STUDY ABROAD REGISTRATION POLICIES & PROCEDURES

There are 3 basic categories through which SIUE degree seeking students may incorporate education abroad experience (through formal study at a foreign institution with course transcript by that foreign institution) into an SIUE degree program. These are:

1. SIUE Approved Study Abroad Provider Programs and Institutions

2. SIUE Student Exchange Programs

3. Non- SIUE Programs (for transfer credit only)
   

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A. APPROVED STUDY ABROAD PROVIDERS AND INSTITUTIONS

SIUE maintains study abroad agreements with the following program providers and institutions:

• CEA Programs (all programs)
• AIFS Programs (all programs)
• Selected Australearn/AsiaLearn Programs:
  Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
  Bond University, Queensland, Australia
  Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia
  University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
  Massey University, Wellington, NZ
  Sichuan University, China
  Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
• John Cabot University in Rome
• Swansea University in Wales
• Salzburg College in Austria
• Heidelberg University in Germany (AJY program through Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio).
• Foreign Language Immersion Programs (as approved by the Dept. of Foreign Languages for short term/summer study only). These are:
  1) Academia de Español Quito, Ecuador
  2) Intercultura in Costa Rica
  3) Amauta Spanish Language School in Peru
  All of these language school programs must be approved and arranged through the SIUE Office of Study Abroad and Language Link.
  

Polices and Procedure related to all above approved study abroad programs supported by the SIUE Office of International Programs:

1. Student completes and submits all SIUE requirements for study abroad approval by the specified application deadline. The application process includes identification of a sufficient number of proposed study abroad courses (plus alternate courses) at the host institution. Student is responsible for obtaining signatures of approval on the “SIUE Study Abroad Course Proposal/ Equivalence Form” from the appropriate SIUE academic departments (in most cases the department chair or faculty member appointed by the chair to approve study abroad course equivalencies).
   Current list of appointed Study Abroad Course Approvers
   
2. Student must provide Office of Study Abroad with verification of acceptance by host institution or program provider. This would normally be an official acceptance from host institution in the form of a letter or email notification.
   
3. Upon completion of step #1 and #2, Study Abroad Office will authorize SIUE Registrar’s Office to register the student for semester abroad in appropriate number of anticipated hours of SAB 200, 300 or 400.
   
4. Upon arrival at study abroad host institution, students should register only in courses that were pre-approved on the “SIUE Study Abroad Course Proposal/ Equivalence Form” (for eventual SIUE credit). Registration in study abroad courses not pre-approved for SIUE credit will require students to seek approval for SIUE credit AFTER returning to SIUE. In this case, it will be the student’s responsibility to coordinate evaluation of equivalency with relevant department and complete a revised “SIUE Study Abroad Course Proposal/Equivalence Form” upon return to SIUE.
   
5. Upon finalizing study abroad course registration at study abroad site, student must complete a study abroad “Confirmation of Enrollment” form and submit via fax or email to SIUE Office of Study Abroad.
   
6. Upon receipt of the “Confirmation of Enrollment” form, SIUE student registration for the semester abroad will be updated to include SIUE approved course credit as well as the actual host site course name. It is imperative that students send the actual course title, which will ultimately appear on the host institution transcript sent to SIUE Office of Study Abroad after completion of semester abroad.
   
7. If student does not send updated course registration information to SIUE Office of Study Abroad, student will remain enrolled in SAB 200, 300, or 400 courses.
   
8. Host institution official transcript is normally received in Office of Study Abroad anywhere from 1 – 3+ months after completion of semester abroad.
   
9. Host transcript will be reviewed and compared with course approval form(s) in SIUE’s Office of International Programs. Grades for approved study abroad courses and corresponding SIUE course equivalencies that were also approved will be communicated to Office of the Registrar. Grades will post to the SIUE transcript and will be calculated into the SIUE cumulative GPA.
   
10. To earn SIUE department-specific credit (ANTH, POLS, ENG, HIST, etc.) for any course taken abroad on an SIUE- approved study abroad program, students must submit to the SIUE Office of Study Abroad an “SIUE Study Abroad Course Proposal/ Equivalence Form” with signature of approval by relevant department chair or assigned study abroad course approver appointed by department chair.
    
11. Study abroad courses having no direct equivalency to an SIUE course (i.e. not pre-approved by a specific SIUE academic department) MAY still be approved by the Office of International Programs for generic SAB 200, 300, or 400 credit (with the host institution course title) included on the SIUE transcript. Note: Individual academic departments would have to determine if and how such credit (SAB 200, 300, 400) would apply toward graduation requirements.
    

SIUE Tuition and Fees for SIUE Approved Study Abroad Provider Programs and Institutions: Through the above registration process, students are not assessed SIUE tuition and regular on-campus student fees for SAB 200, 300, 400, or approved SIUE equivalent credit (with SAB section numbers). Students will be assessed a $75 Study Abroad Fee on the SIUE bursar bill for the semester abroad.

