Policies

Course Eligibility

As part of the semester application process, students complete a Program Approval Form where they list thepreferred classes they would like to take as well as alternatives.Students must list alternative courses as a precautionary measure so that they will have options in the event that a preferred course is not available upon arrival abroad. Academic advisors review course selections and approve students to take the course listed by signing the Program Approval Form. Please note: Students are ONLY approved to take the courses listed on the Program Approval Form. If class schedules change while abroad it is the students' responsibility to inform their academic advisor and their study abroad advisor. If students do not inform these offices there is a chance that no credit will be given for courses not listed on the Program Approval Form.

Course Pre-Requisites

It is the students’ responsibility to review ALL course pre-requisites in the Undergraduate Bulletin before enrolling in a course abroad. While the Office of International Studies Abroad lists pre-requisites on the Pre-Approved Course List, it is the students’ responsibility to view course pre-requisites in the Undergraduate Bulletin as these may change over time. Students should note the following:

• The Office of International Studies Abroad adheres to pre-requisites as determined by each academic department at USD.
• If a study abroad course has a USD course equivalent with a pre-requisite (which is outlined on the Pre-Approved Course List or in the Undergraduate Bulletin), students are required to meet this pre-requisite prior to taking the course. No exceptions.
• If students enroll in a course without meeting the pre-requisite(s), the course will not transfer back to USD. No exceptions.

Restriction by Major/Residency Requirement

Some majors/minors have mandated that a minimum number of upper-division units must be taken on USD's campus. This will impact the number of units that can be taken abroad (off-campus). Details can be found in the Undergraduate Bulletin (Arts & Sciences; School of Business Administration; SOLES). It is the student's responsibility to check with their academic advisor about how study abroad fits in to their declared major and to ensure that they meet these minimum residency requirements (the minimum number of upper-division units that must be taken on the USD campus).  It is recommended that students take a wide variety of disciplines abroad that will allow students to meet an array of graduation requirements. 

Languages Courses Abroad

The Office of International Studies Abroad adheres to the Language Placement Policy as outlined by the Languages & Literatures department. If students would like to take a language course abroad, they are required to meet all pre-requisites before enrolling in the course. If a student has not taken any language at USD and would like to enroll in a language course abroad, they are required to take USD’s placement exam. The results of this exam will determine which level the student is eligible to enroll in. Students who take language courses abroad and have not met the USD language pre-requisites (via placement exam or course) will not be able to transfer these courses to USD.

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Each course taken abroad is carefully reviewed by a USD Department Chair to determine course transferability. The Office of International Studies Abroad has a database of pre-approved courses for each program and these pre-approved courses can be found on the brochure page of each program. In determining the courses students would like to take abroad (and list on their Program Approval Form where their academic advisor approves them), students should do the following:

• Refer to the host institution’s website (accessed from the program brochure page) for a list of courses that are offered during the term they wish to study abroad.
• Compare the current course offering on the host institution’s website pre-approved course list (accessed from the program brochure page) to determine if the courses they would like to take have been pre-approved. If they courses have been pre-approved, then students can proceed to list these courses (along with their USD equivalents) on their program approval form.

If students find a course on the host institution’s website that has not been pre-approved, the Office of International Studies Abroad will assist the student in processing the course review. To initiate the course review process, students need to contact the appropriate International Studies Abroad Advisor to inform him/her of the class(es) for which they are seeking evaluation.

NOTE: Completion of these steps does not guarantee course approval. All affiliated courses must meet USD standards. USD credit will not be granted for non-approved courses.

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The following are eligibility requirements governing student participation in USD study abroad programs.

Minimum Age

The Office of International Studies Abroad does not permit applicants under the age of 18 to participate in fall or spring semester study abroad programs.

Class Standing

To participate in a USD affiliated semester study abroad program, students must have sophomore standing at the time of participation in the program. Junior class-standing may be required for some programs. (Please check with the Office of International Studies Abroad for more information.) All students, with the appropriate academic background, may apply for summer and Intersession programs.

