Explore your Options

Occasionally students arrange an independent project for UWRF credit with a UWRF faculty member that includes time abroad. Some students also engage in a for-credit internship abroad that is approved by a UWRF faculty member. If you are considering these options, you will need to take additional steps regarding your status as a UWRF student and be responsible for all aspects of your stay abroad. The availability of financial aid and the transfer of credits may also vary with each type of independent project abroad.
 
Be certain to review the considerations below and consult with the Office of International Education if you are planning to pursue an independent project abroad.

Policy, Financial and Academic Considerations

• Confirm with the UWRF Office of International Education that international travel is allowed for the time period you are considering. In case of travel advisories, including world health or safety concerns, study abroad and international travel may be suspended.
• Consult with the UWRF Office of International Education regarding your UWRF status and the impact on financial aid and other funding as well as UWRF student benefits if you participate in an independent project abroad.
• Consult with a UWRF faculty member to design your project, expected academic outcomes, credit and timeframe for your independent project. You must have written verification that a UWRF faculty member has agreed to supervise your independent project if credit will be awarded.
• UWRF scholarships are reviewed on a case-by-case basis for independent projects abroad.
• Complete the UWRF Office of International Education application so that UWRF has record that you will be abroad and to enroll you in the university’s mandatory international insurance coverage. An administrative fee and the cost of the international insurance coverage for the dates of your overseas stay will be billed to your UWRF student account. Contact the Office of International Education for information on this process.
• If you are receiving independent study credit, credit is awarded based on the academic work that you complete, as stipulated by the faculty adviser responsible for your independent project.
• Keep in mind that the Office of International Education is not responsible for the quality or safety of independent projects abroad.
• You are responsible for all administrative and financial processes, payments and financial commitments related to independent projects abroad.

Additional Considerations

• Ensure you have a U.S. passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the end date of your planned time abroad. Consult the embassy web site for the country where you plan to study for exact details.
• Confirm visa requirements to spend time in that country as a tourist. Since you will not be attending an overseas university nor sponsored by a study abroad program, you can only remain abroad for the time period allowed for tourists. Visit the embassy web site for the country you plan to visit. If you need to apply for a tourist visa, which is required for some countries, you have the option to consult with a visa agency, such as www.cibtvisas.com/wisconsin or www.perryvisa.com.
• If the country where you are planning to study has a U.S. Department of State Level 3 travel advisory, you must receive permission from the UWRF International Risk Management group. Contact the Office of International Education at studyabroad@uwrf.edu at least eight weeks prior to planned departure to initiate your permission request.
• If the country where you wish to study has a U.S. Department of State Level 4 travel advisory, you are not allowed to study or travel to that location.
• Review the CDC information and required vaccinations for that country.
• Register with Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) with the U.S. Department of State so that the U.S. Embassy abroad is aware of your presence abroad.
• You are required to purchase CISI insurance through the Office of International Education for your time away so that you have international emergency health insurance coverage. More information on CISI insurance is available here.

Occasionally students identify a program of interest that is run through another college/university, or independent organization. If you are considering a program outside of UWRF’s programs, you will need to take additional steps regarding your status as a UWRF student and be responsible for all aspects of the program application, confirmation, and payment process. The availability of financial aid and the transfer of credits may also vary with a non-UWRF program.

If you pursue an education abroad experience outside of UWRF’s offerings, the UWRF Office of International Education will assist with:

• Confirming that study abroad is allowed for the time period you are considering. In the case of travel advisories, including world health or safety concerns, study abroad and international travel may be suspended and students cannot remain in status at UWRF or receive financial aid or loans to study abroad.
• Confirming your eligibility to study abroad as a UWRF student.
• Enrolling you in placeholder credits through the UWRF Registrar’s Office during your time abroad so you remain in active status as a UWRF student.
• Enrolling you in CISI insurance, as required by UW System, for the duration of your formal study abroad experience.
• Enrolling you in the U.S. State Department’s STEP program to receive relevant travel advisories during your time abroad.
• Ensuring your completion of all UW System requirements for study abroad.
• Providing general pre-departure orientation guidance (does not include program-specific information).
• Provide general travel information (not program-specific).

Because UWRF does not have oversight of programs outside of those we directly offer, we are not responsible for the quality, safety, academic rigor or academic credit of these programs. As such, you will be responsible for the following considerations:

Academic

• Consult with your academic advisor to discuss general academic considerations and the possible applicability of the courses you take abroad towards your academic program. Keep in mind that academic advisors do not make the final decision on whether a program is credit-worthy.
• Many times, credits taken abroad are issued on a transcript from a U.S. institution. In these cases, credit is awarded for college-level course work completed at institutions accredited by a regional accrediting body through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). If the institution is not accredited, additional review by the Dean of your college is required. Credit is applied to your UWRF transcript following an internal evaluation by the UWRF Registrar’s Office when an official transcript from your program is received. Courses must be similar in nature, level and content to a course in our undergraduate curriculum and applicable to one of our academic programs; this includes courses that are technical or vocational in nature. Continuing education courses, graduate-level courses and courses that are remedial or doctrinal in nature are not transferable.
• Credits issued on a transcript from a non-U.S./International institution will need to be evaluated by a third-party transcript evaluation service to provide UWRF with an English translation of courses, credits and grading systems as they appear on the foreign transcript, as well as to verify the foreign institution’s accreditation. It is your responsibility to request this service and pay any fees associated with the third-party evaluation service. The following evaluation services are approved by UWRF:
  • Educational Credential Evaluators
  • World Education Services, Inc.
  • American Education Research Corporation, Inc.
  • International Educational Research Foundation
  • AACRAO International Education Services (IES)
• Once your accepted transfer credits and grades are recorded on your UWRF record, faculty advisers, department chairs and academic deans can work with you to help best apply these credits toward your UWRF degree.
• Transfer grades will not be used in calculating your cumulative GPA, however, grades will be calculated in the major GPA if transfer credits are awarded to meet major requirements. The application of transfer credits and the calculation of cumulative and major GPAs can affect eligibility for academic honors and awards.

Financial

• Consult with the UWRF Financial Aid Office to understand the impact of your study abroad experience on financial aid and other funding. Be aware that UWRF scholarships may not be available for non-UWRF programs abroad.
• You are responsible for all administrative and financial processes, payments and financial commitments related to a non-UWRF program abroad. This includes payment of fees to both UWRF and your non-UWRF program abroad. Ensure you understand deposit timelines, the full scope of what is included in your program fee and your program’s refund policy.