, grades from previous universities will be reviewed and approval will be conditional upon successful completion of the first semester at St. Thomas (i.e., student earns at least a 2.5 GPA, or higher if required of the student's chosen program).
First year students who will achieve sophomore status by the end of their first semester at St. Thomas (typically because of AP or PSEO credits) must show completion of one semester's grades at St. Thomas in order to apply to study abroad for a semester or year.
4. Complete applications must be submitted by October 1 for spring programs and by March 15 for fall semester, summer and year-long programs. Late applications will not be accepted. If a program has an early application deadline, it is the student's responsibility to meet that deadline (note that the UST London Business and Catholic Studies Semesters have earlier priority deadlines).
5. An application consists of (minimally, as per UST requirements): online Advising Application; Current Transcript; One Language Evaluation if participating on a language program; an Essay (Statement of Purpose) with information about your goals and objectives in studying abroad; some programs may have other or additional requirements.
6. Students must clearly outline how their selected study abroad program will enable them to meet their personal and academic goals.
7. Applicants must demonstrate maturity, responsibility and knowledge of their host country.
8. Falsification of any information on personal data forms (e.g., listing an inaccurate GPA) may result in disqualification for consideration of approval to study abroad.
9. UST Study Abroad will review each complete application to determine UST approval, and will send approved applications on to the respective program. Study Abroad reserves the right to bring any application to the Study Abroad Appeal Committee for review, or to require the student to meet with the Appeal Committee for an interview in order to determine UST approval for study abroad. Among the considerations for approval will be whether the chosen program's format and requirements suits the student's background and abilities.
10. For co-sponsored programs, students must attend one of the pre-departure meetings and the half-day orientation the semester prior to departure or their UST approval to study abroad may be repealed. For UST-sponsored programs, students must attend all of the group meetings and the half-day orientation the semester prior to departure or their UST approval to study abroad may be repealed. The dates/times of these sessions are available no later than the first day of each semester.
ACADEMIC CRITERIA
11. The study abroad program must include study of the host country language if other than English. Students are encouraged to begin language study prior to leaving the United States.
12. The student studying abroad for either a semester or a year is registered at St. Thomas as a full-time student and is required to earn at least 12 (semester) credits each semester.
13. Credit earned by the student on approved abroad programs will normally transfer as credit toward graduation. Credit earned may be applied toward general requirements, major, minor, or allied requirements with the approval of the chair of the department. Course approvals must be obtained prior to departure; exceptions will be considered on an individual basis.
FINANCIAL CRITERIA
14. The student account in the Business Office must be current prior to participating in a UST Study Abroad program.
15. The student studying abroad will be billed by the University of St. Thomas for the cost of the overseas program and an off-campus study fee: $600 for the semester, $300 for the second consecutive semester, and $250 for a short term program (2012-2013). Comprehensive fees vary from program to program.
16. Financial aid, with the exception of work-study and tuition remission, may be used for study abroad. However, grants and scholarships may be reduced if your program’s tuition is less than the cost of full-time tuition on campus. Notes: Work study funding can be used on the UST Rome Campus. Tuition Remission funding may be available if you are participating.
Student Responsibilities and Disciplinary Procedures
Community Expectations
The University of St. Thomas is a private, comprehensive, regional Catholic university and is a community of scholars. As such, it expects all members of its community, regardless of age, to act reasonably, responsibly, maturely and appropriately at all times both on and off campus. Students are subject to disciplinary sanctions for conduct which occurs on or off campus when that conduct is detrimental or disruptive to the purposes and/or goals of the university. Violations of academic policies cited in the University Catalog or violation of policies cited in this Policy Book may result in disciplinary sanctions as outlined within this Policy Book.
Statement on Responsible Use of Alcohol Abroad
1.A student abides by the laws of the country in which they are living.
2.A student does not miss any scheduled event or becomes ill due to the effects of alcohol consumption.
3.A student does not engage in inappropriate behavior toward other individuals, or destructive behavior toward property that is the result of alcohol consumption.
4.A student does not engage in behavior that causes embarrassment to the other members of the group, the faculty members or the in-country hosts as a result of alcohol consumption.
5.Students in a group do not facilitate, encourage or ignore a fellow student who is abusing alcohol. Students are encouraged to discuss issues related to alcohol abuse by other members of their group with the faculty or program director.
6.Students are encouraged to use good judgment if consuming alcohol at private homes or other accommodations.
7.Students are responsible for knowing U.S. customs laws regarding the possession of alcohol upon returning to the U.S. (e.g., you must be 21 years old to legally bring alcohol into the U.S. from abroad).
Disciplinary Rights and Procedures for Study Abroad Programs-Academic and Non Academic
In all study abroad courses and programs, students are subject to the University of St. Thomas Rules of Conduct as stated in this Student Policy Book.
In these cases the faculty or staff person who is in charge of supervising the study abroad program will have the full authority of the Dean of Students (for non-academic violations) and the appropriate academic dean (for academic violations) to adjudicate disciplinary violations of the Rules of Conduct.
When feasible, the faculty or staff person in charge should make every effort to informally resolve problems that arise. However, if a formal process is required, the following procedures for adjudicating violations of the Rules of Conduct will be followed. (The internal disciplinary processes and procedures described in the Student Policy Book do not apply to the study abroad program).
1.The staff or faculty member who administers the program onsite will notify students of alleged violations in writing.
2.A meeting will be held between the student accused and the faculty or staff member after the student receives the violation letter to determine if the student violated the Rules of Conduct.
3.After the meeting, the faculty or staff member will determine whether or not the Rules of Conduct have been violated and, in consultation with the International Education staff and the Dean of Students or the appropriate academic dean, determine sanctions, if applicable.
4.The student will receive a decision letter stating whether it has been determined that the student violated the Rules of Conduct and the appropriate sanction, if any. A copy of the decision letter will be forwarded to the appropriate academic dean for inclusion in the student's disciplinary file.
5.There is no appeal of discipline occurring in connection with a study abroad program. Faculty or staff in charge of the administration of the program have full authority for imposing sanctions, including sending the student home prior to the completion of the class or program.
6.In extreme cases, the faculty or staff member who oversees the class or program may, in consultation with Study Abroad staff and the Dean of Students or appropriate academic dean, immediately suspend a student from the program and send the student home at the student's expense. The decision of the faculty or staff member is final.
Due to the unique nature of a study abroad program, disciplinary decisions made by faculty or staff during study abroad programs are not subject to review by the Dean of Students. However, nothing precludes the dean from taking further disciplinary action if circumstances warrant.