Academic Requirements & Grade Point Average

In order to participate in a semester study abroad program, students must be in good academic standing at USD, meet the GPA requirement of the partner institution at the time they apply for the program, and remain in good academic standing for the term during which they wish to participate. For information on specific GPA requirements by program, please visit the program home page. Students should check the minimum GPA program requirements before applying. In order to participate in a USD short-term program, students must be in good academic standing at the time of application as well as during the term they wish to participate in the program.

Students will not be eligible to participate in a study abroad program if: a) they are on scholastic probation at the time of application; or b) they are placed on scholastic probation at the end of the term prior to their intended study abroad program (ex: If a student has been enrolled in a summer 2015 program but has been placed on scholastic probation as a result of the spring 2015 grades, the student will no longer be able to participate).  For more information on scholastic probation, please consult the Undergraduate Bulletin.  During the middle of each semester, the Office of International Studies Abroad will contact study abroad applicants who have two or more mid-term deficiency grades. It is the student's responsibility to work with their appropriate Dean's Office to resolve any deficiency issues. At the end of each semester, the Office of International Studies Abroad will notify all study abroad applicants if scholastic probation will affect their ability to participate in a study abroad program.

Program Specific Requirements

Some study abroad programs have requirements in addition to class standing and minimum GPA. These requirements may include: a minimum level of proficiency in a foreign language, specific course pre-requisites, approval from a USD academic advisor and study abroad program director.

Full-Time Enrollment While Studying Abroad

Students must be enrolled full-time while participating in a USD semester-long study abroad program. Students participating in USD-affiliated semester programs must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester units while abroad.

Full Participation in Study Abroad Program

In order to be accepted into a study abroad program, students must agree to participate in the entire program (all class sessions and program-related activities of the study abroad program) and satisfy all USD admission and course requirements.

Conduct Background and Clearance

The Office of International Studies Abroad collaborates with the Office of Student Conduct to review the conduct records of all USD students applying to the programs and reserves the right to deny acceptance to students who have problematic or questionable conduct histories. Students must be clear of any conduct probation prior to participating in any study abroad program and probationary terms cannot coincide with the intended study abroad term (ex: students who apply to study abroad in fall 2013 cannot be on probation for any portion of the fall 2013 semester and must be clear of any probation prior to the program start date). Additionally, students who have "pending" conduct issues/hearing in the Office of Student Conduct MUST resolve these issues/hearings PRIOR to participating in a study abroad program.  Failure to resolve these conduct issues/hearings prior to the program start date will make students ineligible to participate in the program and their application will be withdrawn.  All students will have their student conduct record reviewed the semester prior to the intended study abroad term. These reviews will take place periodically up until departure and although an application status may read "Step 2: Application Active" or "Step 3: Enrolled", this could be revoked at any time for conduct infractions that occur prior to departure.

Any student with a conduct record that is cause for concern will be contacted directly by the Office of International Studies Abroad and the student's application will be suspended until the conduct matter is resolved. Such students may be required to sign a Conduct Contract. It is in the student's best interest to immediately notify the Office of International Studies Abroad if any conduct infraction occurs prior to departure. Students who are deemed ineligible to participate in a study abroad program will be withdrawn from the program and will be required to pay any fees associated with their withdrawal (program deposit, program fee, etc.) per the Refund & Payment Policy. No exceptions.

Encumbrances

Encumbrances placed on a student's records by USD, e.g., by Admissions, Student Financial Services, Student Accounts, Registrar, Health Services, Parking Services, USD Libraries, etc., must be cleared before a student can be granted admission to any study abroad program.

Minimum Attendance at USD For Transfer Students

Students who transfer to the University of San Diego must have successfully completed at least one full semester at USD before they are eligible to participate in a semester-long study abroad program.

Students not meeting the above requirements as per their desired program are encouraged to discuss special approval with the Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, PRIOR TO APPLYING. Those declined due to one of the above criteria may choose to appeal to the Assistant Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. An appeal is NO GUARANTEE of approval.

