Policies and Procedures

Fairfield students are invited to responsibly engage with their new host community through a variety of academic, cultural, and experiential activities. To ensure both the academic progression and the well-being of our students, Fairfield has set standards of engagement for our students in our Global Fairfield programs. Please become familiar with these policies as it pertains to your time abroad.

Study Abroad is intended to build upon and enhance students’ educational experiences. For this reason, program choices will be carefully reviewed with each student to ensure a good fit between academics and destination.

• Fairfield University administers its own programs called Centers in Australia; France, Italy; Ireland; and Spain. Fairfield University also has a variety of approved programs through other institutions and providers that bring students to other parts of the world such as Africa, Asia, the Americas and other countries in Europe. Please consult with a study abroad advisor or visit the study abroad website for the complete list of approved programs. In order to receive academic credit, students must both apply through Global Fairfield and participate in an approved program.  Students may only participate in an approved study abroad program coordinated through Global Fairfield.
• All students must apply for approval to study abroad through the Global Fairfield. Once approved, students will be advised on the steps needed to receive acceptance through the host provider or institution.
• All applications will be considered, but students may not always receive approval for their desired program. Admissions decisions are made in collaboration with the host institution and are based on a variety of factors the first of which is academic compatibility as well as space availability in classes and accommodations. While we will make every reasonable effort to place students with their preferred program we ask that students indicate alternate programs that also meet their needs and interests.
• Students must be in good standing with the Dean of Students at the time of application and program start date. Students with unresolved code of conduct issues may not be approved for study abroad; such applications will be considered on a case by case basis.
• Students are required to submit a non-refundable application fee to Global Fairfield for application review and consideration. Upon approval from Fairfield, students may encounter a separate application fee for acceptance into their program of choice.
• An overall GPA of 2.8 is required to study abroad for all programs at the time of application and program start date, including short-term and summer. Certain programs have their own criteria and may require higher GPAs. 
• As is stated in the Undergraduate Catalog under "Residency Requirement," students who wish to study abroad are reminded that Fairfield University requires students to complete the final 30 credits of their academic degree on the Fairfield University campus. Any student who wishes to request an exception to this policy must do so through their Dean’s Office. Global Fairfield is not authorized to grant exceptions to this academic policy. Students must complete a Global Study Plan in consultation with their academic advisor. To request the Global Study Plan for the 30 credit exception please contact GlobalFairfield@Fairfield.edu. The signed Study Plan must then be submitted to the Dean’s Office for final review and signature. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If approved by the Dean’s Office, the Global Study Plan may then be submitted to Global Fairfield and the student may proceed with their application to study abroad.

The $1,000.00 Housing Placement Fee will indicate commitment to a Study Abroad Program and can be received up to the applicable deadline. Once the deposit is paid, the student is committed to the program. Should the student decide to withdraw from the program after the $1,000.00 is received, students should refer to the Cancellation and Withdraw Policy. The fee is applied to the semester housing while abroad and will be reflected on the student's account. For payment deadlines, please visit our Deadlines page.

• Students who study abroad through Fairfield University for a semester on an approved program are charged regular Fairfield tuition. Housing and meal charges will vary by location.  
• Fees and billing for short-term programs vary. Please see here the program-specific pricing. Students who wish to use financial aid during the summer are encouraged to connect with the Fairfield University Office of Financial Aid to explore the possibility of having their financial aid package readjusted to include their summer abroad.

• Housing Security Deposit -Upon program acceptance students will be required to pay a $500 Housing Security Deposit.  This may be refundable to the student upon final review by local landlord and staff. Refunds may take between 4 and 6 weeks to process.

• All Fairfield scholarships and aid, including federal funds, can be used towards study abroad expenses for one semester with the exceptions of athletic scholarships, FACHEX, tuition exchange and work-study monies. With the approval of the Associate Vice Provost for Global Strategy, modern language, international business, and international studies majors may use Fairfield University financial aid for two semesters abroad for select programs.
• Fees and billing for short term programs vary. Please visit the program specific website for information.

