[Introduction]
[*PASSPORTS*]
[Wesleyan Programs]
[Wesleyan-Approved Programs]
[Application Procedures and Deadlines]
[Petition Procedures]
[Foreign Language Requirement]
[English Speaking Programs]
[Program Requirements]
[Credit Toward Graduation]
[Credit Toward Completion of a Major]
[General Education Expectations]
[Eligibility: Academic and Disciplinary Good Standing]
[Fees and Financial Aid]
[Visas, and Insurance]
[Students Who are NOT U.S. Citizens]
[Keeping in Touch While Abroad]

IMPORTANT PASSPORT INFORMATION FOR U.S. CITIZENS

The U.S. State Department's Passport Services unit is experiencing a major backlog in processing applications. Routine, non-expedited applications and renewals are taking approximately 12-14 weeks. Expedited service is taking approximately four to six weeks. Additionally, because the service uses a centralized system, travelers cannot get their documents faster by submitting applications directly to a regional processing facility. Although the passport agency has hired extra help, the anticipated surge due to Phase I of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was far larger than expected.

We recommend that all students have a valid passport, regardless of when they plan to study abroad. You cannot go abroad without a passport, and most countries require that you have a student visa, which you cannot secure until you have a passport. If you plan to study abroad in the spring 2008 semester, and do not have a passport or have one that will expire less than 6 months AFTER THE END OF YOUR PROGRAM, it is imperative that you apply immediately. Use the expedited passport process and express postage to send your passport application and receive your passport back from the Passport Agency. It costs more, but will put you in the 4-6 week turnaround time, rather than the 12-14 week time frame. You need this time to apply for and receive a student visa AFTER you receive your passport. 

Passport applications can be obtained from the Clerk of Court at all county court houses and at U.S. Post Offices. In Middletown, passport applications may be obtained at the U.S. Post Office, 11 Silver Street (telephone 638-6977) or the Probate Court office, 94 Court Street (telephone 347-7424). You must send a certified copy of your birth certificate and two passport-sized photographs with your application. Passport photos can be purchased at various locations in Middletown, including CVS, Brooks, and Walgreens. The cost at all three locations is currently $7.99 plus tax; photos can be taken at the Post Office, but the cost is $15. The passport processing fee is $55, the application execution fee is $30, and the security surcharge is $12, for a total of $97. The additional fee for expedited service is $60, bringing the total passport cost to $157. The Passport Agency recommends that you use U.S. Postal Service Express Mail to send your application and to receive it. Express Mail is $16.25 each way for a total of $32.50

Study abroad is an essential gateway to the cross-cultural awareness so necessary today, as well as to competence in a foreign language. Knowledge of the language, history, and culture of another country, as well as its political, economic, religious, ethnic, and environmental particularities, greatly enriches any academic pursuit on the home campus. Study in another culture and society sharpens our understanding of ourselves in relation to the world in which we live, and is thus a central component of a liberal-arts education. For most students, total immersion in the culture and language of another country is the only path to becoming bilingual.

Wesleyan provides an array of opportunities for its students to study abroad through the programs it administers, wholly or in part, in China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Spain (see below). Each of these programs is monitored by faculty on the home campus, and run by a resident director on site. Most programs offer a varied selection of courses in the humanities and social sciences, as well, in some cases, as direct enrollment at a local university, and students from all majors are encouraged to apply. In these programs Wesleyan has a voice in the establishment of the curriculum, housing, and extracurricular activities (such as field trips, concerts, and plays), and thus we feel confident that these programs are excellent choices for our students.

For this reason, students intending to study abroad should first consider Wesleyan's own programs. For brochures, application forms, and further information, consult either the Office of International Studies or a representative of one of the following departments:

Asian Languages & Literatures:
Duke in CHINA Program (Beijing)
Associated Kyoto Program (JAPAN)

English:
Wesleyan University/University of Sussex Spring Semester Abroad Program (ENGLAND)
(Will not run spring '08; resumes spring '09)

German Studies:
Wesleyan University Program in GERMANY in collaboration with Vanderbilt University and Wheaton College(Regensburg)

Music:
Music Department Exchange with University College Cork (Ireland)

Physics:
Physics Department Exchange with Dublin City University (Ireland)

Romance Languages and Literature:
Vassar-Wesleyan Program in Paris
Vassar-Wesleyan Program in Madrid
Eastern College Consortium Program in Bologna (E.C.C.O.)
Wesleyan University Spanish Language Acquisition Program in Puebla, Mexico
Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris ("Sciences Po") Exchange Program

The Committee on International Studies approves approximately 140 programs sponsored by other institutions in Africa, Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. Although Wesleyan does not have control over the quality of these programs, the Committee on International Studies monitors student experience on, and the reputations of, the programs, conducting site visits when appropriate, and updates the list regularly.  Evaluations are kept on file and made available to students. For more information or a copy of the list, consult the Office of International Studies (OIS) or visit the web site: http://www.wesleyan.edu/ois/studyabroad/thelist.html

Wesleyan requires that all American institutions whose study abroad programs are used by our students have, as part of their policy documentation, a non-discrimination clause comparable to Wesleyan's. Petitions for programs run by American universities or organizations that do not have such a clause will not be approved.

