Semester-Year: Pre/Post Program, Safety Policies
Policies and Procedures - Semester and Year Long Programs
RegistrationFinancial Matters
Health and Safety
Pre-Departure, While Overseas and Before Return
Co-Sponsored Program Information
View Policies regarding:
Policies for Participation
Student Conduct and Discipline
Academic Information
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Registration
For Study AbroadStudents 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.
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You will not be able to register if you have a hold on your record. Check to make sure:
Business Office Hold (account past due)
Health Hold (Student Health Services must have record that your tetanus vaccination is uP to date – every 10 years)
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.
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 CostsStudents 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.
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
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.
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 InsuranceOn 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
IMMUNIZATIONSStudents 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:
- 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).
- Student requests that the director of the UST Enhancement Program submit a letter to International Education outlining the specific accommodation(s) requested.
- UST Study Abroad forwards the request on to the program or institution abroad.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
* 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.
- 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).
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 AbroadThe 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
CreditStudents 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.
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
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.