Study Abroad Policies

Students may study away only on WSU-approved programs. A student may submit a written request to Study Abroad to apply to a non-approved program. The request must demonstrate a valid academic rationale and be supported by the student’s academic major advisor.

Applications for any program must be submitted by the deadlines posted by the Study Abroad Office in the online application. Late applications may be considered in unusual circumstances upon request. A student may not study away without approval from the Study Abroad Office.

Students are required to submit all pre-approval and post-approval documentation requested by Study Abroad through the online application system.

Students should meet with staff in Study Abroad to review program options and understand application, financial, and cancellation procedures for study away.

Confirmation deposits are non-refundable once a student has been approved and accepted for a study away program, unless cancelled due to low enrollment.

Students withdrawing from a study abroad program for any reason must email studyabroad@winona.edu to officially withdraw from the program.

• Students who withdraw from a semester program after they have been accepted and have paid the confirmation deposit are responsible for the Study Abroad administrative fee and any unrecoverable costs or costs incurred on their behalf. Third party program providers may have additional cancellation policies to which students are subject.
• Students who withdraw for any reason from a faculty-led program less than 90 days prior to departure are responsible for the entire program fee and will be billed accordingly, regardless of participation.

If a student withdraws from both the program and WSU after being accepted to a study abroad program, they are responsible for administrative fees, in addition to any unrecoverable payments that have been incurred on their behalf.

Students will not receive a refund of program fees if they withdraw from a program. In addition, students will not receive a refund of program fees for unexpected changes or cancellations in an in-progress program’s itinerary or activities (e.g. an event being cancelled due to weather).

If dismissed from a study away program due to any conduct or behavioral violation, students will be responsible for all program fees. In addition, they will receive no refund, and shall return home at their own expense.

WSU administration reserves the right to cancel a program at any time for any reason. Should an unavoidable event result in the cancellation of an entire session of a WSU program before commencement of the program, all recoverable costs paid by WSU on behalf of the student prior to that time will be refunded. Students may individually and independently purchase Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) insurance when planning for their study abroad program. Study Abroad will not advise on CFAR policies, nor endorse a particular company/policy. The WSU Study Abroad Cancellation Policies will be enforced uniformly regardless of a student’s purchase of CFAR insurance.

Faculty-led program costs are estimates which may change prior to the start of the program. Once admitted and confirmed for participation, students may not cancel their participation in the program due to a final program cost that is higher than the program cost range originally estimated.

Students participating in a faculty-led program earn the credit assigned to that program and, when appropriate, apply it toward major, minor, or graduation requirements. Faculty-led programs use letter grades and may not be taken P/NC.

Students participating on approved semester programs will earn credits that transfer toward graduation and may fulfill major/minor requirements subject to departmental approval. All approved study away coursework transfers back to WSU and is calculated in the transfer GPA. Transfer credit is awarded only after an official transcript from the host institution is provided.

A student on an approved semester program will be registered as a full time student by the Study Abroad office for STAB301 coursework, a placeholder course, while they are abroad. They normally complete the same number of courses on an off-campus program as they would on their home campus. Courses completed on semester or academic year programs may not be taken for pass/no credit (P/NC) unless that is the only grading option available for the course.

A student taking a course on a P/NC basis shall notify Study Abroad prior to taking the course. In all other cases, a student on a semester or academic year programs shall register only for letter grades.

Courses may not be a repeat of previous coursework or at a lower academic level than previous coursework, with rare exceptions and prior approval from the Registrar or the student’s academic department. Courses shall be appropriate for a university curriculum (e.g., no intermediate algebra or remedial classes).

A student who leaves WSU to enroll in a program that is not on the WSU approved program list may transfer credits subject to approval by the Registrar and the major department. WSU financial aid does not apply for a student who leaves WSU to participate in a non-WSU sponsored off-campus study program. WSU will not accept transfer credit if the program occurs in a country for which the U.S. State Department has issued a level 3 or 4 Travel Advisory. A student who participates in a non-approved semester program is not enrolled at WSU during their study abroad and therefore must complete an Intent to Return form if returning to WSU after study abroad.

Students are billed their program fees by the Student Accounts office. For faculty-led programs, students are expected to have all tuition, fees, and travel expenses paid in full three weeks prior to departure. If students show they have financial aid and/or private loans to cover the remaining balance, they will be able to participate in the program even with a balance three weeks prior to departure. To show their available financial aid or private loans, students can email a screenshot of their accepted grants, loans, or scholarships to the Study Abroad office.

