La Salle University Study Abroad Policy

STUDY ABROAD POLICY

PARTICIPATING IN AN APPROVED PROGRAM:

  1. La Salle University restricts study abroad experiences for its students to La Salle programs and programs approved by LaSalle through other U.S. universities. Students interested in a study abroad program should apply to the Director of Study Abroad Programs in the Multicultural and International Center, as well as directly to the sponsoring educational institution. Application deadlines are mid-March for the fall semester and early October for spring semester. Deadlines for pre-approved non-La Salle programs may be earlier than La Salle’s in-house deadline.
  2. La Salle University offers semester and summer abroad experiences in Ireland, Italy, Mexico, and Australia, England and Switzerland. In addition, La Salle is a member of the Lasallian International Programs Consortium, which includes programs in the following additional countries: Argentina, China, France, Germany, Spain and South Africa. These programs are exclusively available to La Salle students and Lasallian consortium students. Students wishing to study abroad in the above countries are limited to only Lasallian programs; students may not study abroad through a Non-La Salle program if La Salle already offers a program in the requested country.
  3. La Salle University will set the price for each of the study abroad opportunities that it administers. The price will include tuition, room, orientation, and administrative costs. It does not include airfare, board, additional travel expenses, and individual expenses.
  4. In order for academic credit to be given towards graduation for all appropriate courses taken on La Salle University programs or approved programs abroad, students must get written approval for their proposed program from their assistant dean. Students participating in the Lasallian study abroad programs:
    • Will have courses pre-approved for registration and will have grades fully transferred to their La Salle transcript (all attempted credits will be recorded along with earned grades). All academic work abroad will be calculated in the cumulative GPA.
    • Will have financial aid that is non-La Salle based applied toward the expenses of the study abroad opportunity.
    • Will attend the mandatory pre-departure and in-country orientations. Students who do not attend the scheduled orientation and do not make arrangements for a make-up will be ineligible to go abroad.
    • Will maintain full-time enrollment, attend class regularly and comply with all program regulations and individual course requirements in any program they choose.  Students who leave the program before it is officially over will not receive credit for their work.
  5. Students who apply to study abroad programs should be in good academic and disciplinary standing with La Salle University. Any current or pending discipline issue or probationary status will be taken into account in evaluating a student’s application to study abroad.
  6. As a participant in a La Salle-approved [the approved program list can be found on La Salle’s study abroad website] or La Salle-administered study abroad program, each student is a representative of La Salle University, his/her home institution, and the United States, and should comport himself or herself in a manner that reflects favorably on all.In addition to regular classes, the program may include planned lectures and field trips germane to the educational experience. All students are expected to participate willingly in such activities in addition to attending the regular classes. La Salle University gives discretion to the sponsoring institution to discipline a student or dismiss him or her from the program for behavior detrimental to the program and the student. A dismissed student will receive no refund and may receive no credit.Students are expected to adhere to the La Salle University Student Guide to Resources, Rights and Responsibilities while abroad. For definitions of concepts mentioned in the Student Guide to Resources, Rights and Responsibilities, please visit, https://www.lasalle.edu/students/dean/divpub/manuals/sgrrr/index.php?accordion_num=2&vn2_accordion_num=3&content=policies&anchorID=poli.
  7. Students participating in La Salle programs are required to purchase the International Study Identity Card (ISIC). Please see the study abroad application for ISIC fees.
  8. Students wishing to study outside of La Salle and the Lasallian Consortium programs will need to go through the non-La Salle approval process (please see your academic assistant dean or the Director of Study Abroad Programs for the “Pre-approved Non-La Salle Program Study Abroad List” and the “Study Abroad Petition Policy”)
  9. Students who wish to pursue study abroad programs other than those offered by La Salle will be responsible for the fees for the program and school in question. La Salle University is unable to complete Consortium Agreements for financial aid purposes with other institutions based on federal regulations.
  10. Students who receive permission to enroll in an “approved” study abroad program that is not La Salle administered:
    • Will have courses pre-approved for registration and will have credits fully transferred to their La Salle transcript (only courses where a “C” or better are earned will be transferred) by their academic assistant dean. Academic work for the semester abroad will not be calculated in the cumulative GPA.
    • Will have only non-La Salle financial aid applied toward the expenses of the study abroad opportunity, when permitted by the funding source. For study abroad programs other than those offered by La Salle, students will not be eligible for La Salle grants and scholarships, state grants, or federal grants and loans.
    • Note: For “non-approved” student abroad programs, students will not have access to any La Salle or non-La Salle financial aid.