Academic Information
Requirements for Study Abroad
Sophomores, juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and who are in good disciplinary standing are eligible for semester or year study abroad programs. Additional eligibility requirements differ for each program. Some require language proficiency or other prerequisites. Once approved by UST Study Abroad, students must be accepted into their respective program by the sponsoring institution. St. Thomas requires that students studying abroad:
•maintain full-time student status. Full-time status means taking at least 12 semester credits or equivalent per semester. [If you have Minnesota State Grants, you must carry at least 15 semester credits to be considered fulltime. Below this amount, the grant may be pro-rated according to the actual number of credits earned.
•a normal course load for semester study abroad ranges from 12-18 credits, depending on the academic system. Students who wish to take more than 21 credits while overseas must receive permission from the Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies at St. Thomas prior to registration. Contact Study Abroad for more information on this process.
•study the language of the host country (or take a course taught in the language) each semester if studying in a non-English-speaking country.
•follow St. Thomas regulations regarding taking courses S-D-R (these can be found in the current UST catalog).
Students are also strongly encouraged to take a course (e.g., history) about the country in which they are studying. Students who are placed on conduct probation after being approved but prior to departure may become ineligible to study abroad. This means the student could be subject to cancellation fees or no refund of program costs (depending on the particular program’s policies). St. Thomas-sponsored study abroad programs have additional requirements. See individual program materials for more detail.
Important - Transfer of credits
A number of study abroad programs offer courses worth 3 U.S. semester credits. The number of credits will NOT be changed when recorded at St. Thomas. Courses worth 3 credits are not changed to 4 credits.
• You are responsible for knowing how many credits you are taking abroad, and for the conversion of those credits if not already in U.S. semester hours. ASK your program for clarification!
• You must take the equivalent of AT LEAST 12 U.S. semester credits while abroad for a semester (e.g., four courses worth 3 credits each).
• Most students enrolled in a system with 3-credit courses for the semester do take five courses for a total of 15 credits. Being short this one credit usually does not become critical in meeting the 132 required minimum number of total credits to graduate from St. Thomas. Students may appeal to the Committee on Studies if they have fulfilled all course requirements but are short just one credit at the time of graduation.
Consortium Agreements
Students on a non-co-sponsored program which has a U.S.- based office are required to complete a Study Abroad Consortium Agreement as part of their application to study abroad through St. Thomas.
The Consortium Agreement requires the program to report to St Thomas should a student withdraw before the program ends.
Delayed Transcripts
Be aware that transcripts can be delayed from some programs abroad.
It must be understood that sometimes such delays are unavoidable and beyond the responsibility of St. Thomas. Neither can St. Thomas post credit until an official transcript is received from abroad.
To avoid delays, students should know that they are responsible for making all necessary arrangements for their program/university abroad to forward a transcript to St. Thomas. About six weeks after the end of your term abroad, check Murphy online to verify that the transcript from abroad has arrived at St. Thomas. If your study abroad courses do not appear on your UST transcript, contact Study Abroad or Michael Glirbas in the Registrar’s Office to inquire. However, if your transcript has not arrived at UST, you must be the one to request it from your program.
Delayed transcripts can be especially problematic for student financial aid recipients who may need proof of credits earned or actual GPA for any given semester (e.g. veteran’s benefits or certain scholarships), for those who need the credits to advance a grade level or to be in compliance with the UST policy for satisfactory academic progress.
If your transcript is not received in time for it to be posted to your St. Thomas record – this is typically by about the third Friday of October in fall and the third Friday of March in spring -- your assigned time to register for the following semester will be delayed due to you showing a semester of attempted but not completed credit.
Transcripting: Grades and Credit
All students approved by UST Study Abroad to study abroad will have the course titles, credit and grades from abroad appear on their UST transcript. Grades submitted to St. Thomas in a system other than letter grades will be converted based on a grading scale approved by the University of St. Thomas.
Working with Study Abroad staff guarantees elective credit for courses taken abroad for which the student has received a D- or better, with a few exceptions.
St. Thomas will not grant credit for study skills or career exploration courses, courses that are below a college level (i.e. keyboarding or Math below Algebra), or athletic courses.
Expectations for Taking Exams
St. Thomas students are expected to abide by the academic calendar of their host program or institution abroad by taking final exams when the students of the host country take their exams (i.e., not requesting early final exam date). Some programs require the permission of St. Thomas in order to grant such requests. Any requests to St. Thomas for permission for special exam dates should be sent in writing to the Study Abroad Advisor, (e-mail is acceptable; send to
studyabroad@stthomas.edu) and will be taken under consideration by the Study Abroad Appeals Committee. However, note that except for extenuating circumstances, such permission will not be granted by St. Thomas.
Contesting/Clarifying Grades from Abroad
If a student believes that a grade has been recorded in error from the program or university abroad, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the program directly and request that a revised transcript be sent directly to the St. Thomas Registrar’s Office. This policy also holds if a course or other information was listed incorrectly by the program abroad. No changes will be made by St. Thomas without official documentation from the program university abroad.
Transcript Notation
All students who are approved by UST Study Abroad will have a notation on their transcript indicating the program (or university), city and country in which their coursework was completed.
Program Evaluation Forms
Students are required to complete an evaluation form on their study abroad experience in order to receive the record of credit from abroad as it appears on their St. Thomas transcript. Evaluations are sent to all students at the end of their program and should be returned to UST Study Abroad.
Taking Courses S-D-R
Students may take a course S-D-R according to UST requirements (also see above section “Academic Requirements” and the UST course catalog). If students choose to take a course
S-D-R, they must make arrangements with St. Thomas, not with their overseas program. By fax or email, the student must contact the Study Abroad Advisor to request the S-D-R option, and then take the course for a letter grade on the program or university abroad. St. Thomas will then record the appropriate S-D-R mark. If a student receives a letter grade of C- or above, the mark of S (satisfactory) will be given. If a mark of D+, D, or D- is earned, students may opt for either a D grade with credit or an R for no credit. Students choose the D or R option at the same time they make the S-D-R request.
Requests to take a course S-D-R must be made to the IEC within the first five weeks after classes abroad begin in a semester program, or within the first week of a January or summer program.
The International Education Center may grant approval for elective courses to be taken S-D-R. If the request is for a major or minor course, approval of the department chair is required. Core requirements may not be fulfilled using the S-D- R option.
Placement in Language Levels Abroad
All language programs abroad require a placement exam upon arrival in order to determine in which level the student will be placed. If the placement level falls just below that which the St. Thomas language faculty approved for the student prior to departure (for example, if you are placed in the equivalent of the 200 level (inter mediate) when the equivalent of the 300-level (advanced) was expected), the student must work with the chair of Modern and Classical Languages (or designated Language Coordinator) to review the course and determine how the course will transfer back to St. Thomas. The student is responsible for initiating this review and for seeing that the results of the decision are communicated by the Department of Modern and Classical Languages to the Registrar's Office.
