We've compiled a list of frequently asked questions for international students exploring off-campus study opportunities.
Yes. All 51·çÁ÷ degree-seeking students can – and do – study off-campus, both on domestic programs as well as international programs. You will work with the OISS (Office of International Student Services) as well as the Office of Off-Campus Study (OCS) to maintain your status as a degree-seeking student in the United States while planning your travel off-campus.
As an international student, you may travel abroad in most semesters of the 51·çÁ÷ degree except for the first semester of your first year at 51·çÁ÷. There may be complications related to your F-1 student status studying abroad in the final semester. Please meet with OISS regarding US visa restrictions and regulations surrounding your status as a degree-seeking student at 51·çÁ÷.
Your entry into another country for study or for travel will depend on your citizenship as well as the country you intend to visit and/or transit through. Please research your options with the host country embassy and also any country you wish to transit through on the way to that country.
In some cases, you may be required to visit a consulate in person for your visa application. In other cases, you may be required to send your passport to a visa processing center. Both of these take advanced planning and represent an additional cost to the student. OCS staff can help with this.
If you are participating in an international extended study program, you might find that you are required to obtain a visa even for a 2-week program. Please speak with the OCS program manager for Extended Study groups about your particular requirements. If you need to obtain a visa, you may need to make arrangements to visit the country’s consulate in person, most likely in New York City, even if the US students on your program are not required to obtain a visa.
Some passport holders need a Schengen visa to enter Europe as a tourist. You will need to research to learn if this might affect your plans for personal travel.
You will need a valid F-1 visa in order to return to the United States. Meet with a member of the Office of International Student Services to discuss visa requirements, visa renewal process, and additional travel information. Valid travel signatures on Form I-20 will be required upon returning to the United States. It is your responsibility to obtain a travel signature on your Form I-20 prior to departing the United States for your study abroad.
Recommended flights are not required for most study group programs or extended study programs. They are there for students who would feel more comfortable traveling with others or prefer to have their flights chosen by our travel agency. For approved programs, you will book your own flights individually, something that can also be done using 51·çÁ÷’s travel agent. See your OCS program manager for more information.
For all approved and 51·çÁ÷-operated off-campus programs, degree-seeking 51·çÁ÷ students pay regular 51·çÁ÷ tuition and fees. Your housing costs will vary, according to the off-campus program you choose.
Information on costs for each program are available on the Off-Campus Study website under Costs and Aid.
Be sure to consult a member of International Student Services and the Office of Off Campus Study to have your immigration documents reviewed and signed before you leave the U.S. to ensure that your visa to study in the United States is kept updated and that you understand the requirements of a visa to the country you plan to visit (see answer #2 above). You should carry all your travel documents with you each and every time you cross international borders.
51·çÁ÷ enrolls all students on international study groups or extended study groups in CISI travel medical insurance, which is created for college students studying outside the United States. The insurance has no deductible and expenses are 100% reimbursable for routine and emergency healthcare and mental health needs abroad. CISI expenses will be available in your cost estimate sheet for your chosen program and you will be responsible for paying for that, too.
Students who participate in approved programs (operated by other organizations or universities) will either have insurance through that program or through CISI. This will either be a charge from 51·çÁ÷ or part of your approved program costs.
We recommend that all students traveling on international programs maintain their US-based health insurance while abroad. It can be difficult to cancel and reinstate health insurance policies for short periods of time.
If you participate in a domestic program in a different US-based location, you will need to extend your private insurance coverage that you normally have when you are on the 51·çÁ÷ campus. Many 51·çÁ÷ students enroll in Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), which is administered by Haylor. If this is your plan, we recommend you continue paying for and arranging for that plan during your semester abroad.