Frequently Asked Questions

What is Study Abroad?

What exactly is study abroad? Do I get credit for it?

Study abroad is an opportunity to take courses in another country and earn credit toward your degree at Utah State. Students who go on faculty-led programs will be directly enrolled in USU courses, while credits earned on any other type of program will come back as transfer credits.

I want to participate in a study abroad program that is not listed on your website. Can I do the program and get credit through study abroad?

If you’d like to participate in a program that is not approved by study abroad, first discuss the program and your motivations with your study abroad advisor. There may be similar program options that are already approved, and your advisor will work with you to find an approved option that works for you. Please Note: Archaeological field schools and Global Communication practicums should be approved through Study Abroad. Please email studyabroad@usu.edu to start the process.

If you do not find an appropriate approved program, and you have specific academic reasons for wanting to participate in an unapproved program, apply for the Independent Program Petition in our program search. You will be asked for a statement outlining how your program will meet your academic needs and how other USU-approved programs do not meet your educational goals.

Study abroad staff will evaluate your application according to the program’s relevance to your educational goals as well as whether the program fills a unique need as compared to other USU-approved programs. Study abroad staff will also consider the support services, housing, facilities, cultural immersion, and security conditions of the program.

Study Abroad Eligibility

Do I have to speak another language to study abroad?

No! There are many program options where courses are taught in English, even in countries where English is not the primary language. If you would like to learn a new language from scratch or build upon existing language skills, there are many programs available

I’m 17. Can I study abroad?

If you are under 18, please notify your study abroad advisor. You will need to meet the program criteria and your guardian must sign a waiver allowing your participation in study abroad. 

I’m a new transfer student. When can I study abroad?

We recommend that transfer students spend at least one full-time semester at USU before studying abroad. This ensures that you integrate into the university community and have learned from your experience on campus before going abroad. If you do not meet this guideline, speak with your study abroad advisor. During the application process, your study abroad advisor will reach out to you and ask you to explain why it would be beneficial for you to go abroad now rather than later in your academic career. This will be taken into consideration for your application.

I'm a freshman. Can I study abroad?

Yes! We generally recommend that freshman spend at least two semesters at USU before studying abroad, but all short-term spring break and summer programs are open to freshmen, and freshmen may be considered for longer programs as well. If you want to spend less than two semesters at USU before going abroad (with the exception of spring break programs), speak with your study abroad advisor. During the application process, your study abroad advisor will reach out to you and ask you to explain why it would be beneficial for you to go abroad now rather than later in your academic career. This will be taken into consideration for your application.

Academic

My GPA is lower than the recommended minimum GPA for the program I want to do. Can I still apply?

Yes, we encourage you to apply! While each program has a recommended minimum GPA for student participants to ensure successful academic participation, we recognize that individual circumstances may affect eligibility. In the application process, you will be emailed about your lower than recommended GPA and asked to provide an explanation, as well as meet with your study abroad advisor to discuss. We understand that life happens and that many things can affect GPA – please don’t let a lower than recommended GPA stop you from applying! 

How can I get my transcript from my study abroad?

If you did a USU faculty-led program, you will receive USU credit on your USU transcript just like you normally would. If you did an exchange or direct program, please notify your program provider or host institution to send your transcript directly to: 

Office of Global Engagement – Study Abroad
9545 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-9545

Once Study Abroad receives your transcript, you will be notified.

You will have access to your transcript through the Document Center in your application, and you may pick up the official copy of your transcript from Study Abroad. It is helpful to keep the official copy in the signed and sealed envelope in case you are applying for a graduate program or job in which you need to submit an official transcript from your study abroad experience.

If you need additional copies of your transcript, Study Abroad can provide a copy of your transcript with an official letter in a signed and sealed envelope. The cost for this service is $5 per transcript copy if you pick it up and $10 if it is shipped to the address you provide. See  the Returning Students webpage for more information about how to order your transcript. 

Please note: some graduate institutions may still require the original transcript from the host institution – make sure to check your graduate institution’s admission requirements to know if a certified copy from USU Study Abroad will suffice or if you will need an original copy.

Can I audit a study abroad course?

Yes, in many cases this is possible. Auditing students still pay USU tuition per university policy. If you’d like to audit a faculty-led program course, discuss with the faculty leader, and if you’d like to audit an exchange or direct program course, discuss with your study abroad advisor. USU policy does not allow auditors to register prior to the first day of classes, so auditing students must register, pay tuition, then change their registration to audit beginning the first day of the class and before 20% of the class has completed.

Financial

I want to go on two study abroad programs in one year. Do I have to pay an application fee for each program?

The USU Study Abroad application fee is $150.00. The application fee is nonrefundable and must be paid in full before your application will be reviewed.

