Concurrent Enrollment FAQ
1. What is the Office of International Education Registration (OIE) Fee?
.jpg)
Taken by Melanie Lynn while studying in Ecuador
In order to be registered concurrently at the UW while on your foreign study program, you must complete the Concurrent Enrollment and Health Screening forms and pay $200 for each quarter option; $300 for each semester option; or $600 for each academic year option you wish to be concurrently enrolled. These fees will be charged to your UW student account upon receipt of the completed Concurrent Enrollment & Health Screening forms and will be due by the UW tuition deadline. Please note: The OIE will charge a late fee of $25 for forms submitted after the deadline, and the UW will charge a service fee of $25 for all returned checks. Effective autumn 2005 the OIE will charge a retro-active fee of $300 per quarter or $400 per semester for forms submitted after the first quarter of the program abroad in addition to the normal OIE fees stated above (e.g., $200 fee for summer ’05 + $25 late fee +$300 retro-active fee).
2. What is the refund policy for the OIE Registration Fee?
Only $100 of the OIE fee may be refunded if WRITTEN notification with original signature is received by the Office of International Education by the first day of the UW term in which you were to be concurrently enrolled. E-mail messages and verbal notification are not sufficient to generate a refund. Refunds will not be made under any circumstances after the quarter begins.
4. What do I need to know about Overseas Health Insurance Coverage?
You must have insurance while abroad. However, your U.S. insurance coverage may not be recognized internationally. It is imperative that you know the limits of your coverage, and that you take instructions/forms abroad to facilitate reimbursement. Contact your insurance company to find out if your health insurance will cover you internationally, and the limitations of the coverage. Please see “Insurance Resources” in the OIE reference library or look for it at http://ipe.washington.edu
The UW Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan will cover you internationally, with limitations. Refer to the next section to find out how to purchase the insurance. Refer to the “UW Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan” brochure for details on coverage limitations and procedures. These brochures are available in the Office of International Education.
Note on additional hospitalization insurance: A good source for additional insurance (not major medical) is the International Student ID card (ISIC) available from Council Travel (on University Way across from the UW Bookstore, 632-2448). In addition to some travel and touring discounts worldwide, the card provides limited hospitalization, accident, death and dismemberment, and evacuation insurance (coverage that is not provided by the UW Accident and Sickness insurance plan). An additional service provided by the ISIC is a telephone number to call Traveler’s Assistance while abroad for help in locating an English-speaking physician or lawyer or in contacting family back home. This insurance alone is not sufficient.
4. How and where do I purchase the UW Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan?
If you do not have a personal insurance plan or do not have adequate coverage for overseas travel, you may purchase the UW student plan. (This option is available to UW students only. Non-matriculated students are not eligible for this plan.) The price of the UW student plan can be found on the web at http://depts.washington.edu/ovpsa/insurance.html or in the “UW Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan” brochure. Please visit the website above and reference the “Insurance Resources” form (included in the Pre-Departure Orientation packet) if you are interested in this option. Payment for the health insurance will be charged to your UW student account upon receipt of this form. Deadline for the purchase of UW health insurance is the same as concurrent enrollment deadline:
Fall
Quarter:
September 1
Winter
Quarter:
December 1
Spring
Quarter:
March 1
Summer Quarter/CHID Exploration
Seminars:
June 1
Please remember, you should not purchase insurance using your MYUW for the quarters you will be abroad!
5. How will my Foreign Study Grades/Credits be reflected at the UW?
The courses taken on your study abroad program, while concurrently enrolled through our office, will appear as regular UW courses on your transcript. This also means that the grades earned for the coursework completed abroad will be calculated into your UW grade point average.
Our office will register you in an appropriate Foreign Study (FSTDY) course for each quarter that you are abroad. You may be earning more than this number of credits during your study abroad; this will be assessed upon your return when your transcript arrives in our office. The Foreign Study course number is an artificial course number which must be converted to actual UW course numbers by the end of the quarter following your term abroad. You will not be able to graduate with a FSTDY course number on your transcript.
If you are on a program for which the courses have been pre-approved, the conversion of credits will take place after we receive your transcript and your program evaluation.
If you are on a program or exchange for which there are some or no pre-approved courses, the conversion of credits begins when the OIE receives your transcript. For more specific information, please see the credit section of your pre-departure handbook. You will need to meet with advisors from the various academic departments where you are seeking credit to determine UW course equivalents.
Once all of your courses have been assigned UW credit, our office will submit a report to the Registrar’s office for recording onto your UW transcript.
6. How do I make changes in my Grading Option (S/NS) / Course Registration?
If you wish to have one or more courses graded on a satisfactory/not-satisfactory basis (S/NS), you should be aware of the applicable UW policy and restrictions by consulting the UW General Catalog or the web: http://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/front/Grading_Sys.html#NONGRADE.
In the case of a foreign study program policy allowing fewer credits earned S/NS, you must conform to the program's policy, rather than the UW's policy. You must complete the S/NS form (included in your pre-departure folder or downloadable from ipe.washington.edu) and FAX it or mail it to the IPE office by the 7th week of a full-term program or the 3rd week of a one- or two-month program. If you mail it to the Office of International Education, your request must be postmarked by the Friday of the 7th week (3rd week for one or two month long programs) of your program. No e-mail requests will be allowed. Please remember, a condition of concurrent enrollment is that you remain enrolled for a full-time course load.
