1. Summer Faculty-led Programs STUDY ABROAD ONLINE PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION MODULE

2. Welcome to the Online Orientation for Summer Faculty-led Programs!  This module covers all of the topics listed on the tabs above to help prepare you for your program abroad.  This module takes approximately 15-20 minutes.  The orientation modules will remain available to you on MySAO after completion. They can be a good resource throughout your preparation and even while abroad.  In addition to this online module, you will have mandatory in-person pre- departure meetings on campus during the spring semester to prepare you for the personal, cultural and academic experience abroad.

3. What is a Summer Faculty-led Program?  Summer faculty-led programs consist of summer courses taught and/or facilitated by UT faculty at an international location.  Summer faculty-led programs offer six to twelve hours of credit, depending on the program.  They take place during the summer, although dates do not always correspond with UT summer sessions on campus.

4. Program Fees  You are responsible for paying for tuition, airfare, meals, personal expenses, international insurance coverage, and a program fee. Program fees are different for each summer program. The program fee generally includes accommodation, some meals, field trips and excursions.  You will pay a $500 non-refundable deposit after acceptance to confirm your participation in the program. This deposit is applied to your program fee. The remainder of the program fee is due May 1st. The deposit and remaining program fee balance will be posted to What I Owe shortly after acceptance.

5. Program Fees  The program fee does not include tuition. The tuition rate depends on your program type.  Some programs require that you pay UT tuition for some or all of the courses, just as you would on campus.  For other programs, students pay an Affiliated Studies (AS) registration fee in lieu of UT tuition - $100 for one course or $400 for two or more courses.

6.  Most federal, state and UT institutional aid can be used on summer programs. To be eligible for financial aid, you must fill out a FAFSA.FAFSA  The UT Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) considers the additional costs of studying abroad when calculating your student aid package. The estimated costs are based on a program budget submitted by your Study Abroad program coordinator. (See sample on Program Page). This estimated budget includes tuition, program fees, room and board, airfare, books and international health insurance.UT Office of Student Financial Services Program Page  OSFS will revise your financial aid package based on this budget and your individual financial circumstances. The award increase is most often in the form of additional loans and may require a co-signer with good credit, although some students may receive additional grants or scholarships.  OSFS will send you an Electronic Financial Aid Notification (E-FAN) with your new financial aid package. Be sure to respond promptly to every correspondence you receive from OSFS. You may receive more than one E-FAN as your aid is recalculated.  Summer aid is often packaged less than one month before program start dates. Plan as if all aid will be in the form of loans unless you are told otherwise.

7.  Financial aid funds are not released until after the official start of the UT summer session, which means that you may already be abroad when your aid releases. Financial aid cannot be released early.  Be sure to make your financial plan accordingly. You will have expenses before departure, such as your plane ticket and program deposit, and on-the-ground costs when you arrive to your host country.  When your aid is released, the funds are first used to pay off anything owed to the university. Any remaining funds will be released to you.  In order for your aid to release, the following must be complete:  Online Financial Aid Counseling module on MySAO  UT registration  Tuition bill (must be paid or deferred to financial aid)

8. Emergency Tuition Loans  In the event that you have not received your E-FAN by the tuition payment deadline, you can obtain an Emergency Tuition Loan to complete tuition payment. Remember, all financial bars must be cleared before processing an Emergency Tuition Loan.Emergency Tuition Loan

9. Registration for Summer Faculty-led Courses  Faculty-led courses abroad cannot be audited or taken on a credit/no credit basis. You must register for a full course load during your program.  Registration procedures for summer programs vary by program type. You will get detailed registration instructions from your Study Abroad program coordinator.  It is your responsibility to be sure your summer registration is complete. If you fail to register on time, you will no longer be an official program participant and you will not be eligible to receive financial aid or attend the program.  Your UT tuition bills and program fees must be paid or deferred to financial aid on time in order for your registration to be complete and your participation confirmed.

10. Grades and Credit  The credit you will receive for your program depends on your program type:  UT courses (registration with a UT course number, UT tuition) count as in- residence credit. The grades for UT courses are factored into your UT GPA.  Affiliated Studies courses (registration with AS placeholder, AS fee in lieu of tuition) generally count as transfer credit. The grades earned in AS courses will appear on your UT transcript, but they will not be factored into your UT GPA. You must earn a grade of "C-" or better in order to receive credit for AS courses taken abroad.  All students are required to maintain good academic standing to be eligible for the program. Failure to maintain good academic standing before departure will cause you to be withdrawn from the program without a refund.  Failure to complete course prerequisites with the required grade or fulfill special conditions for acceptance will cause you to be withdrawn from the program without a refund.

11. Graduation Restrictions  Sometimes it is possible for graduating seniors to participate in a faculty- led summer program; however, it may result in later degree conferral or prevent you from participating in the graduation ceremony.  Affiliated Studies (AS) registration may also affect your graduation plans, as it generally takes one long semester after you return for AS credit to post.

12. Program Withdrawals and Refunds  If you decide to withdraw from a summer faculty-led program, you must notify your program coordinator in writing as soon as possible. You are responsible for dropping the associated courses from your summer registration.  You are responsible for understanding your program’s withdrawal and refund policies. Failure to abide by the program's policy may have severe academic and financial costs.  The $50 application fee and $500 deposit are non-refundable.

13. Program Withdrawals and Refunds  Additional financial penalties depend on the date of withdrawal. When you applied to the program, you electronically signed the Study Abroad Financial Responsibility Policy. You can review this policy on your MySAO page.  In signing, you acknowledged that you have read and accept responsibility for the policy and understand that you will be liable, barred and responsible for the amount owed according to the policy’s withdrawal schedule.  If you use financial aid, withdrawing from the program may affect your summer financial aid package, which has been calculated to include costs associated with the study abroad program. If you withdraw from the program, your financial aid award will be recalculated to reflect your withdrawal. Therefore, you will be responsible for repaying any financial aid funds received for the program.  If you must withdraw from the program due to failure to complete course prerequisites with the required grade or failure to meet special conditions placed on your acceptance, you will be subject to the financial penalties outlined in the Study Abroad Financial Responsibility Policy.

14. Summer Faculty-led Programs To complete this module, proceed to the acknowledgement page. (cut and paste url into your web browser) https://utdirect.utexas.edu/student/abroad/stud_orient.WBX You may access this module on MySAO at any time. Updated: November 10, 2014