Study Abroad Policies
All students must review the study abroad policies before applying to study abroad. Students who fail to review these policies will not be informed of important issues related to Tulane's study abroad programs.
Academic Policies
Financial Policies
Health & Safety Policies
Travel Policies
Earning Tulane Credit
All coursework completed on a Newcomb-Tulane Study Abroad Program or ISO will be automatically recorded on the student's academic record and Tulane transcript as Tulane credit, NOT transfer credit. This will reflect grades, and credits earned abroad; work is calculated into the Tulane cumulative GPA.
Students must complete the program and submit all materials and assignments to their instructors by the end of the last day of class, and take scheduled examinations. Students are strongly encouraged to retain a personal copy of all work submitted abroad until all grades and courses have been posted to the official Tulane transcript.
Neither Tulane nor transfer credit will be granted for unapproved study abroad completed while on leave of absence during the regular academic year.
Incompletes
Any incomplete coursework will be posted as “I” and subsequently “F” on the official Tulane transcript. Students who receive an Incomplete are responsible for completing the coursework.
Course Equivalency
While all credit earned on a Newcomb-Tulane Study Abroad Program is recorded on the student’s academic record, there may be an instance wherein a student wishes to have a course completed abroad satisfy a specific course requirement at Tulane. In this case, the student seeking specific departmental credit for work completed abroad must gain approval from the appropriate academic department at Tulane using the Study Abroad Course Equivalency form available from the OSA and the OSA Web site.
In general, students will be asked to present the course syllabus and description, reading list, graded tests and other completed work for the course, as well as final papers and exams.
Earning Major/Minor Credit
Students who wish to have credits earned abroad count towards major or minor requirements must seek approval from the appropriate academic department or program. The OSA cannot make this determination. If this approval requires a course equivalency, please see the section on “course equivalency” in this guide. The OSA recommends that students should present all course materials (course description, syllabus, and work produced, etc.) for the class, to the appropriate department for evaluation prior to departure or upon return to campus.
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Course Registration
Placeholder Registration at Tulane while Abroad
In the semester before studying abroad, students register for a 12-credit placeholder course to maintain full-time enrollment at Tulane while abroad. This ensures proper tuition billing, financial aid disbursement, and eligibility for future course registration.
Minimum Course-load Abroad
While abroad, student must register for a full course load as determined by the program or host institution, generally equal to 15 credits per semester at Tulane.
No exceptions may be made to this policy.
Course Selection
While students are required to propose courses as part of their study abroad application, final course selection is generally made on site in consultation with the assigned academic advisor or the program director. Many programs have set or required courses. Please refer to the Newcomb-Tulane Study Abroad Program section of the appropriate program description in this guide for specific details
Independent Study
Students conducting Independent Study Projects or similar independent work are required to submit a copy of their independent study project to the Office of Study Abroad, as well as the appropriate academic department, before credit will be awarded.
Add/Drop Deadline
Students are subject to the Add/Drop schedule of the host institution. Students on Tulane in Madrid, Florence or Paris must notify the OSA in writing of any schedule changes as soon as they occur. Failure to do so may result in a loss of credit.
Tulane deadlines are modified to fit the academic calendar abroad.
Course Withdrawals after Add/Drop
Requests for course withdrawals require the approval of both the program director abroad and the OSA.
Students may not reduce their courses below the stated minimum unless there are extenuating circumstances for doing so (e.g., medical reasons).
Auditing a Course
If students audit a course while abroad, that course will not be officially recorded and the audit will not receive credit.
S/U Option
Tulane’s regulations for S/U grades apply abroad with three restrictions: 1) Students may not take an independent study or directed research course abroad on an S/U basis, 2) Students may not take the Core Course on certain programs on an S/U basis, 3) Students may not take courses on certain programs on an S/U basis. Some study abroad programs do not offer an S/U option, or limit S/U options, and this takes precedence over Tulane’s regulations. Please refer to the Academic Program section of the appropriate program description in this website for further details.
The study abroad S/U deadline differs from the on-campus deadline. Requests must be submitted to the OSA by airmail, fax or email and postmarked within 10 weeks after the first class meeting. The OSA will notify the student of the decision. Once filed, the change is irreversible. Students may not exercise the S/U option with the program sponsor without notifying the OSA.
In general, students may not take courses S/U for grades in the major or minor field. For specific restrictions, students must inquire with their major/minor departments.
Overseas program directors submit a regular American letter grade to Tulane for courses taken on an S/U basis. The OSA will convert this grade for students with approved S/U requests on file.
Incompletes
Overseas professors rarely accept work after the regular deadline. Students are therefore urged to avoid taking an Incomplete. Those unable to complete coursework due to illness or other factors may receive an Incomplete with the approval of the instructor, director abroad, and the OSA. In consultation with the overseas director, students must develop a timetable for completion of an incomplete grade. For further clarification, consult the Tulane University Catalog.