Study Abroad Tuition and Housing Payments
Study abroad students are responsible for payment of all study abroad program costs (tuition, fees, housing, etc.). These costs vary widely depending on host institution, world region, program structure, length of program, etc. These are paid by the student directly to the host program provider on the basis of the host program due dates. In some cases and with proper documentation of anticipated financial aid award, the host program will postpone the payment due date until after SIUE's financial aid disbursement date.

Financial Aid for Approved SIUE Providers and Institutions
Many forms of Financial Aid (loans and grants) can apply toward SIUE-approved and affiliated study abroad programs. Any financial aid approved for study abroad will be disbursed as a refund check issued directly to the student and mailed to the student address on file. SIUE financial aid disbursement dates are tied to SIUE semester start dates (which may be earlier or later than the semester start date at study abroad institution).  If required departure date is PRIOR TO the SIUE financial aid disbursement date, student may apply for a short-term loan for the amount of approved financial aid award before departure for study abroad. Short-term loan applications must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid at least 1 month prior to departure date. Questions regarding short-term loan applications should be addressed to Tracy Wall, Assistant Director, Office of Financial Aid.

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B. SIUE DIRECT EXCHANGE PROGRAMS

Direct Exchange programs are based on formal agreements that SIUE maintains with foreign institutions. Approved SIUE students will be enrolled as visiting students at their host institution; they will pay their normal SIUE tuition rate (on the SIUE bursar bill) for SIUE credit  pursued at the exchange partner school and approved prior to departure on the “SIUE Course Proposal/ Equivalence Form.” Students receive a tuition waiver at exchange school, but are required to pay all administrative and housing costs to exchange school.

The Office of International Programs manages and is responsible for selection and advisement of both incoming and outgoing students for the following exchange programs:

• Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Cuernavaca, Mexico
• Laval University, Quebec, Canada
• University of Lleida, Spain.
  For more information or to apply for participation in any of these programs, contact Julie Beall-Marshall, Study Abroad Coordinator.

Currently, there are also five exchange agreements that are managed and administered exclusively by the SIUE School of Business. These are:

• Sheffield Hallam University, England
• University of Northumbria, ENgland
• ESSCA Business School, Angers, France
• ESSCA Business School, Budapest, Hungary
• Fachhochschule Hannover, Germany
  For more information or to apply for participation in any of the School of Business exchange programs, contact Dr. Janice Joplin.

Registration - Exchange Programs
Students will be registered (by either the SIUE Study Abroad Coordinatore or by a School of Business Advisor) in the SIUE courses pre-approved for proposed coursework at the exchange partner institution. These SIUE courses will have a special "DEX" section number designating "direct exchange."

Tuition - Exchange Programs
Outgoing SIUE exchange students will be assessed their regular SIUE tuition rate for the number of pre-approved credit hours in which they are registered as SIUE. They are also assessed the SIUE information technology fee. These charges will appear on the SIUE bursar bill for the semester abroad.

Financial Aid for Exchange Programs
Many forms of financial aid (loans, grants, and scholarships) can apply toward study abroad on an SIUE exchange program. Because SIUE tuition will be assessed on the SIUE bursar bill for the semester abroad, any approved financial aid funds will first pay any SIUE outstanding bill; any remaining funds will be disbursed in the form of a refund check issued directly to the student and mailed to the student address on file on the SIUE financial aid disbursement date for the semester abroad.

Housing and Other Costs - Exchange Programs
Students are responsible for all host site housing costs. Students make payment of housing and any host site administrative fees directly to the exchange partner institution.

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C. NON-SIUE PROGRAMS

Coursework taken abroad without prior approval by SIUE and/or at sites not currently recognized by formal agreements and not receiving administrative support from the Office of International Programs will be considered for transfer credit only. Students will need to make arrangements to have official transcripts and course descriptions (accompanied by translations in English) from the foreign institution sent to the Office of Admissions, Review and Processing for evaluation as transfer credit. The coursework, if accepted, will appear strictly as transfer credit on the SIUE transcript.

Upper Division Transfer Credit: Students will need to make arrangements to have the official transcript (accompanied by English translation) sent to the Office of Admissions, Review and Processing for evaluation as transfer credit. Students seeking upper division credit (300-400 level) will need to take a copy of the foreign transcript and course description(s) and/or syllabi to the appropriate SIUE academic department chair to seek approval on the International Transfer Credit Re-Evaluation Request Form. SIUE faculty considering the transfer credit request may view the official transcript received in the Office of Admissions, Review, and Processing through the image-now system. Student is responsible for seeking the necessary approvals on upper division credit and returning the completed  International Transfer Credit Re-Evaluation Request Form to Shauna Lehman, Assistant Director, Office of Admissions, 1207 Rendleman Hall.

The official, original transcript from the foreign institution must be sent directly from the foreign institution directly to:
SIUE Office of Admissions, Review and Processing
Box 1047
Edwardsville, IL 62026-1047
U.S.A.