Office of Global EducationSpring 2022 Study Away

By when do I need to move out of my Amherst room?

Amherst students must vacate their dorm room on or before December 18th. For students participating in a J-term course, they must vacate their dorm room by January 27th. 

My passport is expired/will be expiring soon. (Or, I don’t have a passport yet.) Will I have time to apply?

The State Department is estimating that passport applications - new and renewals - will take up to 12 weeks. For students who also need a visa to enter the host country, it is unlikely that you will be able to receive your new passport in time to apply for your visa application. (Students in this situation may want to choose a program for which no visa is required.) All students should check their passport expiration date and apply or renew asap if necessary. 

Who can study away this spring?

Students who started an educational leave approval checklist by the April deadline and who are second-semester sophomores and juniors are eligible for study away so long as they have declared at least one major. Other students who are interested in study away should contact GEO (geo@amherst.edu) to inquire about their eligibility for study away.

Students who have taken a voluntary leave and wish to return to their degree studies by spending the fall semester need to follow inform the Office of Student Affairs they plan to return to their studies (e.g., the readmission process) by studying away.

How do I choose between programs? How will I know which program will run in the spring? 

This is a very difficult question to answer as it is impossible to predict the trajectory of the pandemic. Most programs, though, have detailed COVID protocols and have been able to run for at least the past semester. While programs and Amherst may require additional steps of students in order to study away, students should assess their comfort level with the risks involved in studying in a particular location and any restrictions that might be imposed. GEO feels it is very possible to have a rewarding experience but students may need to adjust their expectations.

Will the College allow spring study away?

The College is permitting students to study away, as per the College’s student travel policy, though students may need to petition to participate in college-sponsored travel to countries with a level 3 or 4 State Department Travel Advisory and/or CDC Travel Health Notice. Please note that the College does not have a "decide by" date. Students are encouraged to dual plan: plan to be at Amherst AND plan to be away. Use dates like your program's withdrawal without financial penalty deadline and/or Amherst's housing withdrawal deadline to guide you. If for any reason you are unable to travel, you will only be able to return to Amherst for the spring semester if the spring semester has not yet started and if there is housing on campus.

How do I know which programs are still accepting applications?

The Amherst College Travel Registry has all pre-approved programs and when GEO learns of a program’s suspension, the travel registry is updated. Students are strongly encouraged to check with the program directly to see if applications are still being accepted, even if on a space-available basis.

My host country requires a visa; should I apply for one?

Check with your program about whether you are required to obtain a visa to your host country. Though your program may offer advice and provide supporting documents (e.g., an official admission letter to the program), each traveler must apply for his/her/their own visa. You should think about (and discuss with your family and trusted advisers) about whether you want to apply and pay for the visa application even if you are uncertain if you will be traveling. If you are unable to attend the program, please know that visa fees are non-refundable.

Will I be required to have proof of a COVID vaccine and/or a booster shot prior to studying away?

It is possible that some countries and/or programs may require travelers to show proof of a CDC or World Health Organization-approved COVID vaccine. You can check requirements on the U.S. State Department’s country-specific COVID pages. If you are studying with a program provider, they will also keep you updated on any entry requirements. We do not yet know if a booster vaccine will be available and expected of travelers.

I receive financial aid from the College. What costs are covered for spring study away?

You receive two bills for study away: one from Amherst with Amherst tuition, since you are receiving credit for your Amherst degree, and one from your program with non-tuition expenses. Financial aid is comprehensive and fully transferable to all approved programs. The Study Away Budget includes costs over tuition, room and board, e.g., airfare, visa fees. Read more about finances and study away here.

How do I petition the College’s travel policy?

Students may petition to travel to countries with a U.S. State Department Travel Advisory Level 3 or 4 and/or a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID Travel Health Notice Level 3 or 4. It is best to petition after you have applied, and preferably admitted, to a program.

Travel petitions must be submitted by October 15, 2021. Students may submit late petitions only if the State Department Travel Advisory and/or CDC Travel Health Notice raises after this date. If you have not yet learned of admission to your study away program by this date, petition as if you were traveling to the host country of your top-choice program should that country require a travel petition.