7. What is my Program/Exchange Evaluation Form? How is this related to my Credits/Grades?
Upon your return from abroad, you must submit a final report to the IPE office concerning your experience overseas. This information is valuable to us and future participants in learning about your experience on the program. Please request the “International Exchange/Program Evaluation Form” from our office upon your return. The form is also located on the IPE website: http://ipe.washington.edu.
8. How do I withdraw from the program? Do any penalties apply?
You should be aware that withdrawal after a program or exchange begins involves the loss of all non-recoverable fees paid. Consult your program brochure or exchange contract for details. If you wish to withdraw from the program or exchange you may do so by submitting a request in writing for withdrawal to both the program coordinator (if there is one) and to the OIE by the deadline stated in the program brochure, acceptance information or exchange contract.
9. I want to conduct a Research and/or Independent Study project while abroad. How do I do this?
If you are planning to do research or independent study in affiliation with one of our partner institutions or with a professor, please provide the IPE office with a credit verification form filled out by your department(s) verifying that you will receive a minimum of 12 credits (undergraduate) or 10 credits (graduate) for each quarter you will be abroad. (Please request the “Independent Research Credit and Enrollment Options” packet from our office.) The credit verification form should be submitted with your concurrent enrollment form prior to your departure, and should specify course number(s) and number of credits. Upon completion of your quarter(s) abroad, you must request that your department submit grades to our office.
10. I have Financial Aid. What do I need to know about Financial Aid and Foreign Study?
Students participating in foreign study programs who receive financial aid should pick up the Financial Aid handout from the OIE reference library and should consult the Financial Aid Office about the applicability of their financial aid to their study abroad program or exchange. Students with further questions about financial aid in relation to study abroad are welcome to contact the fiscal team at the International Programs & Exchanges office for advice and information.
Note: If you receive any UW financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans) during the quarter(s) you are abroad, you must have all UW grades and credits reported by the end of the quarter following your foreign study (see section #6 of this form for instructions on how to receive UW grades and credit for your foreign study coursework). YOUR FINANCIAL AID FOR FUTURE QUARTERS MAY BE CANCELED (“insufficient academic progress”) IF YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE CREDIT/GRADE CONVERSION PROCESS IN TIME. If your aid is canceled, it may be reinstated at a later date, but often it will be a different and less favorable award. If this happens to you, contact our office immediately. Students on academic year exchanges (those offered during fall, winter and spring quarters) or spring quarter programs must have all grades and credits reported by mid-August. You can avoid this problem by making sure you complete the necessary steps to assure your grades and credits can be reported in time.
Financial aid planning/application for following year: For students planning to be abroad for the academic year or for Fall AND Winter quarters, keep in mind that the Financial Aid Forms (FAFSA) for the following academic year are generally available in mid-December. It is possible to apply electronically for federal student aid. See the website: www.fafsa.ed.gov. We advise you to look into this process BEFORE leaving for your study site. You may also want to check the UW Financial Aid Office’s web site for related information:
www.washington.edu/students/OSFA/.
11. Should I consult with my Advisor about my Foreign Study Program?
Absolutely! You should confer with your academic advisor(s) prior to departure to discuss your academic progress and to be advised about the distribution of credits earned abroad. You should also outline a course plan (with your advisor) for the quarter you return to the UW (see section 13 below).
12. What arrangements do I need to make for when I return to the University of Washington?
If you will return to the UW the quarter immediately following your study abroad (except summer quarter), your status as a UW student will not be interrupted. Pre-registration for courses in your returning quarter will take place while you are overseas, and you should either register for yourself on the “MyUW” system from abroad or ask a relative or friend to register for you on the "MyUW" system during this period. If your classification status at the UW will change based upon your credits earned while abroad (i.e., From sophomore to junior status regarding pre-registration), please e-mail the OIE Registrar, David Brannon, dbrannon@u.washington.edu to request a memo of “change in UW class standing for pre-registration” be submitted to the UW Registrar’s Office. Allow two to three weeks lead time on this request.
13. Do I need to sign the “Release” section on the Concurrent Enrollment form?
Yes, all students enrolled in UW foreign study programs must sign the liability release on the first page of the Concurrent Enrollment Form. If you are under 18 years of age, a parent or legal guardian must sign this section.
14. What is the Health Screening Form? Why do I need to complete one?
Study abroad often means that you must live for some time with medical services and general health conditions that are different from those in your home country. If you are accepted to a program/exchange we will require that you have a health screening before going abroad to determine if you have any physical or psychological conditions that would affect your participation. You may consult with your own physician or use the services at the UW Hall Health Center. Please note that when scheduling an appointment with the UW Hall Health Center, you should request a health screening NOT a physical, as the health screening may be used as your one, FREE quarterly visit to Hall Health.
If the program/exchange you are going on provides you with its own medical report form, please have the physician complete both forms. Submit the UW IPE Health Screening form to our office TOGETHER with your Concurrent Enrollment form. Submit the other medical form (if any) as instructed by the program sponsor.
15. Where can I find all the necessary forms regarding Study Abroad?
Good question. Please visit our website: http://ipe.washington.edu/forms/ and select the forms that you need. Bon voyage!