13 Mar
Courses Tied to UM’s 60th Anniversary of Integration
Topics include minorities in health professions, politics of inequality
Policies and Procedures
Study USA Policies & Procedures
This document is a summary of policies and procedures that UM students should understand before applying to a Study USA Program.
Application Process
Since admission is done on a rolling admissions basis, the Study USA Office strongly recommends that students apply early, as many programs will be filled to capacity prior to the deadline. However, applying early does not guarantee acceptance. Also note that program deadlines vary for each course. Applications for Wintersession are typically accepted until early October. Applications for May intersession, Summer 1, Summer 2, and August intersession programs are typically accepted until early March. Check program web pages to determine the deadline of a specific program.
Student’s Financial Responsibilities
Once accepted to a program, the student accepts financial responsibility for Study USA program fees and tuition. Students who apply to a program that is cancelled by the Study USA Office will not be responsible for the Study USA program fee and tuition. Students who are wait-listed because a program is filled to capacity will not be responsible for the Study USA program fee and tuition until formally accepted and enrolled in a course.
Eligibility and Acceptance
Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate in a Study USA Program, regardless of parental consent. Participants must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA or above) at the time of application. Participants must also meet all prerequisites set by the Study USA course instructor. Acceptance to all programs is based, minimally, on review of the submitted application, an academic transcript and all disciplinary records through the Dean of Students Office. Additional eligibility criteria may apply; see specific program details for additional eligibility requirements.
Students will be notified of application status by e-mail from the Study USA Office after the Study USA application deadline. Contact with students will be mainly through e-mail. All e-mail communication will be sent to the student’s Ole Miss e-mail account, so students must have a current and active “go.olemiss.edu” e-mail address.
Participation may be denied, or participation approval may be revoked, if conduct before departure raises doubts as to the student’s suitability for program participation. Students whose approval is denied or revoked will be responsible for any fees incurred in accordance with the Study USA Office Withdrawal Policy.
Withdrawal Policy
If, for any reason, a student chooses to withdraw from a course, a Study USA Withdrawal Request must be completed. Verbal statements of withdrawal will not be considered as notification of withdrawal; therefore, the student will still be considered a program participant until written notification is received. Availability and amount of refund will be based on the date that the Withdrawal Request is received by our office.
PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION DEADLINE:
The student needs to withdraw their application in Terra Dotta (our online application portal). Students withdrawing before the application deadline will be removed from the course without penalty. Students wishing to reinstate their application will need to do so prior to the application deadline in order to be considered.
AFTER THE APPLICATION DEADLINE:
The student needs to submit a Withdrawal Request for Study USA, available in Terra Dotta at the bottom of the current programs listings.
Between the application deadline and 61 days before the start of term, a 75% refund will be provided.*
31 to 60 days before the start of term, a 50% refund will be provided.*
30 days prior to the start of term, no refunds will be provided.
* In the event that non-recoverable costs (such as housing deposits, conference registrations, flight costs, etc.) exceed the portion of the program fee retained by Study USA, the refund amount will be reduced to cover all non-recoverable costs.
Under no circumstances can any refund requests be considered for students who have completed a course.
Release of Information
Student records will be released to persons directly involved with the acceptance and processing of a student application. In addition, during the course of a student’s participation in a Study USA program, the Study USA Office may wish to provide relevant information from the student’s educational records to the student’s parents, guardians, and other third parties. Depending on the circumstances, information to be released might include student account information, information about the program in which the student is enrolled, financial and billing information, housing information, or non-emergency information related to the student’s health or safety.
Students can authorize that certain information be disclosed in the application agreement. Students can also refuse this disclosure pursuant to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). For more information visit the FERPA website.
Disability Accommodation
We encourage all students to participate in Study USA programs and look forward to working with each and every student. It is important that students with a disability or specific needs disclose the information with sufficient advance notice so that we can work with our host sites to provide reasonable accommodations. Contact Student Disability Services (662) 915-7128 for more information about accommodations in an academic setting.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
A limited number of Outreach Study USA Scholarships are available to assist students with Study USA travel expenses and/or program fees. Students must have a current FAFSA on file with the University of Mississippi Office of Financial Aid to be eligible.
Additionally, The Carolyn Ellis Staton Study USA Scholarship is available to help with student travel expenses for learning opportunities within their field of interest. Awards through this fund are determined based on financial need and Study USA scholarship eligibility.
The Outreach Study USA Scholarship and Carolyn Ellis Staton Study USA Scholarship candidates are reviewed from the same application. Study USA staff will review your application and level of financial need with the Office of Financial Aid and will determine awards based on fund availability.
Academic Credit
The student must be aware of the credit offered for their chosen program and how that credit applies to the student’s academic program. The burden is upon the student to communicate with their academic advisor and know how, or if, the credit will apply towards their degree.