• The normal course load for a study abroad student is four/five courses per semester, equivalent to 15 to 16 credit hours, depending on your program.
• All coursework while studying abroad must be taken with the partner University/program the student is enrolled in.
• Students participating on semester long programs must abide by the requirements for full-time enrollment established by the host institution/partner program and visa requirements.
• Students must be academically engaged in courses at a minimum of 4 days per week.
• Courses taught abroad are conducted in English, unless otherwise specified on the brochure page and Database of Approved Courses. All students who participate in a Center program for a semester or more in a non-English speaking country must enroll in a course related to language and culture. Some programs have a required language component which will be indicated on the program brochure page.
• Students may only select coursework that has received pre-approval and is listed in the Database of Approved Courses for their chosen program and term. The Database of Approved Courses can be found on the relevant program brochure page. Failure to comply with this policy may result in delayed graduation and/or have financial implications based on your Financial Aid Award package. Global Fairfield withholds the right to remove students from unapproved courses and register them for an approved course of the Global Fairfield's choosing.
• All academic coursework completed through a Center or an Academically Preferred Program receives Fairfield University resident credit, and the grades are calculated into the student's grade point average. These grades will be posted to the students’ Fairfield transcripts.  Fairfield University may not edit, delete or change the grade notations on a foreign university transcript.
• Students participating in affiliated or exchange program, like Black Friars, CYA Non Honors Summer or Semester, Domestic Jesuit Partner Programs, LSE, Loyola Vietnam, Maastricht, Sogang and WII earn transfer credit, meaning that grades earned will not appear on your Fairfield transcript. Students must earn a C or better for credit to transfer. Fairfield University may not edit, delete or change the grade notations on a foreign university transcript
• Drop-add requirements vary by program and may be considered by Global Fairfield in consultation with the host University/program. Requests made for courses that are not approved, alternates that do not fit the prescribed schedule, or to reduce class days will not be approved.
• Fairfield University’s top priority is ensuring that students are enrolled in the courses they need to progress academically. As some courses have mandatory Field Learning and as all students are required to be academically engaged 4 days per week, some course schedules may include Friday classes or weekend excursions.
• As a reminder, to merit a Fairfield University degree, at least 60 credits must be taken at Fairfield. This includes the last 30 semester credits immediately preceding graduation that must be earned at Fairfield University.

For academic grievances, students are expected to first follow the academic grievance process of their program/University abroad. If this step fails to resolve the matter, students may file a grievance through Global Fairfield.  In collaboration with the program/University abroad, Global Fairfield will oversee the relevant next steps towards any further resolution of the grievance.

Fairfield University students who study abroad for a semester or year are charged Undergraduate Fairfield tuition. Where applicable, students will be charged Fairfield housing and Fairfield board rates. Fairfield University scholarships and aid, including Federal Funds, may be used towards your study abroad expenses for one semester. Athletic scholarships, FACHEX, tuition exchange and work-study monies are not eligible. A percentage of Dependent Grant-in-Aid may be used for study abroad tuition. Please contact Human Resources for details. With the approval of the Associate Vice Provost for Global Strategy and the relevant department chair, Modern Language, International Business, and International Studies majors may use Fairfield University financial aid for two semesters abroad.

The Fairfield University Office of the Bursar will bill all Fairfield students studying abroad prior to the start of each term. The Monthly Tuition Payment Plan is available.

Payment for Fairfield University administered summer or short term programs are made directly to Global Fairfield.

Students studying abroad are often eligible for alternative scholarships and are encouraged to use these resources to reduce their financial burden. Some scholarships can be used to pay parts of tuition while others can be put toward flights or living expenses.

If Fairfield University authorizes a withdrawal, a meeting will be required of the student upon their return to the states to discuss whether or not any course work is recoverable and how to proceed.

Cancellation and Withdrawal Policy

Cancellation

A student may cancel their program participation prior to departure.  Should a student decide to cancel, the student may still be assessed any portion of those costs which are non-recoverable to Fairfield University up to and including all tuition, housing, board, and/or any programming fees for the full length of the program in which they are enrolled. This will be assessed on a case by case basis.  Fairfield University is not responsible for personal expenses, visas, airfare, books, personal travel, incidentals, transportation costs, etc. not directly paid by Fairfield University or included in the published program fees.  