The student is strongly encouraged to request the review of the course syllabi during the first week of classes abroad, but if verification cannot be completed at that time, the student can begin the process upon his/her return. The student should save all materials from the course -- including syllabus, text - book, handouts, written assignments and tests. This review will determine whether the course was actually a progression since the short course descriptions for study abroad and St. Thomas maybe very similar, but course content may be very different. There are no guarantees as to how the credit will be counted and the review must be conducted to determine the final outcome. Anything for which you receive credit below the 300 level does not count towards the major or minor in French, German or Spanish. Also note: if the student finds him/herself placed in the 'wrong' level after a couple of class sessions abroad, s/he should consult immediately with the academic director on-site to determine if a change in level is warranted.
Policy on Conducting Research Abroad
Conducting research abroad can provide students with access to sources and data not possible in the U.S. Often, study abroad programs have connections that can:
• Pair you with a professor in your field
• Grant you entrance to a library which specializes in your academic discipline
• Provide access to a situation that you want to investigate
In anticipation of doing research abroad (whether independently or as part of your program, or a particular class), be sure to inform yourself of research processes and policies at St. Thomas and of your host institution or program. Certain co-sponsored programs – such as School for International Training, School for Field Studies, or Alliance China -- feature research projects as part of the curriculum. You will want to work with your St. Thomas faculty advisor to verify whether you need to apply to the Institutional Review Board for approval if your research involves human subjects (including observation, surveying, etc) You can learn more at www.stthomas.edu/irb
Getting a Requirement Fulfilled after You Return
Upon completion of a term abroad, if the student believes s/he has taken a course which fulfills a UST requirement, but was not pre-approved, the student should consult with the appropriate department chair immediately after they return. The student should have the department chair complete a Course Approval Form (available at the International Education Center). The student must turn in the completed form to the IEC, who will forward it to the transcript evaluator.
Updating your Contact Information
Remember to update your local address and phone number (in the U.S.) upon your return from abroad, or any time it changes. This can be done by logging in to Murphy. Always leave a permanent U.S. address on record even while you are abroad.
Declaration of Major
Students should make sure that the major/minor appearing on record at St. Thomas is correct before departure. This will ensure proper advising and provide an accurate listing of courses still required to fulfill degree requirements. Contact the Registrar’s Office (MHC 126) to make any updates or corrections.
Senior Residency Requirement
The UST Senior Residency Requirement requires that eight of the student’s last nine courses be taken at St. Thomas or an ACTC college. Students who have been approved by Study Abroad do not need to be concerned with this since students are considered degree-seeking St. Thomas students while abroad. Note that this requirement differs from departmental requirements to take a minimum number of credits on campus.
Major/Minor Minimum Credits on Campus
Some departments require students to complete a minimum number of credits in their major or minor on campus. For major/minor purposes, study abroad courses do not count as “on-campus” courses.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students abroad may receive a warning or suspension letter at their U.S. permanent address from the Financial Aid Office regarding their lack of demonstrating “Satisfactory Academic Progress” because their grades from abroad have not been reported to St. Thomas Do not be alarmed if you receive such a letter if you have been progressing academically abroad. Respond by sending an appeal letter to Paula Benson, paula.benson@stthomas.edu stating that you’ve studied abroad and when you expect your final grades to be received at St. Thomas. Request that your academic progress status be re-evaluated.
Registration
For Study Abroad
Students who study abroad remain registered as St. Thomas students for the duration of their time abroad. Students who fail to complete the necessary study abroad forms risk losing their student status, academic credit, and eligibility for financial aid. It may also necessitate reapplying for admission to UST upon return.
In order to register for study abroad, the Student Waiver and Release Agreement for International Programs form must be signed electronically as part of the online application process. Read the Study Abroad Agreement entirely and sign it. A parent must also sign if the student is considered a dependent for income tax purposes.
UST Study Abroad reserves the right to revoke study abroad approval if a student cannot be registered for their study abroad program due to an outstanding balance on their account. Study Abroad staff will work with the Business Office to monitor holds and make decisions in accordance with each individual program’s cancellation policy.
For Return Semester
Students studying abroad will register online (via Banner) for their return term at St. Thomas. While we realize online access abroad may be less convenient than here on campus, the technology is in place at St. Thomas for you to register online from anywhere in the world. Read carefully the following steps you should take prior to your departure to ensure a smooth registration process for your return to campus.
•Make sure that you have your UST ID# and PIN with you abroad. ID# and PIN requests should be made to the IRT TechDesk (2.6230 or to irthelp@stthomas.edu) and can only be sent to a UST e-mail account. They are required for any of the following: Accessing your schedule, degree audit, grades, registering online for your return semester and making any subsequent schedule changes.
•Make sure that you check your UST email account regularly while abroad. Your registration time will be sent, as usual, to your UST email account prior to the opening day of registration. Make certain that you observe the time zone difference. Banner is available from 5am to midnight Central Standard Time.
•You will not be able to register if you have a hold on your record. Check to make sure:
o Business Office Hold (account past due)
o Health Hold (Student Health Services must have record that your tetanus vaccination is up to date – every 10 years)
o Address Hold (verify your contact info online each semester)
•If you will be taking a course abroad that is a prerequisite for a course you wish to register for from abroad, you must meet with your department chair/advisor to have him/her complete the Undergraduate Registration Authorization form prior to departure. The proper completion of this form (and submission to the Registrar's Office) will ensure that you will be able to register from abroad for a course here on campus for which there is no record of you taking the prerequisite. Students abroad are registered in a ‘holding number’ while abroad, not in specific courses. There is no record here of what you are actually taking abroad until your transcript arrives here upon completion of your study abroad. [Note that students on the London Business and Catholic Studies programs ARE registered in UST courses while abroad, so this step does not pertain to them.] Please include the Course Registration Number (CRN) and your UST ID number on the Undergraduate Registration Authorization.
• While the requirement that you meet with you advisor is waived for the semester you are abroad, it is strongly encouraged that you meet with your advisor during the semester PRIOR to going abroad to review your remaining requirements and the sequencing of courses, etc. It is likely that your advisor (who signs for the fulfillment of UST requirements on the Course Approval Record ) is also the person who will sign the Undergraduate Registration Authorization, you can take care of this (see step 4, above) at the same appointment.
Things to do while abroad
• If you are taking a prerequisite while abroad, indicate that very clearly!! Also, if the department has allowed you to substitute a prerequisite with a different course, indicate as such on the form, and make sure that your department chair has confirmed such permission in writing (e-mail) to Michael Glirbas in the Registrar’s Office.
•Make sure that your student ID number is on all your correspondence, including email.
ACTC Course Requests
It is not possible to coordinate registration for an ACTC course from abroad due to the required departmental signatures, etc. Any and all ACTC course requests should be coordinated with Carol Hagen in the Registrar’s Office, Room 126 Murray Herrick, prior to departure.
