Education Abroad Policies

Policy on Education Abroad Funding

To encourage Berea College students to include international study in their degree program, the College makes available grants and loans to support international travel that earns academic credit. Because funding is limited and the goal is to enable as many students as possible to enrich their education, the number of times a student can receive financial support from the College is restricted. New and transfer students in their first two regular terms of study are ineligible for financial support. Students who are U.S. citizens can apply for funding to participate in an education abroad program (excluding internships, independent studies, or team-initiated studies). International students, already having an intercultural experience through study at Berea, can apply for institutional funding for one faculty-led Berea International Summer Term (BIST) course. International students generally will not receive funding to spend a term outside the United States. However, those majoring in a foreign language may be eligible for a scholarship from the Foreign Languages Program.

Policy on Probation and Education Abroad

Students must be in good standing to participate in approved education abroad opportunities, including, but not limited to, Berea Term Abroad (BTA), Berea International Summer Term (BIST) courses, internships, and independent or team-initiated studies. As such, students on labor, academic, and/or social probation are not permitted to apply for, register for, and/or participate in such opportunities. All students registered for education abroad opportunities will be subject to a mid-term labor performance review, and those found to be significantly deficient in meeting the required labor obligation will not be allowed to go abroad. Any student placed on probation during or at the end of the term preceding international study will not be allowed to participate in an education abroad opportunity, even if the student has been registered.

Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Education Abroad Advisor and by the appropriate administrator: the Director of Academic Services for academic probation, the Dean of Labor for labor probation, or the Assistant Vice President for Student Life for social probation.

Policy on Continuing Abroad for a Second Term

A student who participates in an approved full term-length education-abroad program may continue abroad for a second term of study and remain registered at Berea College only with the approval of both the academic advisor and the Education Abroad Advisor. This approval will be granted only under the following conditions: a revised curriculum plan is submitted demonstrating that the extension will not increase the total terms in the undergraduate program, the academic advisor endorses the revised curriculum plan, and no additional institutional financial aid is being requested.

Policy on Medical Immunizations for Education Abroad

Students participating in international study/travel opportunities are required to receive from Student Health Services or a recognized travel authority such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or similar body all immunizations recommended for travel to a particular region. Exceptions to this policy will be made only for a student who has had a waiver from immunization for religious reasons on file with the College from the time of initial enrollment. Any student requesting exemption must receive counseling from Student Health Services concerning the risks they are assuming prior to signing a special waiver form before every international trip. (Also see “International Education “Here and There” in the Catalog.)

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