Policies & Procedures

All participants on Kansas State University programs abroad are required to sign a Conditions of Participation Agreement and Assumption of Risk and Release.

Students participating in faculty led programs must complete the Conditions of Participation Agreement and Assumption of Risk and Release when applying for a program.

Current Kansas State University students and students receiving credit for an affiliated program must complete the Conditions of Participation Agreement and Assumption of Risk and Release when applying for a program.

Kansas State University students and students receiving credit for an unaffiliated program must complete the Conditions of Participation Agreement and Assumption of Risk and Release when applying for a program.

Non-credit participants, including community members, faculty and staff, must complete the Conditions of Participation Agreement and Assumption of Risk and Release for Non-Credit Participants.

Program withdrawal policies are dependent upon the type of education abroad program, as well as the stage of the application process at the time of withdrawal. Participants considering withdrawal from a program are encouraged to notify their Education Abroad Advisor as soon as possible for more information on how to officially withdraw from a program. As a part of their application, students are required to read and sign a Conditions of Participation. Once accepted to a program, students are required to read and sign a Withdrawal Policy. Regarding refunds, please consult the Payment and Refund Policy.

Education Abroad requires all students to have at least a 2.50 GPA*

EXCEPTION: If a student’s cumulative GPA is below a 2.50 requirement but is at least a 2.00, the student may request an exception to this requirement by submitting the following documents, along with the Study Abroad Application, to Education Abroad:

• Official Transcript(s)
• Purpose Statement that explains the student’s motivation and readiness to study abroad despite their low GPA
• One Letter of Recommendation submitted directly to Education Abroad from K-State faculty and/or staff

Decisions regarding the student’s GPA appeal will be made by the Education Abroad Team.

*Specific programs may have a higher GPA requirement

*Faculty leaders on faculty-led programs may accept students who have lower than a 2.50 GPA

Education Abroad requires all students participating on independent study abroad programs to have completed two full-time semesters of University-level credits.* Faculty-led programs will each have their own minimum credit or class standing requirement.

EXCEPTION: If a student has not met the credit requirement listed above, the student may request an exception to this requirement by submitting the following documents, along with the Study Abroad Application, to Education Abroad.

• Official Transcript(s)
• Purpose Statement that explains the student’s motivation and readiness to study abroad
• One Letter of Recommendation submitted directly to Education Abroad from K-State faculty and/or staff

Decisions regarding the student’s minimum credit hour requirement appeal will be made by the Education Abroad Team.

*Specific programs may have a higher minimum credit hour requirement requirement

At the beginning of 2018, the U.S. State Department (DOS) replaced its system of Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts with a single “Travel Advisory” for every country. Each Travel Advisory for every country around the world will be paired with a level of advice based on one of four tiers:

• Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel. Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time.
• Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution: Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.
• Level 3 - Reconsider Travel: Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.
• Level 4 - Do Not Travel: This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. Government may have very limited ability to provide assistance. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or leave as soon as it is safe to do so. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time

Visit the U.S. State Department's website to see the Advisory for each country.

Travel Advisories at Levels 2-4 will contain clear reasons for the level assigned, using established risk indicators, and offer specific advice to those who choose to travel there. These are:

• C – Crime: Widespread violent or organized crime is present in areas of the country. Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.
• T – Terrorism: Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.
• U – Civil Unrest: Political, economic, religious, and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions, and/or safety risks.
• H – Health: Health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country’s medical infrastructure, are present. The issuance of a Centers for Disease Control Travel Notice may be a factor.
• N - Natural Disaster: A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.
• E - Time-limited Event: Short-term event, such as elections, sporting events, or other incidents that may pose safety risks.
• – Other: There are potential risks not covered by previous risk indicators. Read the country’s Travel Advisory for details.

Additionally, although DOS will issue an overall Travel Advisory level for each country, varying levels of advice may apply to specific locations or areas within a county. For instance, there may be advice for U.S. citizens to exercise increased caution in a country (Level 2), but to reconsider travel to a particular area within that country (Level 3). See the Mexico travel advisory as a good example.

KSU PPM 3120.050 Travel to Elevated Risk Locations

The University generally disfavors employees or students participating in university-sponsored international travel to any locations categorized as Level 3 or Level 4 by the U.S. Department of State or classified as Warning Level 3 by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The supervisor - or in the case of students travel that is faculty led, the supervisor or faculty - must seek prior approval before registering and booking any travel, by completing and submitting to IRAWG@ksu.edu the Travel to Elevated Risk Locations Request Form.

In the case of Education Abroad programs managed by the Education Abroad Office, such as faculty-led, university exchange, third-party provider or direct enroll, the faculty and/or student planning to travel must meet with an Education Abroad Advisor prior to submitting their request approval.

The International Risk Advisory Working Group will convene a small group to review the information and will make a recommendation to the applicable Vice President or the Provost/Executive Vice President, who will make the final decision on behalf of the university to approve or disapprove the travel. That decision may include additional risk mitigation requirements, including, but not limited to, requiring the traveler/travelers to sign an Assumption of Risk and General Release Form.

The supervisor and/or faculty will be notified of the decision on whether or not travel is approved within five (5) business days of submitting the travel request. Travelers may appeal the decision in writing to IRAWG@ksu.edu. The appearl will be submitted to the Provost for review. Once the travel has been approved, the traveler should then register their travel on the K-State international travel website and proceed with booking their trip.

Education Abroad requests a report of history of disciplinary action for all study abroad applicants from the Office of Student Affairs and the Department of Residence Life. If a student has a history of disciplinary action at KSU, they may be asked to sign an additional behavior contract for their term of study abroad, or it may be recommended that they do not participate on a study abroad program.

International Students studying in the US on an F-1 or J-1 visa are not permitted to participate in an exchange program to their home country. They can participate on a faculty-led, direct enroll or program provider program to their home country. Hong Kong and Taiwan are not considered a Mainland Chinese student's home country. An exception may be made if KSU owes students toward an exchange balance.

According to NCAA policy, athletic scholarship funds are only able to be used to cover Kansas State University courses. Therefore, students participating on program provider, direct enrollment or exchange programs will not be able to use their NCAA scholarship funds to cover the cost of tuition. The funds can only be used for faculty-led study abroad programs, for which the student is enrolled in a KSU course.

Student athletes should also speak with their Athletic Counselor before committing to a study abroad program.

Any Kansas State University student who participating in an education abroad program through a Direct Enroll or Program Provider partner will be billed by the host institution or provider, and is responsible for submitting payment directly to the institution or provider by specified deadlines.

Students with extenuating financial or scholarship award situations, who require program fees to be processed through Kansas State University, should notify their Education Abroad Advisor about this situation. Students who have not yet met with their Education Abroad Advisor can contact overseas@ksu.edu