All study away students who are in the educational leave approval process will be sent instructions to their Amherst email address on how to submit the travel petition.

May I enroll in courses at Amherst AND a study away program?

No, students may only enroll in courses at Amherst OR courses on the study away program.

Should I confirm my spot on the program I’ve been accepted to?

Many programs require a confirmation of attendance through a program deposit. You need to check with your program to learn what date the program deposit becomes non-refundable. Some programs will refund the deposit up until the day before departure; others refund the deposit much earlier. It is essential that you mark your calendar with the program deposit refund date because if you withdraw past this deadline, you will be responsible for this fee.

For some programs, the College covers the program deposit for the student and it will be paid when the College receives your tuition bill from your program. (Remember: Amherst charges Amherst tuition for study away programs that count towards your Amherst degree and, therefore, we pay all tuition fees from your program on your behalf.) 

For other programs, students are responsible for the deposit because the deposit is billed against non-tuition expenses such as housing. Students who receive significant financial aid may be eligible to have a deposit advanced but you will need to contact the aid office to determine if you are eligible or whether it will need to be covered from your family contribution.

When do I need to decide if I want to study away this spring? 

Students should plan to be away and plan to be at Amherst. The College will not release you from any pre-registered courses until late January (date TBD), but you will be released from your housing selection by mid-January (date TBD). There is no remote learning in Amherst courses in the spring and we recommend that you make a decision about your study away plans by mid-January unless your program has an earlier deadline whereby you face a financial penalty for withdrawing from the program. Students who withdraw after the program's commitment deadline - unique to each program - may be charged the non-refundable program deposit and other non-recoverable costs.

What steps do I need to take if I decide to study away?

Students need to complete all steps in the Educational Leave Approval Checklist in the Amherst College Travel Registry. Students needed to have started a checklist by April 16. (If you did not and want the option to study away in spring 2022, contact us at geo@aherst.edu.) Part 1 of the checklist is due October 15. Once you have been accepted into a program, you will be prompted to complete a few additional steps in part 2, which is program-specific and is due on November 1. 

If you intend to travel to a country that requires a travel petition as per the College’s travel policy, the travel petition is due October 15. 

If I decide to study at Amherst for the spring instead of studying away, what steps do I need to take?

You need to email GEO and the programs to which you have applied to notify them of your plans to remain at Amherst for the spring 2022 semester.

When should I purchase my flight?

This is a very personal decision, since students are financially responsible for their tickets. Consult with your program, your family, and your trusted advisers. Please make sure you understand the policies to cancel and/or change your flight in case you need to make adjustments in the future.

Students receiving financial aid should consult with the Financial Aid Office before purchasing airfare.

My program was suspended and I have the option of attending a different site with the same provider. May I attend?

If your specific program is suspended but the program provider is offering you the option to attend a different program in a new location, you may petition the faculty committee on global education for approval. Please contact GEO as soon as possible if this option becomes available to you.

What happens if my program is suspended before I depart?

If your program is suspended before the end of Amherst’s add/drop period you may be able to join Amherst’s spring semester depending on housing availability. If your program is suspended after the end of Amherst’s add/drop period, you will likely have to take a voluntary leave for the spring 2022 semester.

If a program makes the decision to suspend a program, it is likely that they will refund most if not all fees. (It is, ultimately, up to the program so please consult their refund policy.) Some programs may choose to suspend the onsite experience and move the academic content exclusively online. If there is no onsite experience and only the option is to participate in a virtual study abroad program, you may not attend for credit or financial aid transfer. Please weigh carefully the financial risk of not being permitted to attend a virtual study away program after you have already made a financial commitment to attend. You also need to consider that if travel is not permitted, other expenses, such as visa fees and flights, are likely non-refundable.

May I attend my program if it moves exclusively online?

