Policies and Procedures

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.

• Upon approval form your home institution, non-Fairfield students applying to a Fairfield Center Program must apply for admission by completing the online application.
• All applications will be considered, but students may not always receive approval for their desired program. Admissions decisions are made in collaboration with the home and host institutions and are based on a variety of factors the first of which is academic compatibility.
• Students must be in good standing with their home institution 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.
• 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. 

Fairfield University administers its own programs in Aix-en-Provence, France; Brisbane and Sydney, Australia; Florence, Italy; Galway, Ireland; London, England, Madrid and Barcelona, Spain. Non-Fairfield students may apply to any one of these programs, pending approval from their home institution. 

All students participating in Center programs receive Fairfield credit and grade for the term. 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.

 

• The normal course load for a study abroad student is five courses per semester, equivalent to 14 to 19 credit hours. To maintain full-time status, a study abroad student must be registered for a minimum of 15 credit hours each semester.
• Students participating on semester long programs must abide by the requirements for full-time enrollment established by the host institution/partner program.
• Students must be academically engaged in courses at a minimum of four days per week.
• Students wishing to engage in coursework other than that offered by the host institution or program, including online courses, may only do so with the explicit approval of the Fairfield University Office of Study Abroad and only if the request is the only option that permits the student to maintain their degree completion trajectory while studying abroad. 
• Fairfield University requires all students studying in a non-English speaking country for a semester or more to take one course on local language and culture while abroad. Language course requirements vary by home institution policies. Please visit your home institutions study abroad office for additional information regarding home institution language requirements.
• Credits and grade for studying abroad will only be granted for academic work successfully completed at the host institution. All coursework must receive pre-approval from your home institution. Each home institution has different policies and procedures regarding academics. Please visit your university’s study abroad website or Study Abroad Office for additional information. Students' transcripts will be automatically mailed to their home institution within 8 - 10 weeks from program end date.
• Drop-add requests will be approved for compelling academic reasons only as determined by Fairfield University in consultation with your host University/program. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate drop-add requests. 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 required Field Learning and as all students are required to be academically engaged four days per week, some course schedules may include Friday classes or weekend excursions.

For academic grievances, the normal procedure for informal resolution as specified in the catalog is modified as follows. Students must first file a written appeal with the instructor, followed by a written appeal to the program if the first level appeal does not resolve the matter. If the second step also fails to resolve the matter, students have the option of filing a third step grievance through the Director of Study Abroad. After conversation with the instructor of record and/or program, the Director will inform the student whether or not the grade shall be changed by the instructor of record. If the student is dissatisfied with the outcome, the Director will inform the student of the right to initiate formal review procedures. However, if the overseas institution does not offer an appeal process, or does not provide a response to the appeal, participants will be unable to file a formal grievance of their grades.

• Programming in the January Intersession, spring break and summer are available to non-Fairfield students. These programs are offered in various disciplines. Short-term programs facilitate by Fairfield University are available to non-Fairfield students.
• Programming changes each year, please consult with a Fairfield University study abroad advisor or visit the Fairfield University study abroad website for current offerings.
• Credits and grades for studying abroad on a short-term program will only be granted for academic work successfully completed.
• All coursework must receive pre-approval from students’ home institution. Each home institution has different policies and procedures regarding academics. Credit and approval varies depending on students’ home institution’s policies. Students should visit their home institutions study abroad website or Study Abroad Office for additional information.
• Requirements and cost vary depending on program length and type.

• Fees vary depending on program type and length. Please contact your home institution's study abroad office for additional information regarding program fees.
• The use of financial aid for study abroad programs depends on your home university's policies. Please contact your home institution's Financial Aid office for additional information.

• All fees can be paid on the Fairfield study abroad application by clicking the appropriate material on the application. Payments can be made via Visa, MasterCard or AmEx. Fees can also be paid by mailing a check to Global Fairfield at Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. All checks should be made out to “Fairfield University”.

Deposit

• Depending on your home institution, students who study abroad on a semester/year program may be required to submit a $1,000 Housing Placement Fee to Fairfield University. If applicable, this fee will be listed on your study abroad application. This deposit is part of the total program cost. Deposits are due on the following dates:
  • Spring Semester: October 15
  • Fall and Year Semester: April 1

• Students enrolling in a for credit internship will be required to pay the Housing Placement Fee on the following dates:
  • Spring Semester - October 1
  • Fall Semester - March 15

Program Fee

• Depending on your home institution, students who study abroad for a semester/year program may be required to submit a program balance fee. If applicable, this fee will be listed on your study abroad application. Balances are due on the following dates:
  • Spring Semester: November 1
  • Fall/Year Semester: July 1
  • Summer Semester: March 1

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.

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. For more information please see here.  

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, visit the Student Handbook page.

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 Fairfield Center or Fairfield Select 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 (FERPA)

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 https://www.ed.gov/.

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 and to your home university 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 first identify themselves to their home institution to discuss their individual needs and to request their paperwork to be forwarded the Office of Global Fairfield at Fairfield University. Each home university has their own policies and procedures for students to follow. 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, their home institution 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 participating on a Fairfield University approved or administered program are required to be housed in Fairfield University approved or administered housing.
• All students will pay a $500 Housing Security Deposit that maybe refundable after final inspection. Refunds will take 4 to 6 weeks to be returned.
• 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.
• 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.
• Students living off campus, including students on study abroad programs, 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.).