Studying Abroad After A Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA)

Students on Medical Leaves of Absence must successfully complete USD's reinstatement process through the Wellness Area and successfully complete at least one full semester back at USD before they are eligible to participate in a semester-long study abroad program. To participate in a short-term program (intersession or summer), students on Medical Leaves of Absence must successfully complete USD's reinstatement process through the Wellness Area prior to going abroad.

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On May 6, 2010, the USD Academic Senate approved the following change in policy for undergraduate students who choose to participate in an international study abroad program. This new policy went into effect in Fall 2011. The policy reads:

"The University of San Diego (USD) recognizes full academic credit toward an undergraduate degree for students choosing to participate in an international experience when the chosen program is directly affiliated with USD and approved by the International Studies Abroad Committee. Students who wish to take courses in unaffiliated international programs and receive academic credit must obtain advance written approval, for sound academic reasons, at the discretion of their Academic Dean in concert with the Office of International Affairs. USD transfer of credit policies will apply for any such approved course. No academic credit will be transferred without advance written approval as described above. This policy applies to all programs: short-term, semester-long, and year-long programs."

Students who would like to petition for credit for a non-affiliated program, should download the following documents pertaining to the corresponding study abroad term:

• Semester Program - Non Affiliated
  • Non-Affiliated Program Participation Request - Semester
  • Unaffiliated Transfer Evaluation Form
• Short-Term (summer/intersession) - Non Affiliated
  • Non-Affiliated Program Participation Request - Short-Term
  • Unaffiliated Transfer Evaluation Form

PLEASE NOTE: The University of San Diego Office of International Studies Abroad is not responsible for the quality/content offered in non-affiliated programs and that, for liability reasons, the USD Office of International Studies Abroad will not be able to intervene if any issue arises while students are abroad on a non-affiliated program.

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While studying abroad, all students earn letter grades from the partner institution. Students in good academic standing, that is, with a grade point average of 2.0 at the University of San Diego, may elect transfer courses back to USD as pass/fail. All students who wish to exercise the pass/fail option must have prior authorization from their advisor. Courses taken at other institutions and transferred to USD for unit credit only are not considered to fall under the pass/fail option. Note the deadline announced in the Academic Calendar for changing a course to the pass/fail option or vice-versa. No changes will be made after this date. Students should be aware of the academic regulations as outlined in the Undergraduate Course Catalog.

Students who wish to transfer a study abroad course back to USD as pass/fail, and are eligible to do so, must do the following:

1. Contact your academic advisor via email for approval.
2. Send your name, ID number, program location and also the course you are wishing to take pass/fail to your advisor.
3. Once you have received email approval, forward this approval to your Study Abroad Advisor for processing.

PLEASE NOTE: USD's pass/fail policy overrides the affiliate pass/fail policy.

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Details regarding the payment policy can be found on the Financing Study Abroad page.

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The Office of International Studies Abroad (OISA) accepts students to study abroad programs on a rolling basis. Please note that students need to be aware of the Refund Policy listed below.

Overview of Study Abroad Enrollment Process

When students open an application for a study abroad program, their default application status is "Pending". During this time, students will need to complete the requirements listed in their USD Abroad application portal.  After these preliminary requirements have been completed, they will be prompted by their study abroad advisor to initiate the study abroad enrollment process. There are three steps in the study abroad enrollment process (Step 1, Step 2, Step 3). Within each of these steps, students will be prompted to complete certain requirements. These steps including a description of the requirements within each step are detailed below: 

Step 1: Activation Required

After students' pending applications have been reviewed by the study abroad advisors, they will be prompted to complete Step 1 of the enrollment process.  In this first step, their application status will read, "Step 1: Activation Required".  At this time, students will need to activate their application by clicking the “Yes, Agree” button in the “My Application” section of their online application. Doing so will signify that the student wishes to continue with the application process and will work on completing remaining application requirements. In order to move to Step 2 of the application process, students are required to complete this important step. 