One application fee may cover two consecutive semesters of non-faculty-led programs (i.e. fall semester in one place, and spring semester in another place) or two programs in the same semester. If you pay the application fee and do not participate, the application fee may be applied to a future program. Application fees cannot be transferred to another applicant.

If you paid an application fee in the last year, please email studyabroad@usu.edu to let us know you'd like to apply your previous payment to your new application.

It’s really expensive, right?

Not at Utah State! Many of our programs (exchange and faculty-led) are based on USU tuition and fees. Students who normally qualify for financial aid, including grants, scholarships and loans, may typically apply these awards to their study abroad program fees and tuition – just be sure to check with the Money Management Center for your particular situation. Check out our Explore Funding page for more information.

There are also many scholarships specific to study abroad that students can apply for, check out our Study Abroad Scholarships Resources page. While applying for a scholarship might seem daunting or unobtainable, Utah State has had students win many study abroad scholarships, do don’t count yourself out! We are here to help with scholarship essays, budgets, etc. – just ask us! 

Please note: it is common to be applying for a scholarship around the same time that you are applying for a study abroad program. You do not need to have applied for or been accepted to your program to apply for study abroad scholarships. In fact, waiting to apply may mean missing important scholarship deadlines. Some scholarships have more than one application cycle in a year and some only have one, so be sure to look far in advance to know when you need to submit your application. 

Why do you charge an application fee?

The study abroad application fee goes toward our office’s administrative functions. Responsible management of study abroad has costs for the university beyond the direct payment of the program's bill. USU incurs costs for the following:

• Developing programs with faculty, partner institutions and direct program providers. 
• Evaluating study abroad programs and providers.  
• Informing students and the university community about our programs and services. 
• Advising individual students on program choice and academics. 
• Maintaining an application management system. 
• Reviewing applications, working in collaboration with individual programs and the university community. 
• Coordinating with the Registrar's Office, Academic Advising, Disability Resource Center, CAPS and other campus parties to facilitate student programming. 
• Helping students with scholarship applications and essays. 
• Providing pre-departure orientations and essential emergency information prior to study abroad. 
• Administering business services to coordinate program funding.  
• Supporting students throughout study abroad should issues come up. 
• Guiding students through re-entry and career development after study abroad. 
• Facilitating course articulation and transfer of credit.

My program website says it costs less than USU tuition, so why am I being charged USU tuition?

Studying abroad at USU is comparable to on-campus study. Students earn USU credit, articulated back to their USU transcript after their return, and have access to university services while abroad. Paying tuition also allows students to apply financial aid, scholarships, grants, loans and the dependent half tuition benefit (if eligible) to study abroad programs. USU is then able to issue tax form 1098-T to students for the tuition amount paid.

Can I take an online course at USU during my study abroad, or additional courses before/after my study abroad in the same semester?

We don’t recommend that you take additional courses during your study abroad semester – give yourself enough time to explore, meet people, process the experience and do well in your existing study abroad courses!

However, if you choose to do this, be aware that you will be charged differently than you would be taking the same amount of credits during a non-study abroad semester (excluding spring break faculty-led programs).

Study abroad tuition is separate from other USU tuition since your study abroad tuition directly supports your program costs. For example, tuition paid for an exchange is used for an incoming exchange student; tuition paid for a faculty-led program is used for instructional costs; and tuition paid for a direct program is used for your program costs. Therefore, if you take a non-study abroad class during the same semester as your study abroad, it will be separate from your study abroad tuition and not counted toward the plateau tuition (excluding spring break faculty-led programs).

Also consider whether your host institution has a minimum credit requirement that you must take while abroad, and/or if there are visa/residency permit regulations around the minimum number of credits you must take. 

I can’t make my study abroad payment on time. Is there any penalty?

If the deposit, program fee and insurance, and/or tuition (tuition late fees are in effect for summer faculty-led programs only) are not paid by the deadlines, Study Abroad will assess a late fee of $25 the next business day after the due date and each week thereafter for 4 weeks. Study Abroad will withdraw your application one week after the 4th late fee has been charged if payment has still not been made. Late fees can accrue separately for the deposit, program fee and insurance, and/or tuition. Late fees will not be removed from your account after withdrawal and must be paid; deposits will not be returned, and program fees are refundable according to the Withdrawal Refund Policy. Tuition payments are subject to regular university policy.

Can I do a payment plan for tuition?

Yes! Students may utilize the same tuition payment plan that the greater university offers. Information on the payment plan can be found at the Bursar's Office. 

I need to withdraw from my program. Are the fees I’ve paid refundable?