First Day of Class Attendance Policy
Students who study abroad for fall semester and miss the first day(s) of spring semester due to an overlap in the academic schedule of their study abroad program will not lose their place(s) in courses in which they are officially registered provided that they inform UST Study Abroad about their semester overlap so that Study Abroad in turn, may notify the instructors. Normally, a week is the maximum which students are allowed to miss. It is a policy of the Dean’s Office that instructors hold places for students when notified by Study Abroad. Students will be responsible for making up any course work. Any questions about this policy should be addressed to Sarah Spencer, Director of Study Abroad.
Student Personal Identification Numbers (PINs)
To obtain a PIN for the MURPHY ONLINE system, you should contact the IRT Tech desk at 651-962-6230 and your PIN will be e-mailed to your St. Thomas account. If you’ve entered your PIN five times, the screen will present the challenge question you set up the first time you logged into the system. Answer the question appropriately (it’s case sensitive; include all punctuation) and you will be prompted to set up a new PIN immediately. Confirm this new PIN and proceed as usual.
Financial Matters
Program Costs
Students are responsible for reviewing their program literature to know exactly what is and what is not included in the fee.
Program Billing
• Application fee (if required) - Students should submit their application fee directly to their program.
• Initial deposit (if required) should be paid directly to a co-sponsored program or to the UST cashier window for
• St. Thomas Programs, once the student is accepted to the program. A deposit is usually required to hold the student’s place in the program, and is most often nonrefundable (check the program literature).
• Program fee balance – Upon receipt of an invoice, the University of St. Thomas will make payment for the balance to the program and bill the student’s account. A UST off-campus study fee is billed to the student’s account. Financial aid funds, if any, are then credited to the student’s account. A UST e-Bill is emailed to the student and any other authorized users for the remaining balance due.
Payment Responsibilities
Students are responsible for paying the initial application fee and the program deposit directly to the program. In addition, students are responsible for paying all on-site program fees as well as any accommodation charges that your program cannot bill to UST well in advance of your departure. UST will pay the balance of your program fee after receiving an invoice from your program. In the event your program sends an invoice directly to you, please forward it to the UST Business Office.
Cancellation/Refund Policies
It is each student’s responsibility to know what the cancellation policies are for his/her program. Students are responsible for all payments made on their behalf to their programs by St. Thomas. Withdrawing from most programs once they have begun often does not result in any refund of charges. Withdrawing from most programs prior to departure results in forfeited deposits and any pre-paid program expenses. Carefully review your program’s literature for its refund and cancellation policies.
The Off-Campus Study Fee will be forfeited for any student who cancels or returns from abroad after their account is billed for study abroad. Please refer to the Cancellation, Withdrawal and Refunds policy as well as the Cancellation Fees and Foreign Currency Exchange policies found on page 11 of this booklet.
Required Appointment with Financial Aid Counselor
Students receiving any financial aid, including merit scholarships or awards, must meet with a counselor in the Financial Aid Office (MHC 152) to have their financial aid awards approved to study abroad by:
• November 1 - for spring semester programs
• May 1 - for summer, fall and year-long programs
Bring your financial aid award information, a listing of your program’s costs, and any other pertinent information to the meeting.
Financial Aid
Your financial aid awards must be reviewed to determine whether or not the type of funding offered to you may be applied for off campus study in an approved program and/or if the amounts offered require any adjustments.
While most financial aid funds can be applied toward the costs of any sponsored or co-sponsored program, there are some funds that cannot be taken off campus. The use of college work study, tuition remission, and International Tuition scholarships is described in this manual. Other grants and scholarships may have restrictions. Refer any questions about your specific funds to your financial aid counselor.
When the costs of an off campus study program differ from the comparable costs for on campus study, adjustments may be made to the funds originally offered you. UST scholarships and grants will be prorated if the tuition component of your program is less than 75% of 16 on campus credits. Educational loans will be reduced to insure that the total amount of funds offered to you do not exceed the cost of attendance for your study abroad program. When the costs of study abroad program exceed the costs of a term of on-campus study, a student will be advised of any additional loan options to help meet these increased costs.
Financial aid recipients must submit all necessary paperwork well in advance of their departure. Students studying abroad follow the same financial aid application process as students who study on the UST campus. Begin the financial aid application process for the following school year before UST’s April 1 priority deadline and allow at least 4 weeks processing time. All financial aid applicants must:
• File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov
• Respond to any requests for missing information or documents
• Accept awards on MURPHY online
• Take any other action requested to finalize the funds offered by UST or state, federal, or private funding providers.
Availability of Funds
Most financial aid funds are directly credited to your UST student account shortly before the start of the corresponding UST term. If the total amount of your financial aid funding will exceed your charges, the UST Business Office will issue you a credit balance refund. It is standard policy to issue refunds beginning 10 days after the add/drop date, typically following the third week of classes, for fall and spring semesters at UST. Plan ahead to insure that you have access to your own source of funds to pay any trip related and/or personal expenses you will incur PRIOR to the receipt of your credit balance refund.
The Business Office encourages all students to authorize eRefund by following the eBilling directions on the Business Office website: www.stthomas.edu/businessoffice.
Financial Aid Office Communication
The FAO will generally communicate with you via your St. Thomas e-mail account so be sure to check your e-mail at least once per week. Sometimes paper correspondence will be sent to your permanent address. Be sure that someone at your permanent address opens any paper correspondence sent to your home by the FAO, the U.S. Department of Education, Guarantee Agencies and/or student loan lenders. There may be documents that require immediate attention. Any FAO correspondence sent to your campus mail box while you are abroad will be forwarded to your permanent mailing address.
Tuition Remission
The employee benefit of tuition remission does not apply to study abroad programs, including:
• All UST-sponsored semester, short- term and summer programs
• All co-sponsored semester, yearlong and summer programs
• All UMAIE-sponsored programs.
Exception 1: Tuition remission is applicable to [any of the] direct exchanges UST has with foreign universities. However, students must inquire if spaces are available on the exchange for the semester(s) in which they wish to participate. Because exchanges require a balance in the flow of students-both incoming and outgoing-over time, they are sometimes suspended for a period of time.
Exception 2: For semester-embedded short-term programs, tuition remission is only applicable to the on-campus portion of tuition. Students must pay the program fee which is in addition to tuition.
If a student attends St. Thomas on tuition remission as the result of participation in the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) or Catholic College Exchange Program (CCEP) [i.e, a parent works at one of the eligible institutions], the same rules of tuition remission apply, that is, it does not apply to study abroad. Students who study abroad on an overseas program sponsored by a tuition remission exchange institution where their parents work (i.e., ACTC or CCEP) may be able to arrange tuition remission, but must contact the sponsoring institution directly (the granting of tuition remission is up to the sponsoring institution).
Working Abroad
Under no circumstances should students plan on earning essential income while studying abroad. While it may be possible to legally obtain employment in some countries with a student visa, there is virtually no way of securing a position prior to departure.