Wesleyan-administered programs:  The sponsoring department or an inter-departmental campus committee establishes criteria for admission and reviews applications. Applications for Madrid, Paris, Bologna, Puebla and Regensburg are processed by the Office of International Studies. For the Sussex, Cork, Dublin and Sciences Po exchanges, selection is handled by the relevant department, and successful applications are processed by OIS. Applicants also must complete Wesleyan’s general study-abroad permission application, due March 1 for fall or full-year and October 15 for spring. Information about all Wesleyan programs is available at OIS. Admission is competitive, and students are encouraged to apply to an approved-list program as backup.

Wesleyan–administered program application deadlines:

Wesleyan-approved programs: Students apply directly to the sponsoring institution for acceptance and also to the Office of International Studies for permission to study abroad. OIS applications are available in the office and on-line. Application deadlines for permission to study abroad are March 1 for the fall semester or full year and October 15 for the spring semester. Deadlines for individual programs may be earlier than Wesleyan's deadline. Programs increasingly fill well before their deadlines, so early application is essential to avoid being closed out of many of the most popular programs. However, students always should consult with the Office of International Studies first, since OIS must check every student’s academic and disciplinary status before certifying to the sponsoring institution that credit will be transferred or that the student is in good standing. 

Petitions: Students interested in participating for credit in programs not on the approved list must submit a petition to the Committee on International Studies. Such petitions may be submitted only after meeting with the Director of International Studies to discuss the specific program, the student's goals, and the petition process. The petition form is available at the OIS but not online. DEADLINES for submitting a petition are February 15 for fall-semester or year-long programs and September 30 for spring-semester programs. Only one petition can be submitted at a time. The Committee on International Studies meets every other Wednesday during the academic semester, and cannot consider petitions at other times; petitions are reviewed on a rolling basis. The Committee's decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

The Committee on International Studies considers three primary factors in a petition: the quality and substance of the proposed program, the petitioner's academic preparation for participation (e.g., language study, area studies courses, academic performance), and the petitioner's academic justification as to how this program meets his/her academic needs in a way approved-list programs do not. Approximately 60% of petitions are approved; petitioners are strongly encouraged to apply to at least one approved-list program as a backup.

N.B.: Although the OIS will try to help Wesleyan students gain admission into the programs of their choice, OIS approval does not guarantee admission. Students are responsible for understanding and meeting the regulations, requirements, and deadlines specific to the programs of their choice. In general, deadlines range from early February to mid-April for the fall semester or year-long programs, and from mid-September to mid-November for the spring semester. Many programs process applications on a rolling basis, so to avoid disappointment, students should check space availability.

Most programs in non-English speaking countries require that students complete a certain number of semesters of language study before going abroad. This number varies according to the program; in some cases, Wesleyan has more stringent requirements than the program. Students should therefore consult the List of Approved Programs, and plan their course selections accordingly and as early as possible. It is Wesleyan policy that:

a.    students going to a program in a country whose language they have studied take courses only in that language;

b.    students going to a country whose language is taught at Wesleyan study that language to an appropriate level (identified in the List of Approved Programs) before attending the program;

c.    students going to a program in a country whose language Wesleyan does not teach study the language of that country while abroad.

Exceptions to these rules are made only for certain thematic programs (identified in the List of Approved Programs), or by petition to the Committee on International Studies. Students attending one of the thematic programs for which language is not a prerequisite are nevertheless strongly encouraged to study the relevant language for as long as possible before attending the program.

Students majoring in Wesleyan's College of Letters are required to spend the second semester of their sophomore year abroad, preferably in a country where French, Russian, German, Hebrew, Italian, or Spanish is spoken. Before studying abroad, COL students are required to complete two full years of French or Spanish, three semesters of German, Russian, or Hebrew, or two semesters of Italian, at the university level. Note that students are not automatically granted permission to study abroad or acceptance to a program on the basis of a major requirement.

Students taking courses abroad on approved programs in foreign languages taught at Wesleyan, but who have not progressed beyond the intermediate level before going abroad, should be prepared to take the placement test upon their return. This will allow us to determine the appropriate level for the continuation of their language studies at Wesleyan, and also help us assess the quality of language instruction in approved programs abroad.

