The following email was sent to parents/guardians of students considering studying abroad in fall 2021 on April 20, 2021.
Dear Parent/Guardian,
We are writing to provide you with some updates about study abroad, since your student is applying for a semester program in Fall 2021. Information on the chosen program can be found on the Lehigh University Study Abroad website.
Lehigh has not had students abroad for a year now, due to the pandemic. There are still many COVID-19 related restrictions and considerations that Lehigh is following as we approach a possible return to travel in the fall semester. The International Travel Advisory Committee (ITAC) is a group of Lehigh staff and faculty from across the university that reviews all undergraduate international travel. This committee, along with other university leadership, made the decisions about when Lehigh's spring students abroad were called home as COVID-19 spread worldwide in spring 2020. The committee has suspended study abroad programming through mid-summer 2021.
In reviewing programming abroad for the fall, ITAC will reference a broad range of domestic and international resources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization, International SOS (ISOS), and our partners abroad. ITAC will review a number of factors, such as: CDC and U.S. Department of State Travel Alerts, availability of flights, partner program response planning regarding COVID-19, guarantee that courses can be taken remotely should a student not be able to travel or must return to the states early. In order to consider allowing travel to a particular country, in conjunction with other logistical considerations, Lehigh is currently requiring the CDC travel health notice to be no higher than 2 and State Department travel advisory no higher than 3. Approval for student travel will be given on an individual basis, based on the review of these factors for the program you student has chosen. No students have received approval to date for Fall 2021 travel. Students should not make any non-refundable travel plans until given specific instructions to do so by Lehigh. As we have been doing for the past year, we will have a back up plan in place for all students should travel not be possible; for this reason, students should register for a full Lehigh course load at Lehigh at this time. More information about study abroad and COVID-19 is available on our website, and parents may contact their student’s study abroad advisor with questions.
Of course, there are many things beyond COVID-19 that families need to be informed about, and we discuss these below. Although Lehigh students are themselves responsible for all aspects of preparation, participation, and completion of their program, the university strongly encourages students to keep their parents/guardians fully informed throughout the application process. Through this letter, the Study Abroad Office (SAO) would like to draw your attention to some of the topics that we hope will stimulate a discussion between you and your student about study abroad, including travel, cultural immersion, finances, health, conduct, and academic value.
Usually parents/guardians are concerned about costs, credit transfer, time away from Lehigh, health and safety, insurance coverage, and documentation (passport, visa, etc). Your student receives information from both the program provider and Lehigh SAO regarding preparation and procedures to be completed prior to departure.
Most program partners supply site-specific handbooks for students, and many provide handbooks for parents as well. Parents have found these particularly helpful since contact names, phone numbers, and addresses are provided if questions arise either before or after departure. In addition, SAO conducts a mandatory pre-departure orientation each semester for all students studying abroad, which covers many of the general questions students have about conduct, health, and expectations.
Although many issues with regard to study abroad have already been discussed with your student by a SAO advisor, program provider, or faculty member, we would like to draw your attention to several important points:
Tuition and Fees
Lehigh students pay Lehigh tuition for year-long and semester programs. In most cases, the program tuition will either be more or less than Lehigh tuition; in any case, Lehigh pays the tuition of the host institution while students are responsible for all other non-tuition program fees and transportation costs. In most cases, you will receive two invoices: one from Lehigh and one from the program provider. It is the student’s responsibility to pay the Lehigh tuition invoice and the provider’s invoice, less any tuition cost, which may be listed. Importantly, financial aid from Lehigh travels with the student on semester and year abroad. Please note for students receiving financial aid above Lehigh tuition, refund checks are not released from the Lehigh Bursar’s office until the 10th day of class at Lehigh.
Health and Safety (beyond COVID-19)
We strongly encourage students to disclose any medical or psychological condition, learning disability, or prescription medication. Put simply, program administrators cannot provide the degree of attention and care necessary if a medication or condition is unknown and symptoms or problems occur. Please be assured that this information is not used as a means to screen applicants. Rather, it is a vital step in ensuring that the program is ready and able to provide the student with the best possible experience. Lehigh undergraduate students are automatically enrolled in the Lehigh Undergraduate Student International Services and Insurance Program, a description of which you will find at http://www.universityhealthplans.com/custom/Lehigh_study_abroad.html. This is a mandatory program, wherein Lehigh covers and pays the premium to the service provider, and students are charged for the insurance portion directly to their bursar accounts. Students are required to register their trip with our international service provider, International SOS, before departure. Students and families will have access to information via a Lehigh specific ISOS webpage and the ISOS call center in May 2021; we will send an email notification with those specifics next month In addition, SAO recommends that students upgrade their cell phone plans to include international capability, or buy a phone/SIM cards in the host country.
Student Conduct
All students are subject to the Lehigh University Code of Conduct whether on campus or abroad. In consultation with SAO or other offices at Lehigh (such as the Dean of Students), program providers, in consultation with SAO, determine who may be sent back to the states as a result of a violation of program policies, the Code of Conduct, or any other action that would affect the integrity of the program and Lehigh, or the experiences of other students. In any case, students are responsible for the costs related to a return before the end of the program, and there are no refunds for any fees already paid. Students should also keep in mind that they are subject to the laws of the host country.
The Study Abroad team has found that those students who conduct an honest self-examination of their strengths, limitations, and reasons for wanting to study abroad meet the most success both academically and personally. Carefully considered options and thorough research of available programming should lead to discussions with parents/guardians, academic advisors, and SAO Staff. Ultimately, in most cases the study abroad experience is transformative and life-changing.
Sincerely,
Katie Radande
Director, Study Abroad
Helpful and Informative Websites
Lehigh University Study Abroad Office
Lehigh University Study Abroad COVID-19 and Study Abroad in 2021 information
International SOS Lehigh informational portal and call center information
Available in May 2021
Lehigh Undergraduate Student International Services and Insurance Program
CDC Travel Health Advisory and International Travel Information