Santa Clara University

Frequently Asked Questions: Students Currently Abroad

1. Do my grades transfer back to Santa Clara?
YES. All grades and credits transfer and are computed in to your SCU GPA, just as if you had taken the classes here at Santa Clara provided you are studying on one of the approved program locations.

2. Can I take a class abroad as pass/no pass (P/NP)?
The rules concerning which classes you can take as pass/no pass while you are abroad are the same as if you were here at SCU:

Taken directly from the SCU Bulletin:
Pass/No Pass Option
A junior (more than 88 completed units) or senior with a declared major may choose to take an elective course on a pass/no pass basis. An elective course is one other than a University, School, college, department, or program requirement. A grade of "P" signifies that the quality of work done is equivalent to a letter grade of "C" or higher, while a grade of "NP" denotes work done at the level of C-, D, or F. Courses taken under the P/NP option will fulfill graduation unit requirements but do not affect grade point averages. Students may elect only one course per quarter on a P/NP basis.

If you meet all these requirements, then you need to check with the Country Program Director of your study abroad program about their P/F policy. If the program provider (Arcadia, IES, etc) allow students to take a course P/F, the grade must appear this way on the transcript that Santa Clara ultimately receives from your program. If your program has different standards for issuing a pass (i.e., you have to get a D or a C-), it is important to communicate with your program and your professor that you need to earn at least a C in order to pass.

If you qualify under these terms and the program provider allows a P/F course, then usually they will require an authorization from Santa Clara. Email studyabroad@scu.edu to request an authorization with the following information:

1. Course Number & Title
2. Name & Contact Information (email, fax) for the appropriate person in your program who needs to receive the authorization from Santa Clara.

We will review each case and provide the appropriate authorization.

3. How do I register for classes back at Santa Clara?
Please click here for the "How to Register for Winter Classes at SCU" or check the the Academic Planning section of your Pre-Departure Handbook.

4. Where can I find the course catalog for the upcoming term?
All course catalogs are accessible via your ecampus account or on the Registrar's Office website.

5. I am having trouble accessing e-campus from this foreign web browser.
For tips about using ecampus, please check here: https://www.scu.edu/ecampus/using.cfm

6. How do I get a new course that I am taking abroad approved to fulfill a major, minor, or core requirement?
1) Search the online course approval database if your course has been pre-approved. If your course and correct equivalency is already in the database, you will not need to get any new signature.You do need to let Lori Johnson (LAJohnson@scu.edu) at the Drahmann Center know.

2) If the course is not located in the online database, then you can follow the course approval procedure via email to the appropriate department chair providing the following information:

• Your name
• Your study abroad program & location
• The course number
• The full course title
• The course description
• The URL to get more information, if you have it (like a syllabus), or details about the content of the class

3) Forward email correspondence to Lori Johnson (LAJohson@scu.edu) at the Drahmann Center who oversees the course approval protocol. Keep copies for your file.

7. Where do I find safety information about a weekend trip I am planning to take?
The State Department website at http://travel.state.gov is a rich source of up-to-date information, and we highly recommend checking it before embarking on a trip. The Consular Information Sheets will give you a quick overview of what you need to know before entering any country, and you can also see any current Travel Warnings at this website.

8. Help! I need a place to live when I come back to Santa Clara.
All on-campus housing are arranged with the SCU Housing Office, or you can check the Off-Campus Housing Directory for leads!

9. I am currently studying abroad for one term, but I would like to extend it to a full year either in the same program location or to another one. Is that possible and if so how do I do that?
The International Programs Office encourages students to spend a full year studying abroad provided your academic and personal plans allow you to do so. Please follow these required steps:

• Step 1: RESEARCH YOUR OPTIONS: Knowing that students are allowed to study abroad for an entire year plus a summer puts the responsibility on you to make the right decision for yourself academically, personally, financially, etc. Be sure to review all the pros and cons of extending your program to another term.
  
• Step 2: ACADEMIC ADVISER APPROVAL: Get in touch with your Faculty Adviser to discuss your academic plans and how studying abroad for another term will still keep you on track to graduate on time. Be sure to get their approval via email.
  
• Step 3: PROGRAM PROVIDER APPROVAL: If you are staying for another term with the same provider in the same location,  you only need to inform the Program Director in your current location and they will advise you of steps you need to take. Usually, it will only require signing a Confirmation Form to stay on for another term. If you wish to change provider and location, then you will need to fill out all required application forms and fulfill all their requirements.
  
• Step 4: INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS APPROVAL: Send an email to International Programs at SCU using studyabroad@scu.edu petitioning to extend your program to a year. Usually, you will be approved if you are still in good standing with the University and have been approved by your academic adviser. Once cleared, the International Programs Office will inform other units on campus (Bursar, Registrar, Financial Aid) regarding your new status so that you can be billed, registered, and your aid disbursement schedule remains intact.
  

10. I would like to evaluate my study abroad program for Santa Clara.
Excellent! The evaluation form is available here in .pdf form. We really appreciate having current evaluations on file for other students to browse.

11. How can I incorporate a more international flavor to my remaining coursework back at Santa Clara?
Santa Clara offers two minors that are very popular with study abroad students: The International Studies minor and the International Business minor. Look into them!

12. What websites have other study abroad students recommended to you as being helpful?
We constantly are updating our LINKS section of our website with student tips.

13. When is payment due for my next quarter back at Santa Clara?
For more information about payments due to Santa Clara, you can see The Bursar's Office website.

14. How can I get involved in promoting study abroad when I get back to Santa Clara?
There are several ways! Please check out "Ways to Get Involved at SCU" including the International Ambassadors, Peer Advisors, Re-Entry Groups, Workshops, Orientations, International Club, etc.

If you would like to learn more about any of these programs (and there is much more available!), please contact us!

15. I have a study abroad advising hold on my ecampus. How do I remove it? The Registrar's Office places the same positive study abroad hold on all current study abroad students' ecampus as a matter of procedure. They will remove that hold in time for your Winter registration appointment so do not worry.

16. Can I drop a course below the minimum requirement by my program? 

Check with your program provider if they allow students to take less than their minimum credit requirements. They will advise you what you need. If they simply need an authorization from Santa Clara, then you can simply email studyabroad@scu.edu to request the authorization to drop a course. In that email you need to provide the following:

1. Course Number & Title
2. Name & contact information (email, fax) of the official who needs to receive the authorization from Santa Clara University

Take care of yourselves and each other, and if you have a question that is not answered here, please feel free to ask!