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Study Abroad
Office of International Education

All ESF students who wish to study abroad as part of their academic program must obtain ESF approval prior to applying for acceptance to a study abroad program.

ESF Eligibility Requirements for Study Abroad in the Fall or Spring Semester

• ESF undergraduate student who has completed at least 30 credits towards his/her bachelor’s degree; and
• ESF undergraduate student who has achieved a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher.

A students who does not meet one of the eligibility requirements, may seek to have the requirement waived by submitting a Petition to the Faculty (available at the Registrar’s Office). The student must provide an adequate justification for the request and submit any appropriate supporting documentation. The Petition Form must be signed by the student’s Academic Advisor and Curriculum Coordinator and then submitted to the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies (227 Bray Hall) in order for the Dean to make a determination.

If the Petition is approved by the Dean, the student may continue with the ESF study abroad approval process.  A copy of the approved Petition must be submitted with the Study Abroad Request Form.

Study Abroad During the Summer or Winter Break

ESF students may choose to pursue study abroad opportunities during the summer or winter/J-term. Since these are not required academic semester, there are no ESF eligibility requirements other than to complete the ESF study abroad approval process including submitting a Study Abroad Request Form, Petition to the Faculty (available at the Registrar's Office), and attaching the course description of the courses you will take abroad to ensure that credits taken abroad meet the curriculum requirements for a student's program of study and eligibility for transfer to ESF after completing the study abroad program (must obtain a "C" or better in a course in order for the credits to transfer). Individual study abroad programs, however, will likely have minimum eligibility requirements detailed in their application process that students will have to meet in order to obtain admission to their program.

ESF Study Abroad Approval Process

ESF students who meet the general eligibility requirements or who obtain a waiver via an approved Petition to the Faculty, must complete the Study Abroad Request Form, a Petition to the Faculty listing courses to be taken abroad (Petition Form available at the Registrar's Office), and attach a copy of the course descriptions for the courses you intend to take abroad. All Study Abroad Request materials must be submitted to the Office of International Education (302 Bray Hall); if the Office of International Education is closed, you may submit materials to the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies (227 Bray Hall).

As part of your request, you will have to select the courses you intend to take abroad and consult with your academic advisor to determine how they fit into your ESF academic program. You must enter the courses you will take abroad into the Academic Plan section of the Study Abroad Request Form (page 2), complete a Petition to the Faculty to pre-petition the transfer of credits (be sure to list the courses you will take, what ESF program requirements they satisfy, and attach the course descriptions) and then obtain the authorization of your academic advisor, curriculum coordinator, and finally the Dean of Instruction and Graduate Studies on both forms. If a student receives all three signatures on both forms, the study abroad academic plan would then be considered acceptable according to ESF’s academic standards. Upon the Dean's review of the completed Study Abroad Request Form and Petition, students will receive an email notifying them of the outcome. If a student's study abroad request is approved, s/he may proceed with applying to the desired study abroad program. The Coordinator of International Education would at this time be able to sign any required application forms.

Approved students will receive an additional form in the approval notification email, the Approved Study Abroad Data Form. This form will require students to meet with the Financial Aid and the Bursar in order to discuss how their study abroad participation will affect their ESF student status, financial aid package, and Bursar's bill for the semester(s) abroad. Please note that students who are approved to attend a study abroad program ARE NOT automatically eligible for financial aid to pay for this. The Financial Aid requirements vary and you must meet with the ESF Financial Aid office to discuss your approved program to determine if it can be funded or if additional funds are available.

The completed Approved Study Abroad Data Form must be submitted to the Office of International Education with a copy of your letter of acceptance to the study abroad program, information regarding billing procedures for the program, and flight information prior to the study abroad experience. Additional information for students who have been approved by ESF to study abroad is available online.

