Transcript Study Abroad Online Pre-Departure Orientation Module

STUDY ABROAD ONLINE
PRE-DEPARTURE
ORIENTATION MODULE
Summer Faculty-led Programs
Welcome to the Online Orientation for Summer
Faculty-led Programs!

This module covers all of the topics listed on the tabs above to help prepare you
for your program abroad.

This module takes approximately 15-20 minutes.

The orientation modules will remain available to you on MySAO after completion.
They can be a good resource throughout your preparation and even while abroad.

In addition to this online module, you will have mandatory in-person predeparture meetings on campus during the spring semester to prepare you for the
personal, cultural and academic experience abroad.
What is a Summer Faculty-led Program?

Summer faculty-led programs consist of summer courses taught and/or facilitated
by UT faculty at an international location.

Summer faculty-led programs offer six to twelve hours of credit, depending on the
program.

They take place during the summer, although dates do not always correspond with
UT summer sessions on campus.
Program Fees

You are responsible for paying for tuition, airfare, meals, personal expenses,
international insurance coverage, and a program fee. Program fees are different for
each summer program. The program fee generally includes accommodation, some
meals, field trips and excursions.

You will pay a $500 non-refundable deposit after acceptance to confirm your
participation in the program. This deposit is applied to your program fee. The
remainder of the program fee is due May 1st. The deposit and remaining program
fee balance will be posted to What I Owe shortly after acceptance.
Program Fees

The program fee does not include tuition. The tuition rate depends on your
program type.

Some programs require that you pay UT tuition for some or all of the courses,
just as you would on campus.

For other programs, students pay an Affiliated Studies (AS) registration fee in
lieu of UT tuition - $100 for one course or $400 for two or more courses.

Most federal, state and UT institutional aid can be used on summer programs. To
be eligible for financial aid, you must fill out a FAFSA .

The UT Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) considers the additional costs of
studying abroad when calculating your student aid package. The estimated costs
are based on a program budget submitted by your Study Abroad program
coordinator. (See sample on Program Page). This estimated budget includes tuition,
program fees, room and board, airfare, books and international health insurance.

OSFS will revise your financial aid package based on this budget and your individual
financial circumstances. The award increase is most often in the form of additional
loans and may require a co-signer with good credit, although some students may
receive additional grants or scholarships.

OSFS will send you an Electronic Financial Aid Notification (E-FAN) with your new
financial aid package. Be sure to respond promptly to every correspondence you
receive from OSFS. You may receive more than one E-FAN as your aid is
recalculated.

Summer aid is often packaged less than one month before program start dates.
Plan as if all aid will be in the form of loans unless you are told otherwise.

Financial aid funds are not released until after the official start of the UT summer
session, which means that you may already be abroad when your aid releases.
Financial aid cannot be released early.

Be sure to make your financial plan accordingly. You will have expenses before
departure, such as your plane ticket and program deposit, and on-the-ground costs
when you arrive to your host country.

When your aid is released, the funds are first used to pay off anything owed to the
university. Any remaining funds will be released to you.

In order for your aid to release, the following must be complete:

Online Financial Aid Counseling module on MySAO

UT registration

Tuition bill (must be paid or deferred to financial aid)
Emergency Tuition Loans

In the event that you have not received your E-FAN by the tuition payment
deadline, you can obtain an Emergency Tuition Loan to complete tuition payment.
Remember, all financial bars must be cleared before processing an Emergency
Tuition Loan.
Registration for Summer Faculty-led Courses

Faculty-led courses abroad cannot be audited or taken on a credit/no credit basis.
You must register for a full course load during your program.

Registration procedures for summer programs vary by program type. You will get
detailed registration instructions from your Study Abroad program coordinator.

It is your responsibility to be sure your summer registration is complete. If you fail
to register on time, you will no longer be an official program participant and you
will not be eligible to receive financial aid or attend the program.

Your UT tuition bills and program fees must be paid or deferred to financial aid on
time in order for your registration to be complete and your participation
confirmed.
Grades and Credit

The credit you will receive for your program depends on your program type:

UT courses (registration with a UT course number, UT tuition) count as inresidence credit. The grades for UT courses are factored into your UT GPA.

Affiliated Studies courses (registration with AS placeholder, AS fee in lieu of
tuition) generally count as transfer credit. The grades earned in AS courses will
appear on your UT transcript, but they will not be factored into your UT GPA.
You must earn a grade of "C-" or better in order to receive credit for AS courses
taken abroad.

All students are required to maintain good academic standing to be eligible for the
program. Failure to maintain good academic standing before departure will cause
you to be withdrawn from the program without a refund.

Failure to complete course prerequisites with the required grade or fulfill special
conditions for acceptance will cause you to be withdrawn from the program
without a refund.
Graduation Restrictions

Sometimes it is possible for graduating seniors to participate in a facultyled summer program; however, it may result in later degree conferral or
prevent you from participating in the graduation ceremony.

Affiliated Studies (AS) registration may also affect your graduation plans,
as it generally takes one long semester after you return for AS credit to
post.
Program Withdrawals and Refunds

If you decide to withdraw from a summer faculty-led program, you must notify
your program coordinator in writing as soon as possible. You are responsible for
dropping the associated courses from your summer registration.

You are responsible for understanding your program’s withdrawal and refund
policies. Failure to abide by the program's policy may have severe academic and
financial costs.

The $50 application fee and $500 deposit are non-refundable.
Program Withdrawals and Refunds

Additional financial penalties depend on the date of withdrawal. When you applied
to the program, you electronically signed the Study Abroad Financial Responsibility
Policy. You can review this policy on your MySAO page.

In signing, you acknowledged that you have read and accept responsibility for the
policy and understand that you will be liable, barred and responsible for the
amount owed according to the policy’s withdrawal schedule.

If you use financial aid, withdrawing from the program may affect your summer
financial aid package, which has been calculated to include costs associated with
the study abroad program. If you withdraw from the program, your financial aid
award will be recalculated to reflect your withdrawal. Therefore, you will be
responsible for repaying any financial aid funds received for the program.

If you must withdraw from the program due to failure to complete course
prerequisites with the required grade or failure to meet special conditions placed
on your acceptance, you will be subject to the financial penalties outlined in the
Study Abroad Financial Responsibility Policy.
To complete this module, proceed to the
acknowledgement page. (cut and paste url into your web browser)
https://utdirect.utexas.edu/student/abroad/stud_orient.WBX
You may access this module on MySAO at any time.
Summer Faculty-led Programs
Updated: November 10, 2014