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Grade Disputes
Students who believe they have grounds for a grade dispute for a course completed abroad must meet with the director of study abroad to discuss any grade disputes and appeals. Appeals must be initiated by the within one semester of the student's return to Tulane from overseas the OSA as soon as possible during the semester following study abroad. Tulane’s policy for grade disputes applies, adapted for study abroad.
Withdrawal/Dismissal Policy
Students who withdraw from a study abroad program after submitting the signed contract must notify the OSA in writing. Students may not defer a withdrawn application to a subsequent semester, but they may reapply.
No Tulane credit will be awarded to participants who voluntarily withdraw without approval from Tulane or are expelled from a program prior to its completion. This may includes instances where academic credit has been earned prior to the withdrawal, including study abroad programs with module course components or withdrawal from the second semester of an academic year program. Special accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis for students whose participation in a study abroad program is interrupted by documented cases of illness, injury, family emergency, verifiable personal problems or circumstances beyond their control.
Please see Financial Policies for details on financial consequences of early withdrawal or dismissal.
Academic & Behavioral Codes of Conduct
Students are held to the Tulane Codes of Behavior and Academic Conduct while abroad, as well as the codes of the host institution abroad.
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Financial Policies
Tuition and Fees
For each semester abroad, study abroad participants are charged Tulane tuition equivalent to that semester cost. One semester abroad is equal to one semester at Tulane; two semesters abroad is equal to two semesters at Tulane. This covers all academic costs related to the study abroad program, including required pre-semester language programs as well as courses taken during the regular semester. Students do not pay tuition directly to the host program or university overseas.
Tulane University Accounts Receivable bills study abroad students at the beginning of each semester. Students will receive invoices for Tulane tuition, the academic support fee, International SOS emergency evacuation insurance and health insurance (if Tulane or HTH insurance has been elected by the student).
Room & Board
Students studying abroad pay room and board fees directly to the program sponsor as indicated in the program literature. Please refer to the program description and program provider web sites for cost of living estimates.
Personal Expenses
In addition, study abroad participants are responsible for all costs beyond tuition, room and boad. These costs may include passport and visa application fees, airfare, local costscommuting costs not expressly included in the program fee, and other incidental expenses such as text books, laundry, entertainment, postage, gym/sports fees and telephone calls. Depending on the location, costs for personal items and services may be higher than in New Orleans. Students should refer to estimates provided by the program provider when constructing a budget for the time abroad. Students are responsible for settling all debts incurred while abroad.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
For students on financial aid, all federal financial aid (Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Perkins Loans, Stafford Loans, and Parent Plus Loans) except for work-study awards can be applied to all Tulane Study Abroad Programs.
All Tulane University institutional aid (Dean's Honor Scholarship, Distinguished Scholars Award, Founders Scholarship, and Tulane Need-Based Scholarship), except for the housing stipends, can also be used.
No Tulane institutional aid can be applied toward study on non-Tulane programs.
Withdrawal Fees & Expenses
A minimum withdrawal fee of $250, along with all unrecoverable expenses incurred by Tulane University on behalf of the student, will be charged to all students who voluntarily withdraw or are expelled from a program prior to the start of or during the program. These charges will be applied to the student’s Tulane account. Additional financial and academic consequences of voluntary withdrawal or expulsion are as follows:
a. With the exception of expulsion from the program, if the student withdraws or is withdrawn for any reason before or after the Program begins, but before the Tulane University semester has commenced, the student may enter classes at Tulane for that semester. Tuition refunds are subject to the refund schedule outlined in the Tulane catalog and the Office of the Registrar Academic Calendar.
b. If the student withdraws or is withdrawn for any reason before or after the program begins, and after Tulane University has begun classes, s/he will automatically be withdrawn from Tulane University, and will need to be readmitted before s/he can resume study at Tulane. This includes withdrawal from an academic year program at the end of the first semester. Tuition refunds are subject to the refund schedule outlined in the Tulane catalog and the Office of the Registrar Academic Calendar.
c. If the student is expelled from the Program at any time, the student will be withdrawn from Tulane University, and will need to be readmitted before he or she can resume study at Tulane. This matter will also be referred to the Dean's Office of Newcomb-Tulane College.
The student will not be eligible for any refund or credit from Tulane University, and will be responsible for all expenses incurred by Tulane on behalf of the student.
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U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings
Tulane University strongly encourages students to have some international experience during their undergraduate years. However, we must balance our support with concern about the safety of such travel. While all international travel carries a certain level of risk, in many cases very low, Tulane University has taken the decision to withhold sponsorship of undergraduate activities in countries identified as potentially very dangerous. We use the Travel Advisories of the U.S. Department of State as a guide to determining where Tulane University will not sponsor undergraduate activities.
