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Study Abroad FAQ Related to COVID-19

Tufts Global Education will update this FAQ as needed.

Tufts Global Education administers our own study abroad programs called “Tufts Programs Abroad,” and we also support students on “External Programs,” where students take a leave of absence from Tufts and enroll with partner programs either through other academic institutions or program providers. Please note the difference as we answer questions related to the Coronavirus outbreak and any related program communication. (Updated October 15, 2020.)

If you are looking for general guidance and advice on COVID-19 for the Tufts Community, please visit go.tufts.edu/coronavirus.

 
Will study abroad in spring 2021 be possible? 
Countries around the globe, including the US, have struggled to mitigate COVID-19 transmission within and beyond their communities. As the pandemic continues, with additional waves of outbreaks across the globe, and the complex travel restrictions, the University has made the difficult decision to suspend study abroad programs listed below for spring 2021:  
 
  • All External Programs which include programs with outside study abroad providers as well as direct enrollment at international institutions outside of one’s home country of record. We will not allow for transfer of credits for study abroad during spring 2021. 
  • Tufts in Beijing  
  • Tufts in Chile  
  • Tufts in Ghana  
  • Tufts in Hong Kong  
  • Tufts in Japan  
  • Tufts in London 
  • Tufts in Madrid
  • Tufts in Paris  
  • Tufts in Tübingen   
The following programs are still operating: 
 
The decision to suspend was made in consultation with senior leadership, legal counsel, public health experts, and risk management at Tufts. We are guided by our staff assessments on the ground, recommendations and restrictions laid out by industry and governmental bodies, both national and international. We considered a number of factors: the prevalence of COVID across the globe; our inability to predict what incidence and prevalence will look like in the spring; the risks associated with air travel; current (and expected ongoing) travel and entry restrictions related to international travel; changing local guidance on mobility and transmission-mitigation mandates; the variability of local medical care; the financial burdens associated should situations worsen; uncertainties with our partners abroad; and academic continuity concerns.    
 
We are ready and willing to work with any students whose plans were interrupted by this decision and are considering study abroad during the 2021-2022 academic year. 
Will Tufts Global Education continue to operate the special Tufts@BNU program in spring 2021? 

We are currently working with BNU to determine the feasibility of continuing the program in spring 2021.

How do you approach risk?

The safety of our students is the highest priority, and all decisions about program cancellations are made with this commitment. Tufts follows the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory and Center for Disease Control Warning levels and alerts. If a country, city, or region within a country is elevated to a level 3 or 4, we immediately review the situation in detail and assess the impact to our students and staff in detail and on a case-by-case basis. This assessment includes information from our local staff, our international assistance provider, International SOS, and the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC); we also work with peers and partners through PULSE, a network of international health and safety professionals in higher education. This assessment determines the impact on a program and our ability to mitigate issues related to health and safety.

How do you decide whether a program get suspended or cancelled?

There are many logistical and academic factors, including travel restrictions, that must be taken into account when evaluating whether a program can safely and successfully run. We closely monitor all of our Tufts Programs Abroad locations. Should a change in the current safety and security climate arise, we will immediately review the situation in detail and assess the impact to our students and staff in detail and on a case-by-case basis. This assessment includes information from our local staff, our international assistance provider, International SOS, and the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC); we also work with peers and partners through PULSE, a network of international health and safety professionals in higher education. This assessment determines the impact on a program and our ability to mitigate issues related to health and safety.

In the event that we come to the conclusion that we cannot provide a safe and successful experience to our students, we immediately notify our students and any home institutions, while our on-site staff ensure the safety and well-being of our students. Measures may include relocating students out of a high-risk area, advice to shelter-in-place, or to gather at a safe haven. At the same time, we are also working to determine how students can complete their academic requirements if they are required to leave their on-site program. We are in close and constant contact with our impacted students, our Advising team at Tufts, and home institutions.

If my spring 2021 Tufts Program Abroad is canceled or suspended, will I be refunded the $350 deposit? 

