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Study Abroad Application Process

Study Abroad at Puget Sound includes a competitive application process.


Students must first be approved by Puget Sound in order to study abroad. To seek approval, students must submit a Puget Sound Application to Study Abroad by the Puget Sound application deadline.


Puget Sound has one application deadline in January for programs occurring during the following summer, fall and spring terms.


It is important to note that study abroad operates within budgetary and enrollment parameters set by the University of Puget Sound. As a result there may be a limit to the number of students who can be approved each semester. Simply submitting an application does not guarantee the University of Puget Sound’s approval to study abroad.
 

The study abroad application process consists of two-steps:

  1. Puget Sound Study Abroad Application - Students must complete a Puget Sound Study Abroad Application by the deadline and be approved to study abroad by the Curriculum Committee of the Faculty Senate
  2. External Program Application - Students must complete their program specific application and be accepted by their specific program

Eligibility Requirements

Students must meet the following requirements at the time of application and up until the start of their program:

  1. Students must meet all program-specific requirements (including minimum GPA, class standing, course prerequisites, language prerequisites, etc.). 
  2. Students must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative gpa at the time of application and at the start of the program. Please note: if a student’s cumulative GPA is below 2.5 the application will not be considered. Students with cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 must submit an additional application essay, to demonstrate that they have made significant progress towards achieving overall academic success.
  3. Students must not be suspended for the term in which their program will begin.
  4. Students must be in good conduct standing (not on a probationary conduct status) at the time of application and at the start of the program
  5. Students must have appropriate class standing at the time of application:
    1. Current first year students: may apply for Summer term (if earned at least 7 units during first year). Note: Current first year students may apply for Spring term in compelling and specific circumstances but will not be given priority
    2. Current second year students: may apply for Summer, Fall, and Spring terms
    3. Current third year students: may apply for Summer, Fall, and Spring terms
    4. Transfer students must complete one semester in residence before studying abroad
  6. Students must be enrolled full-time on campus the semester when applying (spring) and the semester before studying abroad (fall or spring)
  7. Students applying to attend two different programs (one fall and one spring) must be aware that permission to study on two different programs during one academic year will be granted only in exceptional cases as justified by compelling academic goals. Students must submit an additional application essay that explains their reasons for applying to two programs, identify one preferred program, and identify how they will navigate the visa processes for both programs in a timely manner.
  8. Students must submit a completed Puget Sound application by the deadline. 
  9. Students must, once approved by Puget Sound to study abroad, complete the external program-specific application by the deadline set by Puget Sound

Note: Puget Sound does not permit students to apply for study abroad credit retroactively.
 

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Selection Criteria

The following selection criteria will be used in approving students for study abroad:

  1. Continued adherence to all eligibility requirements
  2. Priority will be given to:
    1. Students with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Students with a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 may be approved if they successfully demonstrate, in an additional application essay, that they have made significant progress towards achieving overall academic excellence.
    2. Students in majors that require study abroad.
    3. Current third year students (at the time of application) who have not previously studied abroad, then current second year students, then current first year students.
    4. Students who provide, in their response to the application essay prompt, a strong and detailed academic rationale for their study abroad plan and provide strong evidence of possessing the appropriate maturity, stability, flexibility, independence, and openness to be successful abroad.
  3. Students may be limited to a single program (semester or year). Students may only be approved for two different programs in a single academic year if they successfully convey, in an additional essay, compelling academic goals that can only be met by participating in two different programs and they provide evidence that they can complete the visa processes for both programs in a timely manner.
  4. The Office of International Programs reserves the right to limit the number of students approved for a particular program and/or term.

The final decision regarding acceptance rests with the Director of International Programs and the Curriculum Committee.
 

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Student Code of Conduct Abroad

All Puget Sound students sign a waiver and agreement before studying abroad. Students must abide by the agreement. Violation of the student agreement will result in removal from the program.

Consistent with the educational objectives of these programs, student participants are expected to exhibit sensitivity to the host culture, to respect and observe local rules and laws, and to conduct themselves in ways that demonstrate a high regard for the intellectual and cultural experience in which they are engaged. The University of Puget Sound or its agent reserves the right to dismiss any participant for reasons of unacceptable personal behavior or inadequate academic participation. Such dismissal will be without refund, return transportation will be at the student’s expense, and the student’s parent/guardian may be informed of the student’s dismissal.

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Study Abroad Programs

To receive academic credit, students must select a program from the approved program list and participate in the program through the University of Puget Sound.

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Pre-Departure Orientations

Prior to studying abroad, all Puget Sound students must participate in a pre-departure session and submit all required forms and documents.

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Program Specific Application Procedures

After approval by Puget Sound, students must complete their program-specific application by the deadline set by Puget Sound.

Students can only apply to the program in which they were approved to study abroad by the International Education Committee.

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Student Housing While Abroad

All Puget Sound students, on any program, must stay in program-approved housing. Students are not permitted to find their own accommodations or independent housing while abroad even if this is permitted by the program. Some programs allow students to seek their own accommodations outside of the housing provided by the study abroad program either at the beginning of the program or after completing some portion of the program. This is not permitted for Puget Sound students.

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Study Abroad Credit and Grading

All Puget Sound students complete a Course Evaluation Form as part of their Puget Sound application to study abroad. The Course Evaluation Form is then reviewed by the Office of International Programs, in conjunction with department chairs and the Office of the Registrar, to determine how the courses taken abroad will apply towards their degree requirements.

The number of units earned for each course abroad differs greatly by program and country. Many programs will state the number of credits earned in each course in US semester credit hours. The conversion is as follows:

  • 4 semester credits (or credit hours) = 1 Puget Sound unit

Many programs have courses worth 3 semester credits, therefore .75 Puget Sound unit. If you have questions about this, please contact internationalprograms@pugetsound.edu.

Study abroad grades are included in your cumulative GPA on your Academic Requirements (AR) report. The AR report is a tracking audit to verify students satisfy all degree requirements, and is no longer used following graduation. The cumulative GPA is comprised of grades from all courses included in the 32 units required for your degree, including study abroad courses and courses transferred from other U.S. colleges. Study abroad grades are also included in the major or minor GPA, if applicable, on the AR report, for purposes of degree clearance and departmental honors. You must have at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA to graduate, and a 2.00 GPA or higher for any major or minor.

Study abroad courses, but not grades, are listed on the UPS transcript. Thus, the study abroad grades are not part of the Puget Sound GPA on your transcript. The course title and unit value will be listed on the transcript. The grade is not listed. The transcript is the official academic record that students submit to graduate schools and employers after graduation.

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Study Abroad Program Extensions

Students wanting to extend their study abroad program must request approval for an extension in writing and have the extension request reviewed by the International Education Committee. Requests for an extension will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

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Travel Advisory Policy

The University of Puget Sound reserves the right to cancel or withdraw approval of a program at any time if it involves risk to students traveling to that country or those countries. Typically the university will cancel or withdraw approval of a program in areas for which there are travel advisories of level three or four, issued by the US State Department (DOS) or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). See the Travel Abroad Policy for High-Risk Areas for detailed information.

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