If students wish to insure against the financial impact of an interruption or cancellation of program abroad, please refer to the options for Cancel for any Reason (CFAR) or Interrupt for any Reason (IFAR) travel insurance.

Fairfield University Program Cancellation or Suspension

Fairfield University reserves the right to make cancellations, changes or substitutions in cases of emergency or changed conditions. Should Fairfield University cancel a program prior to departure, any program fees paid to Fairfield University would be reimbursed. Fairfield University is not responsible for non-Fairfield University billed expenses such as visas, flights, etc. if the program is cancelled.

Withdrawal

A student may request to withdraw from their program at any point after departure.   All requests must be received in writing to the Global Fairfield account (globalfairfield@fairfield.edu). Fairfield University is not required to approve withdrawal requests. If Fairfield University authorizes a withdrawal, Fairfield University cannot guarantee the completion of courses interrupted by an early return or guarantee that any credits, grades, or transcripts will be awarded or that any portion of the costs associated with the entirety of the program in which the student is enrolled including tuition, fees, housing, board and programming fees will be refunded. Fairfield University is not responsible for personal expenses, visas, airfare, books, personal travel, incidentals, transportation costs, etc. not directly paid by Fairfield University or included in the published program fees.

Medical Withdrawal

• Per the medical insurance provider, a student request for a withdrawal for medical reasons must be verified by our medical insurance provider prior to departure from the program for support and benefits to apply.
  • If the student complies with the medical verification, Fairfield University and the hosting University/partner will review the request and respond accordingly. All decisions are final.
  • If the student does not comply with the medical verification and withdraws from the program without approval no credit or transcript will be awarded and no program fees will be refunded.

Personal Withdrawal

• If a student requests a withdrawal for personal reasons Fairfield University will require verification and may request additional documentation in order to approve the withdrawal.
• If a student does not comply with the request for verification and withdraws from the program without approval no credit or transcript will be awarded and no program fees will be refunded.

While studying abroad, Fairfield University academic and student conduct policies remain in effect. Participants are expected to follow and adhere to these policies as enumerated in the Undergraduate Catalog and Student Handbook. From time to time deviations from these published documents may be required due to differences in local law, practice, or custom abroad. For more information, please refer to the Student Handbook.

Students who violate the code of conduct while abroad will be required to meet with staff from the Dean of Students Office by phone or skype to address the violation.

• Infraction will become part of their student record and serious violations may result in the dismissal of the student from the program.
• If a student is dismissed due to code of conduct violations, no credit or transcript will be awarded and no program fees will be refunded.
• Students are also required to adhere to all local laws.

Students participating on a Global Fairfield program are expected to participate on all scheduled programming events. Failure to participate will result in a financial penalty after a review is conducted of the expenses that were incurred on the students’ behalf. 

Fairfield students: These charges will be applied directly to the students’ University bill and can be paid online through the Office of the Bursar.

Non-Fairfield students: Students will be provided with an invoice of the charges and payment instructions. Failure to submit this payment will result in a hold on the students’ account. Until the hold is removed, the official transcript will not be released to the student or their home institution.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides for the confidentiality of student educational records at Fairfield University.  Fairfield University may not disclose information in a student’s educational records to anyone without the permission of the student, unless disclosure is permitted by an exception set forth in FERPA, 20 U.S.C.A., Sec. 1232 et seq. By completing and signing the attached form, you the student are granting permission to Fairfield University officials to disclose and/or discuss the information authorized by the student on their FERPA Release form. Students are not required to submit a FERPA form; it is the student's discretion to decide whether or not they want to provide Fairfield University with this information.

Students who choose to complete the FERPA Release Form, must complete the FERPA Release questionnaire in their StudioAbroad application following approval to study abroad. For students who elect not to complete the FERPA Release Form, Fairfield University and the Office of Study Abroad will be unable to relay certain information to parents or guardians. In cases of emergency abroad, including hospitalization and student status during national emergencies, Fairfield University and the Office of Study Abroad may release necessary information to parents or guardians.