To study off campus, students must be in good academic, disciplinary, and financial standing. Students on academic or disciplinary probation are not permitted to study off-campus. Students who have an open conduct case during the time of the program will not be able to participate. The student’s account in the Warrior Hub must be paid in full or receive special clearance to apply.

Students should have an overall minimum GPA of 2.50 when applying for off-campus study. Some programs require a higher standard. Students with a GPA between 2.25-2.49 may petition Study Abroad in writing to participate and will be notified of the petition status within 1 week.

Semester program applications require sophomore class standing. Students of any class standing may apply for a faculty-led program. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 1 semester at WSU to participate in a semester program, unless otherwise indicated by the partner or provider.

PSEO students and students under 18 years of age cannot enroll in WSU study away programs. Students who are not U.S. citizens may request approval from Study Abroad to apply for and enroll in study away programs. Students at other institutions may enroll as a visiting student or guest student.

Participation in any of the approved off-campus programs is available to any qualified student who agrees in writing to comply with the policies and procedures of WSU and Study Abroad. This required document is accessible in the student’s online application account.

WSU administration reserves the right to cancel a program at any time.

Students with a documented disability may request reasonable accommodations, although they may not be available at all international destinations.

Off-campus study in countries or regions which have a U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory above level 1 or 2 is only permitted under exceptional circumstances. Should a change in advisory level to a 3 or 4 come into effect prior to the beginning of a program, students shall work with Study Abroad to make alternate plans.

If an advisory level changes to a level 3 or 4 during the time a WSU student is in the destination, Study Abroad will work with the appropriate authorities—including Embassy or Consulate personnel, faculty leaders, on-site providers, or others—to determine the best course of action to reduce risk. Students may incur costs associated with a change in travel plans.

Pre-departure orientation participation is required. If not completed, the student will lose approval to study away.

If an unavoidable event such as epidemic, pandemic (e.g. influenza), civil unrest, threat of terrorist activity, or other unforeseen occurrence results in removal of students from the program site after the program has commenced, WSU and Study Abroad shall make every effort to ensure program continuity at a safe location. In extreme cases, this may entail arranging to get students home as quickly and safely as possible.

Students on all WSU-approved international programs are provided insurance. This serves as health insurance in the host country and provides medical benefits for injury and sickness. Students on WSU-approved domestic programs must demonstrate they are covered under their own insurance plan.

In cases of illness, the appropriate on-site staff will consult with local medical authorities regarding hospitalization and treatment. In emergency situations, surgery may be authorized. In non-emergency situations surgery will only be arranged if authorized by the student’s parent or guardian. If, in the judgment of local medical staff, serious illness warrants return to the student’s home, on-site staff, in conjunction with the Study Abroad office, will make the necessary arrangements for such return and advance funds for return travel if needed.

All students shall comply with the WSU Alcohol and Drug Policy. Violations of this policy or additional safety policies established by the program leader or on-site providers may be addressed in one or more of the following ways:

• Restricted or supervised involvement in subsequent activities during the program period
• Dismissal from the program. Underage or illegal use of alcohol or other drugs are grounds for such dismissal.
• Financial restitution for damaged property
• University judicial proceedings upon return to campus

Students may use any form of financial aid except student employment to pay for a WSU-approved study away program. They may file an amended FAFSA application based on additional costs of the program. Students should make an appointment with Financial Aid to clarify their aid amounts for summer programs.

Students who choose to withdraw from WSU to apply to a non-approved program are ineligible for Federal and State financial aid, including WSU restricted and unrestricted scholarships or loans.

Students studying on semester programs pay a program fee that may include WSU tuition (for exchange programs) or, for other programs, host costs for tuition, as well as room and board paid on site, and other fees depending on the program. A WSU non-refundable application fee is required, and some programs may have an additional application fee. A confirmation deposit is paid to the Study Abroad office within 1 month of the application deadline and is applied to the cost of the program.

Students studying on WSU faculty-led programs pay a program fee in addition to differential tuition for the WSU course(s) associated with the program. A confirmation deposit is required with the program application and is applied to the program cost.

Students eligible for the tuition waiver benefit may only apply it to WSU faculty-led programs since these are credits granted by WSU. It may not be applied to semester programs since those credits are transferred into WSU as transfer credit, not resident credit.

Application fees and confirmation deposits cannot be covered by financial aid awards. They must be paid directly to WSU by the participant because these are due in advance of the usual disbursement of aid.

Students are responsible for obtaining and paying for their own passports. Students on semester programs are responsible for obtaining and paying for their own visa. The cost of international visas for U.S. citizens on WSU faculty-led programs is included in the program fee. Students who are international citizens are responsible for obtaining their own visa if required for the destination.