Working at UST Rome Campus
A small number of work study positions are available at UST’s Bernardi Residence. Any student interested in working while residing in Bernardi should contact the Rome director. If hired to work in Rome, a student must access MURPHY ONLINE to print a student employment contract and complete any required forms for payroll. In addition the student must request either the direct deposit or direct tuition payment option by completing a form. To download either of these forms, visit www.stthomas.edu/payroll.
International Tuition Scholarship
The benefit of the International Tuition Scholarship does not apply to any study abroad program.
Health and Safety
Proof of Sufficient Insurance
On the Study Abroad Program Agreement students must verify that they have sufficient health insurance coverage while abroad. Some programs require the purchase of a specific insurance coverage, some programs offer coverage as an option, and others simply require that students show proof of their own coverage.
Insurance Coverage Abroad
St. Thomas requires that ALL students participating in international off-campus programs will be required to have a level of insurance that meets or exceeds the insurance provided by the University’s policy thru Cultural Services Insurance International (CISI).
Some co-sponsored program providers include insurance as part of the program fee. St. Thomas has carefully reviewed all co-sponsored insurance policies and has determined that some provide equal coverage to CISI. Students on these programs are exempt from the CISI insurance requirement but do have the opportunity of enrolling if they would like the additional insurance coverage. They will be notified prior to the beginning of their semester abroad.
Students required to carry CISI will be automatically enrolled, and the premium posted to their UST student accounts.
Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI)
UST’s CISI Plan is designed specifically for students traveling abroad. In addition to providing health insurance, the plan covers medical evacuation and repatriation as well as security evacuations should they become necessary. Students enrolled in CISI will receive complete plan information prior to departure.
St. Thomas Student Accident and Health Insurance Plan
Information on the St. Thomas Student Accident and Health Insurance Plan is available online at www.stthomas.edu/studenthealth. This policy is available to St. Thomas students studying abroad on a semester basis. It does provide coverage abroad, but typically with the need to make payment to the care provided on site (abroad) and file a claim for the allowable medical expenses. Student may enroll by logging in to Murphy Online.
Travel & Health Info
IMMUNIZATIONS
Students are advised to determine whether any immunizations are required of their host country early-on in the process of preparing to study abroad. Typically, it is developing countries that are most likely to require proof of immunization of travelers. Information on illnesses and immunizations such as malaria, yellow fever and cholera, may be easily obtained by visiting the Center for Disease Control’s website at www.cdc.gov/travel. St. Thomas makes the following recommendations to all students studying abroad:
Tetanus
All students are advised to ensure that their tetanus immunization is current (within past 10 years) before going abroad. Tetanus immunizations are available to UST students for a fee at UST Student Health Services. A hold is placed on the record of any student who does not have record on file of a tetanus vaccine within the past 10 years.
Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
St. Thomas advises students to be immunized for Hepatitis B before going abroad. Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended when traveling to areas where risk is higher (see the Center for Disease Control website information under “Immunizations”, above). These series of immunizations are available to UST students for a fee per inoculation at UST Student Health Services.
Hepatitis A is a virus spread through contaminated food and is recommended for all travelers. The Hepatitis A series consists of 2 shots, six months apart. The vaccine is quite effective and usually will give up to 80% immunity after one injection, but the second shot is necessary for complete immunity.
Hepatitis B is a virus spread through body fluids such as saliva and blood and can lead to significant liver failure. The only protection at this time is the immunization. The Hepatitis B shot is a 3-part series in intervals of shots one and six months following the first one.
Meningitis
It is recommended that all students also be immunized for meningitis. Meningococcal infections usually have severe consequences and may be fatal. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Center for Disease Control encourages college students in close-quartered housing situations or residence halls to consider the immunization. It is also a recommendation by the British government for U.S. students who will live in dorms with British students, and take meals with them, etc.
The meningitis vaccine is available at UST Student Health Services for a fee. Students are urged to inquire at their own clinic and with their private insurance to determine whether the cost of the vaccine is covered.
Travel physicals and additional recommended immunizations may be available at St. Thomas Student Health Services for a fee. Please call to schedule a travel clinic appointment: (651) 962-6750. Visit www.stthomas.edu/studenthealth for the most update fee schedule for immunizations and travel clinic appointments.
St. Thomas Travel Clinic
Student Health Services offers a Center for Disease Control certified travel clinic. Information by country and immunizations for travelers are available at the St. Paul campus site. Call the Travel Clinic for an appointment at 651.962.6750 six to eight weeks prior to your departure.
Prescription Medication
Make sure the medication you use is available and allowed [legal] in the country where you are going, and that it is available in the same dosage you take at home. If it is not, review the implications and any appropriate substitutes with your doctor. Make sure you know the generic name, not just the brand name. Find out what steps you may need to take in order to gain approval of its use. Learn what documentation you will need in order to bring your medication through customs. Transport all medications in their original, labeled containers along with documentation of the prescriptions.
St. Thomas Health Hold on Student Record
As per Minnesota State Law, St. Thomas must have every student verify that he/she has a “current” tetanus shot in order to remain enrolled at the university (“current” means within\ the past ten years). Students whose immunization validity expires while abroad will have a health hold placed on their student record at St. Thomas, and registration for the return semester is not possible.
Need for Academic or Physical Accommodation Abroad
Students in need of academic accommodation due to a disability must have formally registered with the UST Enhancement Program - Disability Services in order to request accommodation abroad. Note the following process for making such requests when going abroad:
1.Student has the UST Enhancement Program formally document the need for accommodation (students must present documentation of their disability to the Enhancement Program before the office can verify need for accommodation abroad).
2.Student requests that the director of the UST Enhancement Program submit a letter to International Education outlining the specific accommodation(s) requested.
3.UST Study Abroad forwards the request on to the program or institution abroad.
4.Student should follow-up with the study abroad program, making sure to talk directly with the program director once on-site, and follow any further procedural instructions as advised.
Kim Schumann is the Director of the Enhancement Program -
Disability Services (96)2 6315, Room 119 OEC.
Travel Warning/Cancellation Policy
The University of St. Thomas uses U.S. State Department Travel Warnings as a guideline in determining whether an international UST-sponsored program (e.g., study abroad, sports, volunteer, music tour) will take place or whether a St. Thomas student may participate in a co-sponsored study abroad program in the country in question.
The State Department has three levels of information: Consular Info Sheets, Public Announcements and Travel Warnings. Consular Info Sheets are routinely issued and updated with logistical details about a particular country. Public Announcements are issued for specific incidents or situations that U.S. citizens should be aware of. Travel Warnings indicate that U.S. citizens are advised against travel in a given country, or that they should leave if there.
