Study Abroad

May Term International Travel Courses - Policy Information

Application

Priority application deadline:  Tuesday, September 29, 2009 

  • Read all of the information contained in this document.
  • Print the application form from the website.
  • Complete the May Term international travel course application form.
  • Submit two copies of the completed application form along with a copy of your personal statement, a copy of your current Simpson College degree audit, and a copy of your receipt for payment to the Business Office for the travel course's $200 deposit to the Office of International Education at 711 D Street (the white house on the SW corner of D and Girard Streets).

Selection decisions will be announced by the Office of International Education on Oct. 6.

Applications received after September 29 will be processed on a rolling basis.  Selection decisions will be announced approximately two weeks after the application is submitted.

Confirmation

You will be notified if you are 1) accepted into the course; 2) not accepted into the course; or 3) conditionally accepted based upon academic or disciplinary probation status.  In the event a course is filled or cancelled due to low enrollment, students will be notified and given the option to apply for another course which still has openings.

Academic Status

Applicants should be in good academic standing with the college with a minimum GPA of 2.25.  Students on academic or disciplinary probation are not allowed to participate in a May Term international travel course.

Academic Prerequisites

Some of the travel courses have a prerequisite.  Students who are enrolled in a course that is a prerequisite for a May Term international travel course must satisfactorily complete that prerequisite in order to participate in the May Term course.  If the student does not satisfactorily complete the required prerequisite course, she/he is responsible for all the cancellation penalties related to the travel course according to the policies stated in this booklet.

Registration

Acceptance into a May Term international travel course results in you being automatically registered for the course.  Accepted students need not go through the May Term registration process.

Dates

May Term ’10 officially begins May 3, 2010, but some of the travel courses may depart prior to this date—check with course instructors for actual departure dates.  Please note that for some courses, the entire May Term is spent on the off-campus study experience while in others there is both an on-campus and an off-campus portion.  Mandatory orientation offered by the Office of International Education for all May Term international travel course participants will be held in late March or early April, 2010. 

Deposits

It is important to note that deposit payments are only refundable in two situations:

  1. If you are not accepted into the course to which you've applied; or 
  2. If the course to which you've applied and accepted gets cancelled due to low-enrollment.

Fees

Program fees for travel courses are charged in addition to regular Simpson spring semester tuition.  Travel course fees are estimates and include round-trip transportation from Des Moines (except where indicated), any required entry visas, prorating of instructors’ expenses, normally breakfast and one other meal per day, transportation for required study excursions, entrance fees,  and tickets for scheduled group events, as well as accommodations, most often based on two or three persons sharing a room.  Private baths are usually not provided.

NOTE: All fees listed are the most accurate estimates possible.  These costs are subject to change due to the rate of inflation and the fluctuating rate of exchange.  These factors might necessitate the cancellation of a course if enrollment is not sufficient.  If it is necessary to update costs one way or the other, this information will be provided to students as soon as possible.

Financial Aid

Limited loans are available to help cover some of the cost of international travel courses.  Contact the Office of Financial Assistance for more information.

Payment Schedule

All international travel courses have the same, non-refundable, initial deposit in the amount of $200 each, and this deposit is due to the Business Office at the time of application. Please keep this in mind as you'll need to make a payment to the Business Office in the form of cash, a personal check, or with a Mastercard, American Express, or Discover card before your application will be accepted as complete and can be considered.

The remainder of the travel course fees will be due to the Business Office by Dec. 31 along with regular spring semester fees.

Medical Withdrawals

Students who must withdraw from a travel course for medical reasons will receive a refund of all recoverable funds, minus the non-refundable deposit.  The student must provide the Office of International Education with a doctor’s statement verifying that the student is medically unable to participate in the program.

Bereavement Withdrawals

Students who must withdraw from a travel course due to the death of an immediate family member (parent, grandparent, or sibling) will receive a refund of all recoverable funds.  The student must provide the Office of International Education with appropriate documentation along with the refund request.

Termination from the Program

Prior to departure: If a student is terminated from the travel course by Simpson College as a result of disciplinary or behavioral problems, fees will be assessed as necessary and will vary depending on the course and date of termination.

After the course has begun: No refunds will be made and no credit will be awarded to students who are terminated from the travel course as a result of disciplinary or behavioral problems.  If Simpson College is forced to cancel a travel course, all program funds will be refunded.

 

Documents Required for International Travel Courses

Passport

Participants must be in possession of a valid United States passport.  You will need to provide the Office of International Education with a copy of the date page from your passport.

NOTE: If you already have a passport, check to see when it expires.  In order the meet the entry requirements of most countries, the passport needs to be valid through November 30, 2010.   If your passport expires before December 2010, you will need to renew your passport.

Application for a passport can be completed either at the Warren County Recorders Office in the Warren County Administration Building or online at the US State Department’s website (http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/get/get_840.html).  Cost for a new passport is $100, and it can take up to 8 weeks for the US State Department to process passport applications, so apply ASAP.

NOTE: If you are not a US Citizen, please notify the Office of International Education of your nationality as soon as you are accepted into your travel course so that office staff can check to see if additional documentation is required in your case.

Visas

Certain countries require an entry visa.  Participants will be advised of visa application and picture requirements.

Inoculations

Certain inoculations will be recommended for particular May Term travel courses.  Specific information on inoculations and where and when to obtain them will be given to participants as soon as it is available.

International Student ID Card

New for May Term 2010:   International Student ID cards are no longer automatically required of all international travel course participants, but each course instructor(s) will determine whether it makes sense for their students to obtain a card prior to departure.  As always, if an international student ID card is required, the cost of the card will be included in the travel course fee.  Details on how to obtain the card will be provided by the course instructor(s) in March 2010.

For more information, contact:

Marzia Corni-Benson
Office of International Education
Simpson College

Tel:       515.961.1288
Fax:      515.961.1290
E-mail:  marzia.corni-benson@simpson.edu

Last Updated: 9/17/09