If you withdraw your application, the application fee is nonrefundable, but may be applied to a future program. Application fees cannot be transferred to another applicant. The deposit is nonrefundable and program fees are refundable according to the Withdrawal Refund Policy below. Tuition is refundable according to university semester policy, with the exception of tuition for summer faculty-led programs which is nonrefundable.

If you have a compelling reason (medical, illness/death of a close family member academic, military, unanticipated financial situation or other) to withdraw from the program and provide supporting documentation, Study Abroad will consider an appeal sent via email to studyabroad@usu.edu. See the Refund Appeal form for details on how to appeal process.

If the appeal is accepted, the amount of the refund will be at the sole discretion of Study Abroad. Refund appeals will be considered up to 90 days after the date of withdrawal.

Withdrawal Refund Policy for Study Abroad Programs

• Application Fee ($150) is nonrefundable, but can be applied to another program 
• Program Fee Deposit ($500) is nonrefundable 
• Program Fee Balance: 
  
  • Full refund if withdrawal is greater than 120 days before program start date
  • Partial refund based on recoverable costs 30 to 119 days before program start date
  • No refund if withdrawal is less than 30 days before program start date

Exceptions to this policy may be granted for circumstances beyond the students' control, including but not limited to:

• Program cancellation
• Medical emergency
• Family emergency

See the Refund Appeal form for details on how to appeal. Direct program providers may have policies which take precedence over this policy.

My program was cancelled by Study Abroad. Will I receive a refund?

Occasionally, a program must be cancelled for reasons beyond our control. The reasons can be wide-ranging, such as health and safety concerns, personnel issues or other factors.  

If a program must be cancelled, we will make every effort to refund all recoverable costs to students. Program providers are often paid well in advance of student travel, and it may be impossible to recover those costs.

Can I use financial aid, grants, or scholarships toward my study abroad program?

Students who qualify for financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans, may almost always apply these awards to their study abroad program fees and tuition – we recommend checking with the Money Management Center for your particular situation. Check out our Explore Funding page for more information, and discuss any questions you have about financial aid with your study abroad advisor and your financial aid counselor.

When are payments due for programs?

Payment for programs is broken up into three parts: deposit, program fee and insurance, and tuition.

Upon acceptance by USU Study Abroad, a $500 program deposit will be posted to your student account and is due around two weeks after the date of acceptance (the specific due date will be indicated on your student account). Deposits are due regardless of your financial aid status.

If there is a program fee or insurance fee for your program, due dates vary but generally follow the table below. All students pay USU tuition by the tuition deadline for the term(s) they will be abroad.

Once you start an application, the “Payments Process” section outlines payments in more detail. Feel free to be in touch at studyabroad@usu.edu if you have any questions or would like help in exploring funding.

Fee Deadlines

• Fall or Academic Year: June 1*
• Spring, Spring Break, or Calendar Year: December 1*
• Summer: March 15*

Misc

Will study abroad affect my ability to seek resident status?

The Utah residency policy, R512, allows students to be absent from the state for certain programs required by the institution (see Section 5.3). In order for an absence to be waived, you must be receiving academic credit and the program must be required for graduation. Please complete the Absence From Utah For the Purpose of Required Institutional Programs form and email it to residency@usu.edu for verification. Providing this form does not guarantee an absence will be waived. Final approval must come from the Residency Office.

What if I want to bring my spouse, or other dependents, with me on study abroad?

If you are a student who is married and your spouse would like to join you while you participate on a study abroad program, this is possible!

For Semester or Academic Year Programs

Exchange programs: It depends on the program, but in many cases, spouses can accompany students on exchange programs. And if the spouse is also a USU student, the spouse can also apply to participate as a student on the exchange program.

A few elements to consider when a spouse is accompanying a student on a program abroad, but not participating as a student:

• Insurance for the spouse (available for purchase through USU Risk Management).
• Visa for the spouse, if needed.
• Married student housing, if desired; USU Study Abroad can assist in finding married student housing information for exchange programs.
• How will a spouse occupy his/her time while the student is in classes or studying (is employment or an internship possible on the visa type s/he is able to obtain)?
• Come up with a list of any other considerations particular to your situation

Direct: Accommodating spouses is at the discretion of the program provider.

For Summer or Short-Term Programs

Faculty-led: Spouses can participate on faculty-led programs as paying participants. A spouse may not accompany a student without also being a student on the program. If a spouse is not already a USU student, but wishes to apply for a faculty-led program, the spouse would need to apply to USU as a non-degree seeking student, as well as apply to the study abroad program.

If you are interested in bringing dependents with you, whether a spouse, children, etc., contact USU Study Abroad to discuss options, as some locations/programs will be more accommodating for dependents than others.