Tulane University will not grant sponsorship, funding or credit for undergraduate study abroad, internships, research, volunteering, or other activities (e.g. sports clubs, music groups) in countries on the U.S. State Department's Current Travel Warnings list . For countries on this list, the State Department warns U.S. citizens against travel or to defer travel there, may recommend that all Americans in the country leave, and may order the departure of dependents and non-emergency personnel. State Department consular information sheets for every country of the world are also available on this Web site. They are an excellent source of information and we recommend that participants and their families consult them when choosing a program, before departure, and while the student is abroad.
Health Concerns
In addition, Tulane University reserves the right to withhold sponsorship of undergraduate travel to or activities in any country or region which is experiencing a serious and uncontrolled infectious disease outbreak or other serious health hazard. The recent SARS epidemic is an example of such a case. We will base such a decision on information from the State Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and other sources.
Tulane University also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to withhold sponsorship or cancel a program or trip for other safety reasons.
The decision to withhold sponsorship can be made up until the day of travel and a lifting of the warning or other safety concern has to take place 30 days prior to departure for the university to sponsor the activity.
If a health or safety warning of the type described above is issued while a student is abroad on a Tulane-sponsored trip in that region or country, the OSA will gather information from official sources and on-site staff and coordinate a University response. This response may range from issuing information and advice to students and their emergency contacts to calling for the immediate departure of the student.
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Health & Safety
Pre-departure Check-ups
All students participating in Newcomb-Tulane programs are required to hand in a completed physician's statement before the final approval of their application. The goal of this requirement is not to eliminate students from program participation but to identify and design a treatment plan for any medical/psychological conditions that may affect them while abroad. We recommend but do not require that students have complete physical and dental examinations before departure. We are very concerned that students think through their needs for on-going medical, dental, or psychological services and prepare to handle them while abroad. In particular, the range of counseling services available to students on Tulane's campus is generally not available overseas.
Health Insurance
All students participating in Tulane study abroad programs are required to have health insurance while overseas. Just as is the case when they will be taking courses on campus, Students must enroll in an HTH health insurance program through OSA. Please note that this policy covers students only while abroad and not during return visits to the United States.
International SOS Scholastic Traveler Assistance Plan (Automatic for all Newcomb-Tulane Study Abroad Participants)
Tulane has subscribed to the International SOS Scholastic Traveler Comprehensive Plan which covers all Tulane faculty, staff and students while outside the USA on University business or with a University-sponsored program. This assistance program, managed and administered by International SOS, provides international medical, security and travel assistance, including both medical and security evacuations. International SOS is the world's largest medical- and security-assistance company, with more than 3,000 professionals in 24-hour Alarm Centers, international clinics and remote-site medical facilities across five continents.
Please note: International SOS is an assistance program, not health insurance.While the International SOS policy offers useful services during an emergency, it does not replace the need for health insurance while overseas.
To access the Tulane International SOS site, go to
http://aurora.tcs.tulane.edu/sos/login.cfm and login using your Tulane userID and login (the same used for your Tulane email account).
International SOS site: www.internationalsos.com
Vaccinations
Immunization requirements and health conditions vary widely by country. You should check the Center for Disease Control website for up-to-date information on the country and area to which your child will be traveling. The Tulane Student Health Center provides immunizations for a fee through its Travel Clinic.
Information is also available at the International SOS site.
Prescriptions
Prescriptions written in the United States cannot be filled abroad. Your child should request authorization from their doctor and insurance company to obtain a supply sufficient for the time they will be abroad. Prescription medications should be carried in their original, labeled bottle. In addition, your son or daughter should have the written prescription on hand in case a customs officer asks to see it. Do not plan on sending prescriptions through the mail as many countries restrict, prohibit, and/or place very high customs duties on such shipments, even when obviously intended for personal use. We recommend that students who wear eyeglasses or contact lenses take an extra pair.
THE ROLE OF THE OSA IN STUDENT SAFETY ABROAD
We begin to focus students' attention on matters of safety and security during the pre-departure orientation programs where they receive information specific to their destinations. The OSA staff maintains contact with students throughout their stay abroad via their Tulane e-mail accounts. We ask that students give us their new contact information upon arrival so that we can construct current emergency contact lists.
The OSA staff in New Orleans maintains frequent contact with Tulane's residential directors in Italy, France, and Spain as well as with program heads in foreign host institutions. Our correspondence includes the exchange of emergency contact information, the resolution of any problems student participants may be experiencing, and the monitoring of security conditions at each site. We stay abreast of security updates released by the U.S. Department of State (www.travel.state.gov) and program heads supply us with more specific information on conditions in their overseas locations. Each program site has developed protocols for student security in case of emergency.
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