Advisors should be aware that study abroad is competitive and there is a limit to the number of students who can be approved to study abroad during the course of an academic year. They can help students prepare strong applications by adhering to the guidelines below. All study abroad applications are due February 15 of the summer or academic year preceding the planned study abroad. Decisions will be announced within two to three weeks of the deadline.

1. General Guidelines for Preparing the Application
2. UC Faculty-led Program Course-Selection
3. Non-UC Program Application and Course-Selection 

1. General Guidelines for Preparing the Application 
a) All students must apply to the College for permission and approval to study abroad. 
b) Advisors may wish to write a brief letter of support for applicants whose GPA falls below the minimum. Reference letters should be sent to Melissa Hardin and should address the student’s academic record and ability to meet the academic and personal challenges of study abroad.
c) All courses taken abroad must be taken for a letter grade. Courses taken Pass/Fail or S/U will not be accepted for transfer credit.
d) Advisors of students applying to study abroad for a semester or longer should schedule students for the required Study Abroad Pre-departure Orientation Course (IDS 210, 1 credit). Several sections are offered each semester beginning immediately follow spring break or midterm break. The course runs for seven weeks. Students applying in February to study abroad in fall must add the class to their spring semester.
e) Advisors sign the Proposed Course of Study (included in the Ursinus College study abroad application packet) indicating their agreement with the courses selected and the proposed credit. 
f) Students may take elective courses abroad. Credit for courses taken abroad is often awarded as “free” or “elective” credits toward graduation. 
g) Courses taken abroad can count toward the academic major requirements (with departmental approval). The major advisor’s signature is an indication that the proposed courses will count toward major requirements. If a student has more than one major or has not yet declared a major, s/he should consult with the chair of the (future) major department about any courses s/he wishes to count in fulfillment of specific major requirements. 
h) Courses taken abroad can fulfill CORE requirements. 
i) A student who successfully completes an approved semester or academic year study abroad program automatically fulfills the ILE CORE requirement. Short term (i.e. summer or winter interim) experiences vary widely, and must be evaluated in order to determine whether they fulfill the ILE. In general, in order for a short term program to fulfill the ILE, it must be at least 6 weeks in duration, take place in a single destination, and include an “immersion” experience (ex. family homestay, intensive language course, independent research, internship or other opportunity for significant interaction and contact with the local host culture).

2. UC Faculty-led Program Course-Selection 
a) The Proposed Course of Study Form (included in the study abroad application packet) is not a registration form and does not guarantee enrollment in the selected courses; rather, it serves to determine how particular courses might count toward a student’s Ursinus degree. 
b) Students participating in UC faculty-directed programs abroad should register as usual during the normal registration period on campus. Course offerings for UC semester abroad programs are listed along with courses offered on campus in the document sent out by the Registrar’s Office and posted on the College website. 
c) Students participating in UC faculty-led semester programs normally take a course load of 16 credits (but may take as few as 12 or as many as 17 in special circumstances). 
d) Study abroad programs sometimes offer unique international internships that may not match Ursinus criteria for domestic internships. The international internship presents an extraordinary cultural opportunity for many students, including exceptional rising sophomores who normally are not allowed to pursue internships for credit. If you or your department objects to granting sophomores credit for a 381 internship within the major, you might consider allowing the student to pursue the internship opportunity abroad under a different rubric such as independent study. International placements usually cannot be confirmed until after a student arrives overseas and undergoes a formal interview. Internships vary by site.

• UC in Madrid includes SPAN 281 Community Practicum, 2 credits for all participants. This experiential course is accompanied by a 2 credit academic course (SPAN 335). Both are taught, supervised and graded by on-site faculty. Contact: Melissa Hardin
• UC in Tuebingen offers several 381 internships as approved by qualifying students’ major departments. These internships are arranged by the Ursinus faculty director in consultation with faculty members from relevant departments who serve as mentors on the Ursinus campus. Contact: Robin Clouser