Students with native or fluent competence in a foreign language may enroll directly in universities abroad without petitioning, but only with the approval of the Director of International Studies.

The list of Wesleyan-administered and Wesleyan-approved programs includes opportunities for study abroad in several English-speaking countries. The Committee on International Studies gives preference to programs that place students in universities rather than to programs that offer courses organized only for American students, outside a university context, with the exceptions of a small number of highly-focused programs in the sciences or arts that meet specific disciplinary needs. Direct enrollment in universities is also encouraged where feasible.

Programs with instruction in English in countries where English is not the native language form a separate category. Although Wesleyan generally does not encourage this type of experience, there are important academic reasons for including a few such programs on the list of Wesleyan-approved programs. Students are required to enroll in at least one course in the language of the country as part of their academic program, and full weight (1 Wesleyan credit) is always given to that course. The Committee on International Studies prefers programs with instructors from the host country, even if the instruction is in English, rather than American instructors, and avoids approving programs where students find themselves isolated from the host culture.

For some students, health concerns may dictate where they can or cannot study abroad. Such students are encouraged to speak with OIS or Health Center/Behavioral Health staff regarding these concerns, as well as to research health, medical, and medication issues in the countries of interest. Students who plan to study in Australia and take medication for chronic health conditions should refer to http://www.tga.health.gov.au/docs/html/bringmed/intoaust.htm  to read the most current information on laws covering the kinds and quantities of medications that can be brought into Australia.

Students must commit themselves to full-time enrollment, regular class attendance, and strict compliance with all program regulations and individual course requirements in any program they choose. Students who leave a program before it is officially over will not receive credit for their work. The Committee on International Studies looks at a number of factors, including the number of contact hours required for each course, before approving programs. Courses are expected to be academically rigorous, meeting approximately the same number of hours as a Wesleyan course and requiring assignments of equivalent length and difficulty within the context of other nations’ pedagogical systems. The Committee recognizes that class participation, reading, and writing assignments are more difficult when courses are not taught in the student's native language, and adjusts its expectations accordingly.

Credit will be given toward graduation for all appropriate courses (courses in the liberal arts) taken on Wesleyan-administered or -approved programs abroad. Students must obtain written approval for their proposed program from their major advisor or department chair, or, if they have not yet declared a major, from their faculty advisor. Special rules apply to internships, which must be pre-approved by a department for credit, even for credit outside the major. Four credits are allowed for each semester of study abroad. Permission for a fifth credit for any given semester may be granted by the program director in the case of Wesleyan-administered programs, and by the Director of International Studies for Wesleyan-approved programs. 

Grades are reported on the Wesleyan transcript and count toward the student's overall GPA. All courses including internships must be taken A-F unless this option is not available, but credit for internships will appear on the Wesleyan transcript with CR only. COL majors should consult with the department for grading mode information. Some modifications in grading systems for study abroad have been found necessary, and A+ grades received abroad will be posted to the Wesleyan transcript as A grades.

Credit for approved programs may be measured differently than at Wesleyan, often in semester credits or, for students enrolling directly in foreign universities, in other units. One Wesleyan credit is the equivalent of 3.75 semester credits, and students are required to enroll in a minimum of 15-16 semester credits, which is equivalent to a full Wesleyan load of 4 credits. Students should be sure, before they leave Wesleyan, that they understand the credit system of the institution giving them credit abroad; the OIS can provide this information and explain how courses will be weighted. The OIS ensures that courses and grades are entered on the Wesleyan transcript by the Registrar.

Upon completing their period of study abroad, students will be required to complete an evaluation for the program they attended to ensure that current information about programs is always available to the Committee, the OIS, and prospective participants. Once the evaluation is returned to the Office of International Studies and the program transcript is received, credits will be transferred. 

Students who must make changes in their curricular plans after arriving on site must consult the OIS immediately, preferably by e-mail (gwinter@wesleyan.edu) or fax (860-685-2551). They are expected to choose a replacement course or courses compatible with the plans previously approved by the major advisor. Where major credit is concerned, the student also must communicate with his/her faculty or departmental advisor, and must ask said professor to inform the Office of any credit approval granted. Credit for unapproved courses will not be transferred to the Wesleyan transcript; there can be no retroactive approval after the student's return to campus. It is therefore particularly important that students communicate with the Office if in any doubt about their curriculum abroad.

Both before leaving and once abroad, students should contact the OIS with questions about GenEd and graduation credit for courses taken abroad during the academic year.

