Susquehanna University offers a wide range of programs around the world to suit student interests, fields of study and foreign language preparation. The Global Opportunities (GO) programs fit into several categories: GO Long, GO Short and GO Your Way. There are many GO Short programs led by Susquehanna faculty and staff. They generally last two to four weeks during winter or summer break. GO Long programs are approved semester programs that are administered entirely by Susquehanna University or in close cooperation with study-away partners. The vast majority of students choose an approved Susquehanna GO program. However, students may attend other recommended programs or design their own cross-cultural experience during a semester break, GO Your Way, according to the policies described below.
At a minimum, to be eligible, students must be in good academic standing and not be on disciplinary probation. Susquehanna students normally do not study away before they have completed three semesters on campus. Specific programs may have additional requirements. Semester and short-term programs administered by Susquehanna University require that students sign a statement of responsibility upon acceptance into the program. By signing, participants agree that their deposit is nonrefundable, and if they withdraw from the program, any Susquehanna financial aid applied to their account will be withdrawn, and they will still be billed for costs that have been incurred for them, such as airfare, program housing, etc. This may result in responsibility for the full cost of the program, regardless of the amount of aid they may have initially been awarded.
Students who receive need-based aid to fulfill the cross-cultural requirement on a short-term program will see a reduction in Susquehanna aid available for subsequent semester study away. Students who have received Susquehanna aid for a semester-length program will not be eligible for need-based aid to participate in subsequent short-term programs.
Susquehanna University accepts study-away credit for transfer only from programs covered in these policies.
The university reserves the right to change these policies without notice.
The Susquehanna University global program requirement includes three course components: preparation, the cross-cultural experience off-campus and reflection on campus. Students accepted to a GO Short program are automatically registered in all three components: OFFP, OFFS and OFFR, all of which are required for participation. These course components are open only to students accepted to the corresponding GO Short program.
Students approved for a GO Long or GO Your Way program are automatically registered for the corresponding OFFP and OFFS or OFFC courses. GO Long and GO Your Way students must register for a cross-cultural preparation course (OFFP) in the semester prior to their study away and a cross-cultural reflection course (OFFR) to be taken in the semester following their return to campus.
International students who are issued a visa may count their time at Susquehanna as their GO experience, but they must complete OFFP-INTL in their first semester, which prepares them for study at Susquehanna. They must also register for a cross-cultural reflection course later, to complete the GO requirement. New students who are Dual Citizens/Permanent Residents who have lived abroad for an extended period of time are strongly encouraged to take OFFP-INTL in their first semester.
Susquehanna GO Long programs are found on the Susquehanna study away Web page. Students submit applications for all semester programs to the Office of Global Programs by the Susquehanna deadlines. Pre-approval from the appropriate Susquehanna department chair(s) must be secured for courses taken off-campus that will fulfill major or minor requirements at Susquehanna and pre-approval from the university’s Curriculum Committee must be secured for courses taken off-campus that will fulfill Central Curriculum requirements. Students also must complete a required waiver and other forms before leaving campus.
Students will be charged Susquehanna University tuition, activity, health and study-away administrative fees during the semester in which they study off campus in an approved Susquehanna GO Long program. Students will be billed by Susquehanna University for the study-away program room fee (and board when applicable). Susquehanna tuition covers only the basic tuition costs of study away programs. Some programs have additional fees, including some additional course fees, which are not covered by SU tuition and which will be billed directly to the student by the program. In addition, each student will, upon acceptance to a study-away program, be required to pay a deposit directly to the program. In order for the student to participate in study away, the university requires that all accounts be current.
Students in Susquehanna GO Long study-away programs who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents will be eligible for most forms of financial aid and scholarships, ordinarily limited to one semester of off-campus study. To access need-based financial aid for off-campus study, students must:
Complete the standard financial aid application, meeting university deadlines;
Meet or exceed the required grade point average and satisfactory academic progress requirements for renewal of scholarship assistance and/or need-based financial aid.