Step 2: Application Active/Review by USD & Partner Institution

After clicking "Yes, Agree" in the "My Application" section of their application, an application is activated but not yet complete.  At this time, students must complete all requirements (material submissions, questionnaires) by the established deadline. Deadlines for completing all application requirements are listed on the Important Dates and Deadlines page. Failure to complete the application requirements by the deadline will result in the withdrawal of an application and may result in additional charges.

As part of Step 2 of the enrollment process, students will be required to provide information related to their wellness to verify that there are no contraindications to travel abroad. The Office of International Studies Abroad and/or Wellness Units at USD may request additional documentation related to students' readiness to travel from the student or from the student's health/mental health professional. This additional documentation must be submitted by the established due dates as listed on the Important Dates page. 

Students should NOT purchase their flight while in Step 2 of the enrollment process.  Once application statuses have been changed to "Step 3: Enrolled" students will receive flight information from their study abroad advisor.  Should students decide to withdraw from the program after their application has been activated, they will be held to the Refund Policy.

***Semester Programs Only: The partner institution abroad runs a parallel process to review applications and your study abroad advisor will update your application status accordingly. When you are admitted by USD but have not yet been admitted by the partner institution, your status will read: “Step 2: Admitted by USD; Partner Admission Pending”. 

Step 3: Program Enrollment

When students' application status reads: “Step 3: Enrolled” this confirms that they have met all eligibility requirements, completed all application materials, and have been admitted by the partner institutions (semester programs only). They are now confirmed to study abroad.  Therefore, they can proceed to purchase flights.  It is highly recommended that students purchase flight insurance to protect them in the event that they are not able to participate in the study abroad program (due to an emergency, if they become ineligible, etc.).  

Description of Application Statuses

All official application statuses are listed at the top the students' application under “My Application.” Please note that there are different application statuses and students are responsible for understanding the implications of their status. Below is a description of the application statuses used by the Office of International Studies Abroad. Students should refer to this list to clarify their application status as indicated on their application and decision email (sent by their International Studies Abroad Advisor):

• Pending- Students have not yet been reviewed and/or application is incomplete.

• Step 1: Activation Required- Students must activate their application by clicking on the "Yes, Agree" button under the "My Application" section of their application. 
• Step 2: Application Active- Application is active and students are prompted to complete additional application requirements.  
• Step 2: Admitted by USD; Partner Admittance Pending- Student has been admitted by USD, but has not yet been admitted by the partner institution. Because the student has not been admitted by both parties (USD and partner institution), the student is NOT ENROLLED and thus, participation in the program is not confirmed. Once notification of admittance is received from the partner institution, the status will be changed to “Enrolled” and participation in the program will be confirmed

• Step 3: Enrolled- Student is confirmed to participate in the program (by all study abroad parties).

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Withdrawing from a Study Abroad Program

All students who have applied to a study abroad program and had their application moved to "Step 2" or beyond are responsible for the withdrawal policies outlined below.  All cancellations MUST BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING via EMAIL to the Study Abroad Advisor for the program from which the student wishes to cancel.  Refunds are issued only on recoverable costs and only after written notice of withdrawal is received by the Study Abroad Advisor.  No refunds will be issued 10 days after arrival, regardless of policy.  Appeals for partial refunds will be considered only in cases of serious illness or emergency.  These are handled on a case-by-case basis and will require additional documentation.  Appeals should to be submitted in writing (via email) to the Director, Dr. Kira Espiritu (kespiritu@sandiego.edu) within three days of notification of withdrawal.   

Refund Schedule for Semester Programs 

Non-Refundable Commitment Fee: The $100 commitment fee is non-refundable.