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In order to be eligible for study abroad, students should be in compliance with Wesleyan’s general education expectations for the stage of their education they have completed at the time of their departure. Many courses on Wesleyan’s own programs are coded for general education equivalency. It is possible to petition for general education equivalency for courses taken on approved programs abroad if the student is able to identify an equivalent Wesleyan course. Course descriptions for the two courses must be submitted to the OIS, and the Director will forward such requests to the Academic Deans, who make all such decisions, if she considers them legitimate. This must be done before the courses are completed, and will not be done retroactively.

Students who apply to study abroad must be in good academic and disciplinary standing at Wesleyan. In applying for foreign study, they must sign a waiver allowing the OIS to check with the Dean’s Office regarding both academic (Good Standing and Honor Code) and disciplinary (Code of Non-Academic Conduct) standing. Any current or pending disciplinary issue will be reported to OIS and taken into account in evaluating a student’s application for permission to study abroad. Should a student be placed on academic discipline or have disciplinary proceedings filed after receiving approval to study abroad, this will be reported to OIS, and approval to participate in a program may be revoked.

Students are required to sign a “Standards of Conduct Pledge” as part of the internal Wesleyan application. This pledge holds students accountable to Wesleyan’s Honor System and Code of Non-Academic Conduct while participating in a Wesleyan-administered or –approved program. Infractions abroad may result in Honor Board or Student Judicial Board charges or, in extreme cases, expulsion from the program. 

Permission to study abroad may be denied or withdrawn if a student’s account with Wesleyan’s Student Accounts Office has a delinquent balance from the semester prior to the proposed semester(s) of study abroad.

Students required to resign may not use study abroad as a way of gathering the credit they need to return to Wesleyan, unless they are citizens of the country in which they wish to study. In that case, their credit taken abroad is processed as if it were domestic transfer credit, and they do not work through the Office of International Studies.

Students must have any incompletes, X’s or AB’s in courses taken the semester before study abroad resolved two weeks prior to departure date. Head Residents make a full-year commitment to the Office of Residential Life; students who accept positions as head residents for a particular academic year are not eligible to study abroad during that time.

Students are considered to be enrolled at Wesleyan while abroad, in the category of non-resident study (NRS), and thus pay Wesleyan tuition and, in many cases, program room and board fees, directly to Wesleyan University; Wesleyan then pays the program. This is the only way in which credit from academic-year programs abroad can be applied toward the Wesleyan degree. Students remain eligible for financial aid, for which they apply to the Financial Aid Office. They receive assistance from the OIS in planning the financing of their programs. Since the formulae by which Wesleyan-approved program costs are assessed and billed vary considerably, students are asked to consult the detailed statement of Financial Procedures, and to make an appointment with Gail Winter, Assistant Director (gwinter@wesleyan.edu or x3006).

Some programs offer their own scholarships, for which Wesleyan students may be eligible; the same is true for several federal and non-program specific scholarships for study abroad. It is the student's responsibility to investigate these opportunities. The OIS has established a special fund to assist students for whom study abroad poses a financial hardship above and beyond the cost of remaining at Wesleyan (e.g. due to airfare, higher cost of living, or forgone work opportunities). These grants are not intended to replace summer earnings, so unless the program calendar makes summer work impossible, applicants should plan accordingly. Students may apply, providing a budget and explanation of their circumstances, for amounts not to exceed $1000 for a single semester or $1500 for the full year. Application must be made by the last day of classes each semester.

Whether on Wesleyan-administered or -approved programs, students are responsible for obtaining their own passports and student visas for travel abroad unless they are specifically informed otherwise by the program directors.

Students are responsible for their own health insurance if the program does not provide it.  One option is to purchase the student insurance plan available through Wesleyan. In addition, we strongly encourage the purchase of an International Student Identity Card, available through the OIS. In addition to discounts on travel and activities, this card provides some insurance coverage, including medical evacuation and repatriation.

STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES

Since visa, passport, and U.S. and foreign country immigration requirements and regulations differ widely, students who are not U.S. citizens MUST speak with the Coordinator of International Student Services, at x2793, North College room 29. The coordinator will counsel you on the necessary steps to follow in order to stay in compliance with immigration regulations if you are a U.S. visa holder, and discuss your plans for obtaining a visa for your country of destination if you hold a green card.

Students who are accepted by Wesleyan-approved programs (including those approved via petition) must provide the OIS a copy of their acceptance letter immediately, with a notation that they plan to attend said programs, so that their status change at Wesleyan can be processed in a timely manner. The OIS will communicate with students abroad via email on events at Wesleyan and logistical issues during their stay abroad.

If a student decides at the last minute not to go, it is important that the OIS be notified promptly, so that arrangements for the coming semester can be handled smoothly. Students are encouraged to keep the Office posted as to their activities and travel plans.