Most forms of Susquehanna-sponsored scholarship assistance will continue to be available to students in approved Susquehanna GO Long programs. Exceptions include all tuition exchange awards. However, tuition exchange awards may be used for study in Susquehanna-administered study-away programs, including SWSB London and “SU in” programs (SU in Prague: Charles University, SU in China: Macau, SU in New Zealand: University of Waikato, etc.).
Occasionally students may find that for specific academic reasons they prefer to study off campus at a program not on the list of approved Susquehanna GO Long programs. Susquehanna provides a list of other recommended programs for consideration in these cases. Some students may choose to spend a second semester on a Susquehanna GO Long program. In either case, no Susquehanna aid is available; however, state and federal aid may continue to be available. Credit may only be transferred from these programs for courses pre-approved in advance by the appropriate department heads and/or the university Curriculum Committee as described above. Fees vary by program, and there is an additional administrative fee.
Students planning short-term study away typically choose from the wide variety of Susquehanna GO Short programs (list available on the Susquehanna study away Web page and in the Special Programs section of the catalog) or may propose to attend a non-Susquehanna program (see SU GO Your Way).
Students are not permitted to participate in online courses during the duration of the travel portion of the GO Short program.
Need-based aid may be available for students attending a Susquehanna GO Short program to fulfill the Cross-Cultural requirement. To access need-based financial aid for off-campus study, students must:
Complete the standard financial aid application, meeting university deadlines;
Meet or exceed the required grade point average and satisfactory academic progress requirements for renewal of scholarship assistance and/or need-based financial aid. NOTE: Most forms of Susquehanna-sponsored scholarship assistance (non-need-based aid) are not available to students on Susquehanna GO Short programs because these programs take place outside the traditional academic calendar.
Students will be charged specific program fees for participation in any Susquehanna GO Short program. These fees vary according to the location, duration and type of program. If a student withdraws after the commitment deadline they will be charged a withdraw fee and be responsible for non-refundable costs made on their behalf based on the date of withdraw. That deposit will be credited to the program fee billed by Susquehanna University. In order for the student to participate in study away, the university requires that all accounts be current.
Students must provide a copy of their passport information page or confirmation that they have submitted an application for a passport within two weeks of committing to participate in an overseas GO Short program, or they will be dropped from the program.
Self-designed cross-cultural experiences during winter or summer break must be approved in advance by the Office of Global Programs in order to serve as a prerequisite for the SU Cross-Cultural Reflection requirement. Examples include internships, volunteer service, independent study in a cross-cultural setting and participation in a non-SU short-term study-away program. Appropriate Susquehanna department chair(s) pre-approval is required for courses taken on a non-SU study-away program that will fulfill major or minor requirements at Susquehanna. Pre-approval from the university’s Curriculum Committee must be secured for courses taken off campus that will fulfill Central Curriculum requirements. Students also must complete required waiver and other forms before leaving campus. Guidelines for proposing a self-designed experience are available in the Office of Global Programs.
Limited need-based aid may be available to attend non-SU short-term programs. To access need-based financial aid for off-campus study, students must:
Complete the standard financial aid application, meeting university deadlines;
Provide documentation of all expenses they expect to incur in studying away from Susquehanna, including transportation, room, board and other academically required costs; and
Meet or exceed the required grade point average and satisfactory academic progress requirements for renewal of scholarship assistance and/or need-based financial aid. NOTE: Most forms of SU-sponsored scholarship assistance (non-need-based aid) are not available to students on SU GO Short programs because these programs take place outside the traditional academic calendar .
GO Your Way students are billed a study-away administrative fee. Students participating in non-SU short-term programs operated by programs found on the SU-approved GO Long list will be billed for GO Your Way fees by Susquehanna. Students on all other programs pay all deposits and fees directly to that program. Students completing self-designed cross-cultural experiences pay all expenses directly as needed.