In using these Travel Warnings as a guideline, St. Thomas will strongly consider canceling a program for which such a warning is issued. St. Thomas also reserves the right to cancel its own programs or its approval of students' participation on co-sponsored programs in countries with severe safety issues but without the issuance of a U.S. State Department Travel Warning. The U.S. State Department information may be found at www.travel.state.gov
St. Thomas Programs:
Should a St. Thomas program be cancelled due to a Travel Warning that is issued for a country in which students are preparing to study or travel (i.e., not yet departed):
• Students will be reimbursed any recoverable costs. Note that this means students could incur a financial loss.
• Students will be advised on whether they may apply for or be able to participate in another suitable program (depending on time until departure, etc); or,
• If another program is not feasible for students seeking to earn academic credit abroad, they will be advised on registering for UST courses on campus.
Should a St. Thomas program be cancelled due to a Travel Warning being issued for a country in which the program is already taking place:
• Students will be given assistance in arranging departure from that country (may be to a third country). Students may incur costs associated with this change in travel plans.
• St. Thomas will refund any recoverable costs to the student. Note that this means students may incur a financial loss.
• St. Thomas will make every effort to arrange for the student to complete the requirements for earning academic credit for the program, if applicable, but this is not guaranteed.
• The University has no responsibility or liability for a student who remains in the foreign country after receiving notice of St. Thomas' cancellation of the program.
Should a student choose to withdraw from a St. Thomas program in a country for which a Travel Warning has been issued, or withdraw from a program in a country for which no Travel Warning has been issued and about which the student has concerns, but St. Thomas does not cancel the program:
* The student is subject to the cancellation fee schedule published for that program. Note that this means the student may incur a loss.
Co-Sponsored Study Abroad Programs:
If St. Thomas withdraws its approval of a program in a country for which a student is preparing to study due to the issuance of a Travel Warning:
• The student is subject to the policies of the program sponsor regarding cancellation and reimbursement of any payments or deposits; students may incur a financial loss.
• Study Abroad will advise and assist the student in finding another suitable program if time allows, or;
• Study Abroad will advise the student on registering for UST classes.
If St. Thomas withdraws its approval of a program in a country for which a student is currently studying due to the issuance of a Travel Warning:
• The student is subject to the policies of the program sponsor regarding cancellation and reimbursement of any payments; students may incur a financial loss.
• St. Thomas will offer advice on arranging departure from that country (may be to a third country). Student may incur costs associated with change in travel plans.
• The student is subject to the policies of the program sponsor regarding reimbursement of any recoverable costs and the possibility of completing the requirements for earning academic credit for the program. Note that students may incur a loss and/or may not be able to earn credit (full or partial).
Quarantine Requirement// Exclusion from Campus
In addition, if any of the above cancellation situations are due to a pandemic or epidemic in the country of study, and if a UST community member returning from those countries has had a known risk of exposure and is determined by medical screening that quarantine is warranted, that individual will not be allowed on campus (of any one of the St. Thomas sites - St. Paul, Minneapolis, Owatonna or Rome) for a period as determined by the current medical guidelines.
Pre-Departure, Overseas, and Before You Return
FERPA Statement and Study Abroad
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, affords students the right to authorize the release of education information to third parties. The IEC requests that students authorize the release of education information to third parties by electronically signing the Application Consent form as part of their online application. Students sign to the following statement:
I understand that the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, affords students the right to authorize the release of education information to third parties. I also understand that studying abroad may involve circumstances which require the University of St. Thomas to release certain information to third parties, but for which it may be difficult to obtain my prior written permission. For these reasons, I herewith authorize university officials to release my education information to parties who, in their judgment, have an interest in the study abroad contemplated by this document provided that these officials, in their judgment, are acting in my interests as well. The authorization is valid from the time I submit this signed document to UST Study Abroad through a period of one semester after my program ends abroad.
Students who have questions about this policy should contact a study abroad advisor.
Power of Attorney
Students are advised to consider assigning someone at home (e.g., a parent) with Power of Attorney for the period they will be abroad. The person with power of attorney may act on your behalf to conduct business in your absence (for example assist with your banking transactions or having access to your University records). Power of Attorney forms are available on a number of web sites, or in many office supply stores. Typically the forms have you indicate the areas or reasons in which the person can act on your behalf. Power of attorney is recognized in order to conduct University business and access records, etc.
Parent Consent Form
An option which pertains only to St. Thomas business is for students to complete a St. Thomas Parent Consent Form in order for a parent to act on the student's behalf at St. Thomas - in having access to the student's academic and financial records - while the student is abroad. The form is available on the Registrar's web site: www.stthomas.edu/registrar (click on 'Forms'). Once this form has been completed and signed by the student, parents may conduct University business on the student's behalf (e.g., obtain a transcript) by showing a legible copy on the occasion of each request. Be sure to leave a copy behind with a parent.
Student’s Mail While Abroad
You will need to close your campus mail box for the period you are abroad. At orientation you will be given a box closure request slip. You need to complete the form and return it to the Campus Mail Services at any time. Your box will then be marked “abroad” for post office employees to follow these guidelines: First Class U.S.mail will be forwarded to your U.S. permanent address (Third Class U.S. mail – i.e., “junk mail” – is tossed out); If you wish to leave a different forwarding address on file with the St. Thomas post office, you must do so before you leave.
It is strongly advised that students take the necessary steps so as to NOT have mail delivered to their campus mail box in their absence (e.g., informing credit card companies and magazine publishers, etc., of your change of address prior to departure). You will need to re-open your mailbox upon your return to campus. This is done by signing at the Post Office window in the basement of MHC.
UST Study Abroad strongly encourages students to request that a parent or other individual at your permanent address open any mail that you receive from St. Thomas or from your study abroad program while you are abroad. There may be documents that need immediate attention. Also, if you have student loans, be sure your parents open any mail from the U.S. Department of Education, a guarantee agency, or student loan lender.
Passports
Students are responsible for obtaining a passport on their own and applying in sufficient time so as to not jeopardize their ability to travel as planned. Information is available at www.travel.state.gov. UST Study Abroad cannot issue, or ensure issuance of a passport.
Student Visas
If a program destination requires a visa the program provider will provide information to students upon acceptance. The ability to issue a visa rests solely with the host country. St. Thomas and the Study Abroad staff cannot provide legal advice, or ensure issuance of a visa. Students are responsible for obtaining a visa and applying in sufficient time so as to not jeopardize their ability to travel as planned. International students often have requirements differing from those for U.S. students and may require a visa when U.S. students do not. International students must notify International Student Services immediately upon acceptance to a study abroad program to learn about requirements for studying abroad.
Student E-mail Accounts
It is essential to maintain your St. Thomas e-mail account while overseas because you remain enrolled as a full-time St. Thomas student. Be sure to change your password as required every 120 days, or you will not be able to access your UST account or records.