Questions regarding FERPA and the procedures followed by Fairfield University to comply with FERPA may be referred to the Office of the Dean of Students. Information about FERPA can be found online at www.ed.gov/offices/OM/fpco.

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act do not apply to foreign institutions. Though many of our partners will do their best to accommodate for student’s needs, please know that there are times when accommodations cannot always be made.

We invite all students to self-disclose to Global Fairfield throughout the application process so that the Global Fairfield may work with the student to identify the programs and services that best meet their individual needs and provide them with comparable services while abroad. Students who wish to disclose should request their paperwork to be forwarded the Office of Global Fairfield. The student should then request a meeting or call with their Global Fairfield study abroad advisor to discuss their needs. Global Fairfield will work closely with the student, accessibility support services and with the institution overseas to see if accommodations can be met and to assist with next steps.

If the student requires a reasonable accommodation or has concerns about participation in any Travel Program activities, the student agrees to provide adequate notice to Global Fairfield in advance of their commitment deadline in writing. Student also agrees to provide a complete and detailed written description, and supporting documentation as necessary, concerning the accommodation being requested. Student agrees to provide such information in writing between the time of application approval and the program commitment deadline so as to provide sufficient time for the Program Administrators to review together with the student and confirm the capacity of the Program to provide the requested accommodation(s). Although many countries are becoming more aware of the needs of people with disabilities, not all countries have similar laws and accessible infrastructure and services. Global Fairfield will make efforts to assist students with finding reasonable accommodations which cannot fundamentally alter the nature of a course or program of study or present an undue hardship for either Fairfield University or the Host Institution. If the student agrees to participate in the Program, the student also agrees to participate safely in all Travel Program components with or without reasonable accommodation.

Students who determine to self-disclose after the deposit deadline, are advised that not all hosting partners are able to accommodate all disabilities. Should a student make the choice to self-disclose after the deposit deadline, Global Fairfield will work with all parties and make every effort to accommodate the students’ needs but cannot guarantee that the host institution will be able to meet those needs. In this event, the host institution may withdraw their acceptance of the student. The cancellation policy will still be applicable in this situation. If Global Fairfield is not able to find an alternate program that is still accepting applications and which meets the students’ academic and disability needs the student will be withdrawn from study abroad or advised to study abroad in the following term, where applicable.  

Students who choose not to self-disclose, risk the ability to receive disability support while abroad and may be dismissed from the program at the discretion of the host university if the institution determines that they are unable to provide the required support services and that those services are deemed to be essential to the student’s ability to successfully complete the program. The withdrawal policy will still be applicable in this situation.

• All students studying abroad are required to be housed in Fairfield University approved or administered housing.
• All students must abide by their program specific housing rules and regulations discussed on-site during orientation. Failure to follow these rules and regulations can result in code of conduct discipline up to including expulsion from the program.
• Only students who participate on a Fairfield program can be placed in Fairfield University Program housing.
• Upon arrival, students are often required to sign a housing lease and/or agreement understanding the terms and conditions of their residency.
• Housing Security Deposit - Upon program acceptance students will be required to pay a $500 Housing Security Deposit.  This may be refundable to the student upon final review by local landlord and staff. Refunds may take between 4 and 6 weeks to process.
• All types of damage caused to any student residence or its furnishings are the responsibility of the students assigned to that residence, and repair costs will be billed accordingly. Damage that occurs in common areas of student residences (e.g., hallways, common bathrooms, backyards, etc.) will be divided and shared among all residents of that particular residence hall, floor, or block.
• All Global Fairfield students are expected to be considerate of their neighbors and the community at large. They should monitor noise levels within and projecting from their homes, and if they host guests or parties, they should arrange for the quiet and appropriate arrival and departure of their guests.
• The standards of conduct will be violated by behavior off campus that results in a neighborhood disturbance. A neighborhood disturbance may occur at the site of a social gathering at an off-campus residence (e.g., loud music or conversation levels) or through activity on the part of those arriving at or leaving a social gathering at an off-campus residence (e.g., littering, property damage, fighting, obscene or disruptive behavior, noise disturbances, etc.).