POLICY ON, AND PETITION PROCESS FOR,
STUDENTS SEEKING APPROVAL TO PARTICIPATE IN A NON-APPROVED PROGRAM

Policy on student participation in non-approved programs

A student wishing to attend a university or study abroad program that is not currently affiliated with La Salle, or is not currently on La Salle’s list of approved programs, must petition to participate in a non-approved program.  If permission is granted, the specific courses would then also need to be approved.  A petition may only be used for students who have specific academic needs that cannot be met in any of the current La Salle affiliated/approved programs. The student must demonstrate how the program has an academic component that the already-approved programs do not.

Only petitions with clear academic objectives and compelling academic reasons are considered.  Petitions are judged on the merit of the student’s academic objectives in relation to specific study abroad opportunities for which they are seeking approval and a positive assessment of the school’s fit and rigor.

Petitions for programs that are in the same country as existing La Salle programs will not normally be approved.  Specific program dates (i.e. wanting a program that ends in time for your summer internship), housing option, or attending a program with a friend are not arguments for a proposal.  Location (desire to be in a particular city), is only a factor if there is an academic justification for the location.

Students must demonstrate that they will take the equivalent of 12-16 semester hours for fall and spring semesters (fewer are permitted for summer programs).

Only programs whose courses and credits will be posted on a transcript of an accredited U.S. school, will be considered. Students enrolling directly through a non-U.S. school will not be approved. Transcripts of the school abroad will not be used to post courses on the La Salle transcript.

All courses must be given a grade (and not pass/fail) by the U.S. school; only courses whose grades are C or better will be granted La Salle credit. Grades for courses transferred will not calculate into the student’s La Salle GPA.  For universities with program grading systems that are not on an A-F or 0-4.0 grading scale, grade conversions will be established by the Academic Assistant Dean at La Salle prior to the student’s study abroad experience.

Petitioners are expected to have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and strong support from the Chairperson/Director of his/her major.  Students who apply to study abroad programs should be in good disciplinary standing with La Salle University, as determined by Student affairs.  Past, current and pending disciplinary issues will be taken into account in evaluating a student’s application to study abroad.

Petition Process for students seeking approval to participate in a non-approved program:

Petition forms may be obtained from, and submitted to, the Assistant Dean of the student’s academic school at La Salle.  Before preparing a petition, the student must consult with his/her Assistant Dean who will explain the policy and procedures and give an initial assessment of whether the program might be approved.   In addition, the student may likely be instructed to meet with the Chairperson/Director of his/her department at La Salle.

Students must submit the following to the Assistant Dean of their school before the deadline date: 1) the Petition Form, 2) the Petition Process Course Approval Form and 3) course descriptions.  The student may be directed to meet with the Chairperson/Director of his/her department for review of, and approval for, major courses.

The absolute deadline for filing petitions for study abroad is:

July 1st for the following spring semester abroad and

November 1st for the following fall semester abroad.

It will be the student’s responsibility to obtain information to provide to the Assistant Dean about the school abroad program’s course offerings, including course descriptions, number of credits granted, grading system, and number of hours of course instruction. If course descriptions are not available on the programs website, students must contact the program to request them. In some cases, students may need to request syllabi for course(s).

Students must obtain approval (signatures) from the Assistant Deans of their respective schools for specific courses and alternative courses they are seeking to take abroad.  Arts & Sciences students must, in addition, obtain approval for major courses from the Chairperson/Director of their departments.

A committee comprised of the Assistant Dean of the student’s academic school, the Chairperson/Director of the student’s major, a designated faculty member from the student’s major department and La Salle’s Director of Study Abroad Programs will review the petition and make the decision as to whether it will be approved. The decision will be communicated to the student by the Assistant Dean of the student’s academic school.

It is the student’s responsibility to check with La Salle’s Financial Aid Office to discuss the effect(s) of study abroad on his/her financial aid (including grants, loans, scholarships, and state and federal awards, such as Pell Grants and Guaranteed Student Loans).