Checking Your UST E-mail Account
From the time students begin a study abroad program application and until they return from overseas, it is expected that students will check their UST e-mail account on a regular basis for announcements and important information from the IEC and other on-campus departments. Please note that UST e-mail accounts may be forwarded to another e-mail (e.g., hotmail, yahoo) account; information on how to do this is available on the IRT website: www.stthomas.edu/irt/communication/email/owa/
Financial Aid Re-application
Students abroad for the year or for spring semester must make arrangements to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the following school year to receive grants, need-based scholarships, student loans and work-study. Priority consideration for funding is given to applications filed by April 1.
It is imperative that you and your family make arrangements in advance of your departure to prepare your tax returns, if applicable, and complete your FAFSA. Visit www.fafsa.gov.
Off-Campus Housing
St. Thomas does not assist students in finding off-campus housing, but a “Housing Bulletin Board” can be found in the International Education Center library. Fall semester students who will need housing for spring should leave their name and contact information on the board before they go abroad. Spring semester students who need to find someone to take their place (sub-lease for spring semester) may then contact those students who are abroad for fall semester only. The Commuter Center in Campus Square maintains listings of off campus housing on their website (www.stthomas.edu/commutercenter) and in a book in their Murray Hall office.
Graduating Seniors
Graduation – If seniors plan to graduate at the end of their semester abroad, they must apply for graduation before they go abroad. Inquire at the Registrar’s Office.
Senior Portraits – If seniors will be gone in the fall, arrangements can be made to have yearbook photos taken the summer before they go abroad. Contact David Banks Studios at (612) 571-2265 and tell them it’s for the St. Thomas yearbook. Also inform the Aquinas editor of your plans, by dropping a note to UST Mail #4024.
On-campus Recruiting – Students who wish to participate in on campus recruiting upon their return (senior year) should contact Paul Strickland in the Career Center (612) 962-6760 prior to their departure to review the time line and procedures for participation.
Yearbooks
Students abroad for the fall or year can pick up a copy of the yearbook upon return at the Center for Student Leader ship and Activities (CSLA).
Work Study Positions
Students who would like to continue in their work-study position upon return to UST should make arrangements directly with their supervisor prior to their departure.
Extended Stay
Students who decide once abroad to stay another semester with the same program must make arrangements with their program and send written notification (fax or e-mail are acceptable) of their intent to the program and to the International Education Center. Students may not apply to a new program once abroad.
Cancellation/Withdrawal/Refunds
It is imperative that students know their program’s cancellation/ refund policy before applying or changing plans. Students are responsible for any payments the university makes on their behalf.
If for some reason a student cancels from a program at any time after being approved by UST Study Abroad and accepted by the program, or withdraws once the program has begun, it is the student’s responsibility to:
• notify both the program and UST Study Abroad in writing immediately
• register for UST courses as soon as possible
Students will be charged a cancellation fee equivalent of their off-campus study fee if they cancel from their co-sponsored study abroad program after the following dates:
December 1 for January Term and Spring programs
May 1 for Summer programs
August 1 for Fall programs
As well, it is each student’s responsibility to know what the cancellation policies are for his/her specific program. Students are responsible for all payments made on their behalf to their programs by St. Thomas. Withdrawing from most programs once they have begun often does not result in any refund of charges. Withdrawing from most programs prior to departure results in forfeited deposits and any pre-paid program expenses. Carefully review your program’s literature for its refund and cancellation policies.
Cancellation Fees and Foreign Currency Exchange
If St. Thomas makes the payment for a student’s program fees in a foreign currency and the student cancels, that student is subject to any charges due to currency rate fluctuations between the time the fees were paid and again refunded. That is, the refund amount could be less than anticipated due to fluctuating exchange rates. Please note that these policies also apply if the cancellation is due to academic or conduct probation.
Procedures for Making On-Campus Housing Arrangements
St. Thomas students interested in arranging for student housing on campus are encouraged to contact the Campus Living Office before their departure. Applications for On- Campus Student Housing are available at any time, and students may indicate if they are interested in housing for either the whole year or just for one semester. Students traveling abroad for a semester and who are interested in housing for only one semester should participate in the returning student room application and sign up period in the preceding spring semester. Students traveling abroad for the entire year or students traveling in the spring semester who are interested in housing for the subsequent academic year will be able to do the entire process of applying, choosing roommates, and selecting a specific room on-line through the internet. This completely internet based process allows students studying abroad to participate in the full process from overseas without needing to identify a proxy at the St. Paul campus. Information and a link to this application and room selection process will be located at www.stthomas.edu/residencelife.
Residence Life Cancellation Fees for Study Abroad
Students must notify the Residence Life Office, in writing, of their intent to cancel their on-campus housing. Cancellations are handled in accord with the Student Residence Agreement found on the Residence Life Website; however, students participating in study abroad trips are not charged a cancellation fee.
Students who plan to study abroad during the spring semester, but live on-campus during January Term must pay on-campus housing fees for January Term. Failure to notify Residence Life, in writing, of your cancellation may result in fees.
Information for Co-Sponsored Programs
Credit
Students approved to study abroad on co-sponsored programs by UST Study Abroad are guaranteed elective credit for their course work abroad in which they receive a passing grade (D- or better).
In order to have the credit fulfill specific requirements, students must receive approval from the appropriate departments. This can be done by completing the Course Approval Record before going abroad.
The exact number of credits a student earns abroad will be determined upon return to St. Thomas. If you earn credits in US semester hours and your transcript from abroad lists US semester credits, those credits will not change. If you earn credits in another university system (point, units, etc.), either your program or the St. Thomas Registrar will convert them to US semester credits. It is your responsibility to know the semester-credit equivalent of courses you take abroad.
All course credit from abroad will be applied to the St. Thomas transcript. Failing grades will not earn credit, but will be computed into the GPA (just as for courses on campus). It is not possible to specify that only certain courses apply.
A 3-semester credit course will satisfy a St. Thomas core curriculum requirement. In general, a course must be worth at least 2.7 credits to fulfill a requirement. However, it is up to each department to determine if the student has fulfilled all of the requirements for a major or minor in terms of the types of courses and total number of credits. Students should discuss credit and course requirements with the appropriate department chair prior to departure.
Elective Credit Abroad
Students approved to study abroad by the International Education Center are normally guaranteed elective credit for university-level course work abroad for which they receive a passing grade (D- or better). However, there are some types of courses for which St. Thomas will not grant credit:
• Athletic courses (e.g., tennis, golf, swimming); St. Thomas will grant credit for Health and Physical Education courses. PHED100 equivalents must be approved by the Health and Human Performance Department Chair.
• Study skills or career exploration courses
• Courses below college level, such as keyboarding, ESL, Math below College Algebra, Grammar and Writing courses with a level below ENGL110, technical college courses.
Be sure to ask before going abroad if you have questions about a specific course on your program abroad such as those above. Direct your inquiry to Michael Glirbas (mjglirbas@stthomas.edu) in the Registrar's Office.