No, Amherst does not approve exclusively online study away programs. If your program begins onsite but is disrupted and you need to return home, you may continue in your courses remotely. But if the program starts entirely online, you cannot attend for credit transfer nor can financial aid be applied to the program. If the onsite experience of your program is suspended prior to departure but the academic program is offered remotely, you will need to withdraw or pay out of pocket for the program. Carefully consider the refund policies of your program since there may be fees that are non-refundable.

What happens if my program is suspended once I am on site?

If your program is suspended once you are in your host country, it is highly likely that you will shift to remote learning and your program will advise you on how to return home, should travel to your home country be permitted. You will not be able to return to the Amherst campus to continue learning remotely with your study away program. 

Students are responsible for fees related to changing their flights. It is imperative that you check with your program regarding a refund of any room, board, and other non-tuition expenses. Some programs advance funds for housing for the entire semester and, therefore, there may be no refund if you depart early.

If my program is disrupted while I am on site and I have to return home, will I receive a refund from the program?

Most courses are likely going to continue remotely if you return home and you should remain enrolled in your courses if you depart. Some programs may not be able to offer a refund of room and board fees if they pay all costs upfront for the entire semester. Other programs may be able to offer a pro-rated refund. You should discuss this scenario with your program.

Will I be required to quarantine upon arrival, during my program, and upon return to my home country?

It is very possible that you will be required to quarantine at some point during your semester away, depending on the location. Some countries require quarantine upon arrival and, in these instances, programs are building quarantine into the semester. With vaccination increasing, some countries are waiving or reducing quarantine with proof of vaccination.

If you become exposed to the coronavirus through personal (rather than program-sponsored) travel, you may be required to quarantine and you may be required to financially support yourself during that time, including securing non-program accommodation, meals, etc.

What will my program or host country do if COVID cases increase? 

It is possible that your host country and/or study away program may impose curfews, cease all in-person activities, require you to “shelter-in-place,” and other alterations to “normal” life so as to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission. You are expected to follow all program, local, and national guidelines in your host environment. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action from the program (e.g., probation, suspension) or action from local government (e.g., fines). 

Please remember that while you are on study away, the Amherst Student Code of Conduct applies and the College reserves the right to review your academic and disciplinary record from your program and implement similar institutional action. If you are subject to legal action, the College can only refer you to legal counsel in your host country (through AIG Travel Guard).

What travel restrictions might I encounter?

Some programs have already decided that students may not travel outside the host country and loosing or tightening of restrictions could change over time. (The policies may differ between vaccinated and non-vaccinated students.) You should prepare for the possibility of sheltering-in-place in your host country while you take your courses remotely. 

While it may be disappointing to learn that you are not able to travel freely within a geographic region, please remember that this is an excellent opportunity to explore your host city and country. We are confident that you will feel at home - a second home! - in your host country should you be unable to travel regionally.

Should I pre-register for courses at Amherst this spring?

Yes, you should pre-register for courses with Amherst for the spring semester. You will not be removed from your pre-registered courses until late January.

What if my program has not made a decision about whether it will run by the time the spring semester starts at Amherst?

If you are attending a program that starts in February, your program may make a decision to suspend the onsite experience after Amherst’s spring semester has started (on February 2). This may mean that you will not be able to enroll in courses at Amherst. You need to carefully weigh the risks of missing a semester at Amherst and - of equal or greater importance - having incurred non-refundable expenses related to study away. For programs that move exclusively online where there is no onsite program, there may be little to no refund since the program is operating virtually. Remember: Amherst does not approve a virtual program so you will be unable to participate for credit and financial aid transfer. Please remember that Amherst is not offering remote learning for the spring 2022 semester, so you must be in residence to study on campus this spring.

May I reduce the number of credits I take while away? 

No, students must take a minimum of 15 U.S. semester credits on their program. (If students are struggling while away, with a serious personal or medical issue, they should contact their class dean about dropping a course.) See our Policies page for more details on credits.

May I take courses pass/fail?

No, students must take all courses for a letter grade.

May I enroll in a J-term course?

So long as your program start date is AFTER the end of the J-term (January 25, 2022), you may participate in a J-term course. You will need to vacate your dorm room by January 27th.