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Eligibility Requirements

1. To demonstrate academic achievement:

a. Students must meet all program-specific requirements (including minimum GPA, class standing, course pre-requisites, language pre-requisites, etc.). Please note: if a student’s cumulative GPA is below 2.5 the application will not be considered.

b. Students must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative gpa at the start of the program.

c. Students must earn a minimum 2.0 gpa the semester immediately before the start of the program.

d. Students with cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 must submit an additional application essay, to demonstrate that they have made significant progress towards achieving overall academic success.

e. Students applying to attend two different programs (one fall and one spring) must be aware that permission to study in two different programs during one academic year will be granted only in exceptional cases as justified by compelling academic goals. Students must submit an additional application essay that explains their reasons for applying to two programs, identify one preferred program, and identify how they will navigate the visa processes for both programs in a timely manner.

2. To demonstrate strong stability, responsibility, independence, and maturity:

a. Students must be in good conduct standing (not on a probationary conduct status) at the time of application and at the start of the program

b. Students must have appropriate class standing at the time of application:

i. Current first year students: may apply for Summer term (if earned at least 7 units during first year). Note: Current first year students may apply for Spring term in compelling and specific circumstances but will not be given priority
ii. Current second year students: may apply for Summer, Fall, and Spring terms
iii. Current third year students: may apply for Summer, Fall, and Spring terms
iv. Transfer students must complete one year in residence before studying abroad

c. Students must be on campus the semester when applying (spring) and the semester before studying abroad (fall or spring)

d. Students must submit a completed Puget Sound application by the deadline for an approved study abroad program. Completed applications include additional essays required if:

i. A student’s GPA is below 3.0
ii. A student is applying to more than one semester program in an academic year
Puget Sound does not permit students to apply for study abroad credit retroactively

f. Students must, once approved by Puget Sound to study abroad, complete the program-specific application by the deadline set by Puget Sound

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Study Abroad Application Process

Study abroad at Puget Sound includes a competitive application process.

Students must be approved by Puget Sound in order to study abroad. To seek approval students must submit a Puget Sound Application to Study Abroad by the Puget Sound application deadline.

Puget Sound has one application deadline in January and is for the following summer, fall and spring semesters.

It is important to note that study abroad operates within budgetary and enrollment parameters set by the University of Puget Sound; as a result there may be a limit to the number of students who can be approved each semester to study abroad. Simply submitting an application does not guarantee the University of Puget Sound’s approval to study abroad.

The Puget Sound Application process is a 2-step process

  1. Puget Sound Study Abroad Application - Students must complete a Puget Sound Study Abroad Application by the deadline and be approved to study abroad by the International Education Committee
  2. Program Specific Application - Students must complete their program specific application and be accepted by their specific program

Selection Criteria

The following selection criteria will be used:

1. Continued adherence to all eligibility criteria

2.Priority will be given to

a. Majors that require study abroad
b. Puget Sound sponsored programs (Oaxaca, Granada, Dijon)
c. Language immersion programs

3. Priority will be given to current third year students (at the time of application) who have not previously studied abroad, then current second year students, then current first year students.

4. Priority will be given to students who provide, in their response to the application essay prompt, a strong and detailed academic rationale for their study abroad plan and provide strong evidence of possessing the appropriate maturity, stability, flexibility, independence, and openness to be successful abroad.

5. Priority will be given to students with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Students with a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 may be approved if they successfully demonstrate, in an additional application essay, that they have made significant progress towards achieving overall academic excellence.

6. Students may be limited to a single program (semester or year). Students may only be approved for two different programs in a single academic year if they successfully convey, in an additional essay, compelling academic goals that can only be met by participating in two different programs and they provide evidence that they can complete the visa processes for both programs in a timely manner.

The final decision regarding acceptance rests with the Director of International Programs and the International Education Committee.

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Student Code of Conduct Abroad

All Puget Sound students sign a waiver and agreement before studying abroad. Students must abide by the agreement. Violation of the student agreement will result in removal from the program.

Consistent with the educational objectives of these programs, student participants are expected to exhibit sensitivity to the host culture, to respect and observe local rules and laws, and to conduct themselves in ways that demonstrate a high regard for the intellectual and cultural experience in which they are engaged. The University of Puget Sound or its agent reserves the right to dismiss any participant for reasons of unacceptable personal behavior or inadequate academic participation. Such dismissal will be without refund, return transportation will be at the student’s expense, and the student’s parent/guardian may be informed of the student’s dismissal.

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Study Abroad Programs

To receive academic credit, students must select a program from the approved program list and participate in the program through the University of Puget Sound.

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Pre-Departure Orientations

Prior to studying abroad, all Puget Sound students must participate in a pre-departure session and submit all required forms and documents.

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Program Specific Application Procedures

After approval by Puget Sound, students must complete their program-specific application by the deadline set by Puget Sound.

Students can only apply to the program in which they were approved to study abroad by the International Education Committee.

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Student Housing While Abroad

All Puget Sound students, on any program, must stay in program-approved housing. Students are not permitted to find their own accommodations or independent housing while abroad even if this is permitted by the program. Some programs allow students to seek their own accommodations outside of the housing provided by the study abroad program either at the beginning of the program or after completing some portion of the program. This is not permitted for Puget Sound students.

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Study Abroad Credit and Grading

All Puget Sound students complete a Course Evaluation Form as part of their Puget Sound application to study abroad. The Course Evaluation Form is then reviewed by the Office of International Programs, in conjunction with department chairs and the Office of the Registrar, to determine how the courses taken abroad will apply towards their degree requirements.

The number of units earned for each course abroad differs greatly by program and country. Many programs will state the number of credits earned in each course in US semester credit hours. The conversion is as follows:

  • 4 semester credits (or credit hours) = 1 Puget Sound unit

Many programs have courses worth 3 semester credits, therefore .75 Puget Sound unit. If you have questions about this, please contact internationalprograms@pugetsound.edu.

Study abroad grades are included in your cumulative GPA on your Academic Requirements (AR) report. The AR report is a tracking audit to verify students satisfy all degree requirements, and is no longer used following graduation. The cumulative GPA is comprised of grades from all courses included in the 32 units required for your degree, including study abroad courses and courses transferred from other U.S. colleges. Study abroad grades are also included in the major or minor GPA, if applicable, on the AR report, for purposes of degree clearance and departmental honors. You must have at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA to graduate, and a 2.00 GPA or higher for any major or minor.

Study abroad courses, but not grades, are listed on the UPS transcript. Thus, the study abroad grades are not part of the Puget Sound GPA on your transcript. The course title and unit value will be listed on the transcript. The grade is not listed. The transcript is the official academic record that students submit to graduate schools and employers after graduation.

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Study Abroad Program Extensions

Students wanting to extend their study abroad program must request approval for an extension in writing and have the extension request reviewed by the International Education Committee. Requests for an extension will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

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Travel Advisory Policy

The University of Puget Sound reserves the right to cancel or withdraw approval of a program at any time if it involves risk to students traveling to that country or those countries. Typically the university will cancel or withdraw approval of a program in areas for which there are travel advisories of level three or four, issued by the US State Department (DOS) or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). See the Travel Abroad Policy for High-Risk Areas for detailed information.

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