Off-campus Study Policies and FAQs
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Why should I study abroad?
Study abroad allows students to experience different cultures, but also to examine their own individual culture. It may give students a competitive edge in the employment marketplace as employers are increasingly looking for students who have lived in a different culture or have experience in a global context. Integration of an international component in a student's program of study allows for new perspectives, language development, and experiential learning. Students develop an understanding and appreciation of another culture and region of the world in addition to reflecting on their own culture.
Am I eligible to study off-campus?
Students with sophomore, junior, or senior standing in good academic, disciplinary, and chapel standing are eligible to study abroad/off-campus. Any student who is placed on academic or disciplinary probation during the application process or at the time of departure is not eligible. In addition, students must meet any program's published minimum grade point average to participate.
When should I apply for Off-Campus Study Approval?
Students who plan to leave campus for a semester must apply for Off-Campus Study Approval if they plan to participate in:
- Professional, full-time internship for academic credit
- Off-campus study or study abroad as a full-time student on an approved Wheaton College program
- Consortium Visitor semester
Can I participate in an approved off-campus program in my last semester?
Yes, Wheaton allows for students doing a Wheaton approved off-campus program in their last term to count those as resident hours; program credit hours may count as residency hours for the 12 of the last 21 rule. Student who need a study abroad or cross-cultural experience for their major are always allowed to study abroad in their last term.
Do I remain a Wheaton student if I am studying off-campus or abroad?
Yes, if you apply to an approved program through GoGlobal, you will be registered at Wheaton College for the semester you are studying off-campus. Students approved for Off-Campus Study do not need to re-apply to return to Wheaton. It is assumed that you will be returning after your semester of off-campus study. If your plans change and you decide NOT to return to Wheaton, please notify the GPS Office (gps@wheaton.edu) and cancel your enrollment at Wheaton College.
Can I transfer credits back from an approved program if I don't participate through Wheaton?
No, you must remain a Wheaton student to transfer credits back from an approved off-campus study or study abroad program.
Am I under the Community Covenant during my period of Off-Campus Study or Internship?
Yes, students approved for off-campus study or academic internships/research maintain Wheaton student status and are therefore expected to uphold the standards of our Community Covenant. In addition, students are also expected to comply with any standards of behavior outlined by the host program or institution.
Am I covered by Wheaton College’s International Travel Insurance during the time I am off-campus?
If you are traveling outside of the United States and your home country, have registered your international study/research/internship/service on GoGlobal, and have been approved, then you are covered by Wheaton’s International Travel Insurance. The policy covers emergency medical treatment, emergency dental treatment from an injury, and emergency medical and security evacuation. This insurance was designed to assist students with acute illness or injuries during the program dates and will not provide care after the program is complete or in preparation for the study abroad experience. Please familiarize yourself with the coverage limits in all areas. Any policy exclusions or charges in excess of policy limits are the responsibility of the student.
Am I still covered by Wheaton’s insurance if a take a “side trip” while I am studying abroad or completing an international internship?
A personal trip that is not associated with your study abroad experience or internship is considered a “personal sojourn.” Personal sojourn coverage is for international travel that is immediately adjacent to or during the sponsored travel (e.g., weekend travel during a program or arrival in the program country prior to program start). Personal sojourn travel outside of the established program dates (personal travel before or after an international program) is not covered by Wheaton’s insurance. Access to emergency assistance and insurance is denied for any personal deviation or travel to any country or location with a U.S. Department of State Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory.
Should I have personal health insurance for the time that I am off-campus?
The simple answer is YES. All students studying or traveling abroad should carry health insurance that covers preventive care before you leave the U.S. or your home country, routine care while you are overseas, and then any follow up care which might be needed when you return from your program.
BILLING and FINANCIAL AID
How will I be billed?
Students completing professional internships for academic credit, including HNGR, will be billed directly by Wheaton. Those enrolled in an approved study abroad or off-campus study program will also be billed directly by Wheaton College (see the Billing, Allowance Process, and Refunds information for off-campus study). Eligible financial aid is applied toward the cost of the off-campus semester/program and then the remaining balance is billed through your student account.
How does enrollment in an approved off-campus program affect my financial aid?
Financial aid, both federal and institutional aid, may be applied to off-campus study program fees. For financial aid to be applied to a semester off-campus study program, students need to be working toward Course Program of Study (CPOS) requirements during their semester abroad. That means taking elective or required courses to complete the major, and/or courses for a minor or certificate, courses that fulfill CATC thematic tags, or general elective courses that count toward the total 124 hours required for graduation. At least the equivalent of 12 credit hours (full-time student status) taken during any off-campus program need to count toward degree requirements to be considered for full federal financial aid.
Wheaton College has over 30 approved programs where financial aid can often be applied, with the exception of Jerusalem University College (JUC) in Israel. Please speak with your Financial Aid advisor in SFS for the most accurate information regarding your specific aid package and program choice.
CREDIT TRANSFER and REGISTRATION
How will my credits transfer to Wheaton?
All students studying at other institutions or non-Wheaton programs are required to complete the Request for Approval of Transfer Credits form. If the transfer of credits is approved, and course work is completed, the student is then responsible for making sure an official transcript is sent from the host institution or program partner to the Wheaton College Academic Advising office. Guidelines for course transfer include:
- Courses with a grade below C- equivalent are not transferable.
- Courses must be letter graded and not taken pass/fail.
Will my grades affect my GPA at Wheaton?
It depends on the program you participate in. Grades from the Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO) program, CCSP, MBL Semester in Environmental Science, ISDSI and the AuSable Institute will be calculated into your Wheaton GPA and appear on your Wheaton transcript. However, for most other programs, your grades will not transfer back to Wheaton, just the credits earned will transfer. Note that if you plan to attend graduate school, you will likely be required to submit transcripts from all schools/programs attended; it is not uncommon for graduate schools to recalculate a combined GPA based on all of your transcripts. Refer to the note on your processed Request for Approval of Transfer Credits form to see if grades transfer from your program of choice.
How do I register for my next semester at Wheaton?
All HNGR interns must complete a Registration Statement for the returning semester and submit that to the Registrar's Office in advance of their international internship.
For those students studying abroad or student teaching in an international location, you will find a requirement titled Course Registration for the Returning Semester in your GoGlobal application. In that application item, you will select one of the two options for advance registration:
Option 1 -The Registrar’s Office can assist students with registration for the term they will return to Wheaton. To do so, students complete a Registration Statement in advance of their off-campus semester, identifying the courses they plan to take in the term they will return to campus, have it signed by their faculty advisor, and then upload the signed form to their GoGlobal application. When the schedule for the returning term becomes available, the Registrar’s Office will reach out to students via email to see if changes are needed to the courses selected and verify desired course days/time, where applicable. Using the updated Registration Statement, the Registrar’s Office puts students in their selected courses as close to their assigned registration times as possible. Note there is no guarantee that a student will get into a desired course.
Option 2 - Students may register during their assigned registration times while off-campus. In advance of pre-registration at Wheaton, students are responsible for reaching out to their faculty advisor to secure their PIN for registration and for registering for classes for the returning term at or after their assigned registration time. Students who select this option should have regular and reliable access to the internet to access Wheaton’s Banner registration system, make certain their program schedule will allow for registration at their assigned time, and monitor their campus email while off-campus for advance registration notification and information.
Students may make changes to their course schedules until the add/drop period for the term ends.
*** It is very important to make sure that you have no holds on your account while you’re off campus. The Registrar’s office will not be able to proceed with your registration while there are any holds on your account.
HOUSING
See the Returning Semester Housing Information on your application home page for housing information and policies.