Registering for the Academic Semester You Will Be Studying Abroad

• Participation in an ESF Faculty Led/ Study Abroad Program or SU Study Abroad Program in one of their Overseas Centers (not one of their World Partners programs)
  If you will participate in an ESF faculty-led/ study abroad program, please follow the enrollment instructions provided by the course instructor. If you will participate in a Syracuse University study abroad program at one of their overseas centers ( Beijing, Florence, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Santiago, Chile or Strasbourg,France), consult the SU Abroad office regarding enrolling in courses for your semester abroad. Your transcript for your ESF course or semester abroad at the SU Overseas Center will indicate the exact courses you enroll in and grade received. You will not need to transfer the credits back to SUNY-ESF.
• Participation in a Non-ESF Study Abroad Program including the SU World Partners Program
  During the registration period for the semester you will be abroad, you must kindly ask your advisor to contact the registrar directly in order to arrange for an appropriate section of a 496 course (e.g., EFB 496) to be established for your study abroad experience. This must be completed prior to your departure; this action maintains your ESF student status while you are abroad and as well as your eligibility for ESF financial aid as long as you meet the full-time enrollment requirements. Failure to enroll in a 496 course for your study abroad will result in you being withdrawn from the College and if you wish to return in the future, you will be required to re-apply for admission.

When you return from studying abroad, you will have to submit your official transcript from the study abroad program to the Registrar’s Office. The credits for courses in which you achieve a C average or higher will then be transferred in (not the grades).

Study Abroad Planning FAQ's 

Q: When should I start panning for my study abroad experience?
A: You should start planning a year before you intend to study abroad. This gives you ample time to find a study abroad program that meets your academic needs and personal interests, to meet with your advisor to discuss your course selection, to complete the ESF study abroad approval process, to submit your application to the study abroad program administrator, and to determine how you will finance the study abroad experience. You may find it helpful to review the The Study Abroad Handbook in order to help plan for and select a program that meets your academic and personal interests.

Q: When is the best time to study abroad?
A: Undergraduate students typically study abroad during their sophomore or junior year.

Q: How will I pay for it?
A: Some study abroad programs have scholarships students can apply for to help finance their experience. Please check with the program administrator to see if any such opportunities exist. Additionally, you may be able to include your study abroad experience in your financial aid plan. Please consult the ESF Office of Financial Aid & Scholarship for additional information about how studying abroad may impact your financial aid package. Also, please review the list of funding resources included directly above this FAQ section.

Q: How will it impact my program of study at ESF?
A: As part of the ESF study abroad approval process you are required to meet with your academic advisor to discuss the courses you intend to take abroad and how they fit into your academic program at ESF. Together, you will complete a Petition of the Faculty and the Academic Plan section of the Study Abroad Request Form in which you identify the courses you will take abroad and the credits in your ESF program you would like them to fulfill upon transfer to ESF after completion of the study abroad program. Your advisor and the Curriculum Coordinator must sign off on your Petition and academic plan. The completed Petition and Study Abroad Request Form is reviewed by the Dean of Instruction and Graduate Studies and forwarded to the General Education Committee for review if necessary. Your approved Petition and Study Abroad Request from acts a pre-approval for the transfer of credits from your study abroad experience for each course you pass with a grade of “C” or better . Please note that if you are participating in a study abroad program other than a Syracuse University Overseas Center program and SUNY-ESF program, only the credits will transfer back (not the grade).

Q: Does it have to be directly related to my major?
A: The program you select would be directly-related to course requirements you have not yet fulfilled in your ESF program of study. Some students choose to take science-based courses related to their major abroad; others save their electives courses for their study aborad experience and take more liberal arts courses while they are abroad. The most important things to consider are how the courses taken abroad will fit into your ESF program of study and if they will meet your graduation course requirements. These items should be discussed with your academic advisor.

Q: What other things should I be thinking about?
A: Passport and visa acquisition, health and travel insurance, finances, immunizations, safety, leisure are just a few of the things you should think about as you begin to plan your study abroad experience. Additional information about these topics is available on the "approved study abroad students" webpage.

If you do not have comprehensive health insurance with medical evacuation and repatriation, you may purchase the SUNY plan serviced by Haylor, Freyer & Coon at the Cashier's Office for $83/ month.

• SUNY Study Abroad Health Insurance Brochure

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