Tuition & Program Fee: Tuition and program fee refunds for all programs (exception: USD Madrid Program and Semester Exchange Programs - see below) will be processed according to the refund policies of the host institution or university/partner/on-site provider (including housing agencies, hotels and tour operators).  Refunds are issued only on recoverable costs and only after written notice of withdrawal from the program is received by the appropriate Study Abroad Advisor.  Students are responsible for all non-recoverable costs incurred by USD.  For details about a program's specific program fee, locate the program and click on the program name; once on the program page, please review the "Program Cost" section located toward the top of the individual program page. Students who pay expenses directly to a third party (other than USD) must abide by the refund policy of that third party provider (ex: housing agency or tour operator).  

Tuition only for USD Madrid Program & Semester Exchange Programs: Tuition refunds for the USD Madrid program and semester exchange programs are processed according to the same on-campus tuition refund policy established by the USD Finance Office. 

Program Fee only USD Madrid Program: Refunds are issued only on recoverable costs and only after written notice of withdrawal from the program is received by the appropriate Study Abroad Advisor.  Students are responsible for all non-recoverable costs incurred by USD after their application has been activated (their application status will be moved to "Step 2").

Refund Schedule for Summer & Intersession Programs 

All students summer and intersession applicants are responsible for a non-refundable commitment fee ($250), tuition, and program fee.  Please see below for more information on each of these items as well as the refund policies.

Non-Refundable Commitment Fee: The $250 commitment fee is non-refundable.

Tuition: Tuition for intersession and summer programs is $700/unit (beginning Intersession 2017 with the exclusion of SYE Abroad).

Program Fee: The program fee varies by program based on location and program inclusions.  For details about a program's specific program fee, locate the program and click on the program name; once on the program page, please review the "Program Cost" section located toward the top of the individual program page. 

Refunds are issued according to the Refund Policies below only after WRITTEN notice of withdrawal (via email) is received by the appropriate Study Abroad Advisor. Students are responsible for paying fees as denoted on the refund policy.  Click on the link below to view the Refund Policy pertaining to your study abroad term:

Refund Schedule by Study Abroad Term

Refund Policy- Spring 2017, Madrid

Refund Policy- Summer 2017

Refund Policy- Fall 2017, Madrid

Refund Policy- SYE Abroad 2018 

Refund Policy- Intersession 2018 (excluding Euro Tour and Sundance)

Refund Policy- Intersession 2018, Euro Tour (only)

Refund Policy- Intersession 2018, Sundance (only)

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Tuition remission may be used for select study abroad programs. Tuition remission is an employee benefit, and thus is processed with Human Resources. Students should direct the employee to the tuition remission description.  All tuition remission-eligible study abroad programs (semester, intersession, summer) are clearly denoted in the program Fact Sheet, which is posted in the header of each program brochure page.  Tuition remission can be applied toward select semester programs as well as ALL intersession and summer programs.  Students can view a list of tuition remission-eligible semester programs or they can use the Advanced Program Search tool to filter the programs by interest.  Tuition exchange is also managed through Human Resources and this benefit can also be applied toward select semester study abroad programs (these semester programs must be denoted as "tuition remission" eligible).  However, unlike the tuition remission benefit, the tuition exchange benefit cannot be applied toward intersession or summer study abroad programs.  Please see the details below for additional information.  You may also review the Tuition Remission and Exchange Overview or the Tuition Remission Step by Step Guide for additional clarification.

Semester Programs

• The tuition remission benefit can only be used toward tuition remission-eligible programs, which includes exchange programs and hybrid progams (University College Cork, John Cabot University in Rome, USD Madrid). The tuition remission benefit only covers tuition; students are responsible for the application fee as well as all other program related expenses.
  • The tuition remission benefit is NOT available for non-exchange semester programs. If tuition remission students wish to participate in a non-exchange program, they will be charged the provider cost of theprogram, which includes the provider tuition and any other program expenses. In this case, students will be responsible for paying the provider's tuition rate rather than the USD tuition rate.  

Short-Term Programs

• The tuition remission benefit can be used toward the tuition portion of all short-term programs. Students are responsible for the program and application fee.

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