If the program in which you have enrolled has been suspended, the $350 deposit (if paid) will be left as a credit to your Bursar account and can simply be applied to on-campus tuition charges. If the program in which you have enrolled has not been suspended, and you did not withdraw from the program by September 15, the $350 deposit will be forfeited and, depending on when our office is notified of withdrawal, additional expenditures that have been made on your behalf by the program may be charged to your Bursar account. 

Where can I read more about the response to COVID-19 by Tufts University, as a whole, or by other departments/divisions at the university? 

Please visit https://coronavirus.tufts.edu/ to read more about the impacts to and response by the university.

When is the deadline to submit applications for Tufts Programs Abroad in the 2021-22 academic year?

The deadline for Tufts in Oxford is December 1, 2020; the deadline for all other programs is February 1, 2021.

When is the deadline to submit my request for a study abroad leave of absence for an external program?

The deadline for fall 2021 is April 30th, 2021; the deadline for spring 2022 is November 15, 2021.

Will I be charged the study elsewhere fee once I have submitted my leave of absence request for an external program? 

Study elsewhere fees will be assessed to student accounts as part of the bill for the term of study abroad. Prior to the start of the semester, in the event a student chooses to withdraw from their program, the program being cancelled by the provider, or Tufts electing to no longer support study abroad in that term, the fee will be credited back to the student’s account. However, once the semester has begun, this fee will no longer be eligible to be credited back to students.

I was planning to study abroad at Tufts University as a J-1 exchange student through the Tufts Global Education exchange program in the 2020-21 academic year. Now that Tufts is not hosting exchanges, may I defer to next year? 
After a complete evaluation of the current global situation, and with students’ safety in mind, we have made the decision to cancel our Tufts Global Exchange programs for spring 2021. It is our intent to welcome students during the academic year 2021-22. We will be in touch with our institutional partners this semester about the nomination process.   
 
I am a student with dual citizenship from the US and another country. My home country of record is the US, but I have family in the country where I have dual citizenship and wish to study abroad in fall 2020 at a local institution in that country; is this possible? 

No, Tufts does not support study outside of your home country of record in fall 2020 and will not award transfer credit for such study. 

Can I study abroad during my senior year? 

Yes, it is usually possible to be granted an exception to the Residence Requirement to study abroad during your final two semesters at Tufts. This is easiest during the fall semester of your senior year through a Tufts Program Abroad, as such a semester would be considered ‘in-residence’, but is usually also possible through an external program (with permission from your Advising Dean). Please be aware that studying abroad during the spring semester of your senior year, while possible, will almost certainly delay your graduation date. However, you may feel that this is an acceptable trade-off so that you can have the study-abroad experience you wish to have.

I was scheduled to participate in an external program for spring. I have paid my application fee and deposit to the provider; how would I request a refund? 

Students who have made payments for their programs should speak with their providers to inquire about current refund policies and procedures.

I am an international student and need to remain in my home country in fall 2020 and study at a local institution; is this possible? 

You should speak with your Advising Dean, your International Center advisor, and your faculty advisor to help determine the best course of action for your academic plan. Please contact us if you are unable to take courses through Tufts. If you need to remain in your home country of record (corresponding to your permanent address in SIS), you may study at a local degree-granting institution to earn credit toward your Tufts degree. We will be sharing more details soon once Tufts University has announced decisions about fall plans.

How do I contact Tufts Global Education for more information on studying abroad in the future? 

Our staff is available for individual online or telephone advising sessions throughout the summer and we will continually update our website with future virtual events. Please contact Melissa Newton (melissa.newton@tufts.edu) for more information on Tufts Programs Abroad and Scott Langevin (scott.langevin@tufts.edu) for External Study Abroad Programs to arrange a meeting. If you are already enrolled in a Tufts Program Abroad for spring 2021, please feel free to reach out to each Resident Director in your country program. We will be announcing general information sessions and program information sessions on our calendar. For general inquiries, please email globaleducation@tufts.edu.