Meeting with Major/Minor Dept. Chair
All students should discuss the course descriptions and the requirements for their majors/minors with the department chairperson prior to departure (many students consult with their department chair early-on in the process, when selecting a program). Freshmen and sophomores without declared majors must meet with their academic advisors. If a student knows which major/minor he/she intends to declare, this should be done prior to departure, even if earlier than second semester of the sophomore year.
Course Approval Record
Students must provide department chairs with course descriptions when seeking approval signatures (course syllabi are sometimes required as well). The student must obtain the appropriate signatures on the Course Approval Record:
• for major coursework credit – signature of the department chair
• for minor coursework credit – signature of the department chair
• for core requirements – signature of the respective department chair
Course equivalents and/or substitutions for major/minor requirements must be indicated on the form by the appropriate department chair.
Students are advised to get alternate courses (i.e., more courses than they will actually take abroad) pre-approved in the event that courses are cancelled or there are scheduling conflicts abroad.
The completed Course Approval Record must be returned to the International Education Center. Students should keep their (yellow) copy, and take it with them abroad.
Students who do not submit a completed Course Approval Record prior to departure may be required to meet with the Transcript Evaluator upon their return.
Registration for Courses Abroad
Obtaining course pre-approval signatures at UST does not mean students are registered for those courses abroad. Depending on the program, course registration may take place through the mail beforehand, or upon arrival or during program orientation. Students are responsible for knowing when/where the course registration takes place for their program/university and for following that procedure.
Seeking Course Approvals from Abroad
Students may find courses abroad which were not preapproved but which may fulfill requirements. Students are encouraged to contact the appropriate faculty department chair from abroad to seek approval (see list of chairs at stthomas.edu/studyabroad), or may choose to wait and ask the faculty to review the course syllabus, and the student’s course work, etc., upon the student’s return to St. Thomas in order to determine course equivalency.
If students need to make changes in their courses once abroad and wish to seek approval, they may contact the appropriate department chair by e-mail or by fax at (651) 962-6360. This fax number is for the central fax machine in the post office of Murray Hall. Students should be sure to include the name and campus mail number of the fax recipient. This process takes time and students may not receive word on approval for several weeks.
Transcript Evaluator
Michael Glirbas is the transcript evaluator and also manages posting credit from abroad to St. Thomas transcripts.
If students who are going on UST co-sponsored programs seek to fulfill general requirements abroad, Michael Glirbas may be able to sign for those courses (if St. Thomas faculty have reviewed them for this purpose).Students may also consult Michael if they have questions about earning credit in a foreign university system. Contact Michael at 651-962-6712.
Program Transcripts
Students are responsible for requesting that a copy of their transcript be sent from their program or university abroad to:
Admissions, Mail 32F, University of St. Thomas, 2115
Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105
Students who do not present a transcript showing record of academic work completed abroad receive the grade of “F” for the period they were overseas. Contact Study Abroad if your transcript is going to arrive at St. Thomas more than one semester after your return.
Important Contact Information
Study Abroad Fax (651) 962-5199, Mail 44C-1
Tim Dohmen, Associate Director (651) 962-6444
E-mail: tedohmen@stthomas.edu
Sarah Huesing, Assistant Director (651) 962-6484
E-mail: sehuesing@stthomas.edu
Lauren Viner, Program Coordinator (651) 962-6448
Email: lauren.viner@stthomas.edu
Sarah Spencer, Director (651) 962-6450
E-mail: sespencer@stthomas.edu
Financial Aid Office Fax (651) 962-6599
Fill in your advisor’s contact information here:
Name _______________________
E-mail _____________________
Phone ______________________
Campus Mail# _______________
Registrar’s Office Phone (651) 962-6700 Fax (651) 962-6710
Carol Hagen (registration for return semester coordinator)
E-mail: cahagen@stthomas.edu
Michael Glirbas (transcripting coursework from abroad)
MHC 126, Mail #5001
E-mail: mjglirbas@stthomas.edu
Academic (major/minor) Advisor:
Fill in your advisor’s contact information here:
Name _______________________
E-mail _____________________
Phone ______________________
Campus Mail# _______________
Main St. Thomas Fax Number (651) 962-6360
This is the central fax machine, located in the St. Thomas Post Office. Please be sure the name of the person to whom you are sending the fax is clearly indicated. Include the campus mail number whenever possible. No collect calls are accepted on campus. This is a university-wide policy.
UST: Catholic Studies Semester
Contact Information
Bernardi Student Handbook
During orientation at the Bernardi residence you will receive a printed copy of the Bernardi Student Handbook. You may preview it on-line, however, in order to gain an insight into your housing for the semester. The web address is www.stthomas.edu/rome/guidebook/default.html.
Overseas Mailing Information
While in Rome, all Catholic Studies Semester students should have mail sent to the following address:
University of St. Thomas – Bernardi Campus
C/O student name
Lungotevere delle Armi, 16
00195, Rome
ITALY
Student Visas
All students who will be in Italy for longer than 90 days are required to obtain a student visa. The visa is a stamp that the Italian Embassy or Consulate places into your passport, that will permit you to stay in Italy longer than 90 days. UST Study Abroad will work with students to help them obtain their visas via a group application process.
Important Contact Information
Study Abroad Mail 44C F651-962-5199 T651-962-6450
Lauren Viner, Program Coordinator (651) 962-6448
Email: lauren.viner@stthomas.edu
Sarah Huesing, Assistant Director (651) 962-6484
E-mail: sehuesing@stthomas.edu
Center for Catholic Studies Mail 55-S
Ann Serdar T651-992-5703
Email: amserdar@stthomas.edu
Dr. Robert Kennedy, Chair, Undergraduate Catholic Studies
T651-962-4823
Email: rgkennedy@stthomas.edu
UST: London Business Semester Fall 2013
Contact Information
Accessing London Business Semester Information and Updates
Stay up-to-date on program information by visiting the London Business Semester website: http://www.stthomas.edu/londonbusiness. Additionally, all program participants are enrolled in a Blackboard community in order to ease communication regarding the program.
Overseas Mailing Information
While in London, all London Business Semester students should have mail sent to the following address:
AIFS London
C/O student name
Dilke House
Malet Street
London, WC1E 7JN
United Kingdom
Visas
U.K. visas are required for UST: London Business Semester. Study Abroad will provide complete application
instructions for students. Students are responsible for following these instructions, and completing their own application within the timeframe specified by Study Abroad.
Important Contact Information
Study Abroad Mail# 44C (651) 962-5199
Tim Dohmen, Associate Director (651) 962-6444
Email: tedohmen@stthomas.edu
Lauren Viner, Program Coordinator (651) 962-6450
Email: lauren.viner@stthomas.edu
Program Directors
Jonathan Seltzer (651) 962-5472
E-mail: selt9207@stthomas.edu
Christopher Michaelson (651) 962-4349
E-mail: cmmichaelson@stthomas.edu