Study Abroad Program Director Resources

Program Planning

Thank you for your interest in developing study abroad opportunities for our students. Please contact Karleigh Koster, Assistant Director of Study Abroad, to discuss your ideas and for support with the process.

Information for Faculty 

UW faculty-led programs are an opportunity for UW students to travel abroad as a group with a UW faculty member, from a specific discipline, to an international destination. UWT Study Abroad works alongside UW Study Abroad (based in Seattle) to support programs led by our faculty, ensuring that they are academically rigorous, financially accessible, and integrated with courses of study. We are particularly interested in programs that:

• Engage students with faculty research and areas of expertise
• Offer cross-college collaborations, blended classrooms, and service-learning or internship opportunities
• Will be offered on a continuous basis and led by multiple faculty within the department
• Thoughtfully serve students and disciplines underrepresented in the study abroad community
• Consider the environmental impact of global travel and incorporate sustainability practices and concepts into the program design.

If you are interested in proposing a study abroad program, please contact Karleigh Koster to learn more about our priorities for study abroad, the proposal process, and how to create a budget for your program.

Study Abroad Priorities

As the UW Tacoma Office of Global Affairs, we prioritize global learning programs that: 

• Combine on-campus coursework with a study abroad program (hybrid programs)
• Take place in locations that are not leading study abroad destinations
• Are relevant to and honor the diverse lived experiences, heritage and knowledge traditions, and cultural assets of UW Tacoma students and their communities
• Include coursework at the 200-300 level and/or are geared toward first and/or second-year students
• Are developed in partnership with two-year or four-year colleges and universities in the host country
• Include study of the host country's language (where applicable)
• Align with OGA's mission, values, and global learning outcomes
• Align with UW Tacoma's Strategic Plan

By participating in global learning programs we hope that students will:

• Engage meaningfully, ethically, and respectfully with local communities in the host country
• Deepen their understanding of cultural diversity and develop global self-awareness
• Critically reflect on their cultural origins, practices, and habits of thought
• Be able to reflect on learning both in and out of the classroom

Proposing a Program

All UWT faculty-led proposals now go through UW Seattle Study Abroad's online platform. Please refer to the UW Study Abroad Proposing & Planning page for detailed information, resources, and instructions. 

When planning a UW Tacoma faculty-led study abroad program, consider the timing, duration, and staffing of your program. The information below is a summary of the key requirements and policies for the program planning stage. For details, please visit the UW Study Abroad Program Policies page.

Program Dates

• For your program to be financial aid-eligible for students, the dates of instruction must conform to the dates of the UW academic calendar. Consult the UW Academic Calendar to establish program dates.
• Academic year programs (autumn, winter, spring quarters) must be 10 weeks in length.
• Summer quarter-long programs must be 9 weeks in length.    
• Programs must begin and end within +/- 7 days of the quarter in which the program is offered. However, programs cannot overlap with another academic term. This is especially important for Early Fall programs; they may not start during Summer B.
• The “start date” is the day students arrive in program housing.
• The “end date” is the day students check out of their program housing (and not the last day/night in program housing).
• If you are planning to propose a hybrid study abroad program that includes on-campus coursework, please consult Dr. Karleigh Koster, UWT Study Abroad.

Additional considerations for short-term programs:

• Summer A and B term programs must have at least 4.5 weeks of summer instruction, including time abroad and in UW classrooms.
• Early Fall programs are offered during the period between the end of the summer quarter and the beginning of the autumn quarter .They must include at least 21 days of early fall instruction, including time abroad and in UW classrooms. They may not start during Summer B term.
• Spring Break programs are offered between the end of winter quarter and the beginning of spring quarter. They typically include 7-10 days of off-campus instruction and cannot overlap with winter or spring quarters, or interfere with finals week. In order for the program to be financial-aid eligible, it must be offered for credit and must be attached to a course in either winter or spring quarter.

Rome Center Programs

Please review the UW Rome Center policies regarding program dates, student housing, program director housing, etc, via their policy website. Programs based at the UWRC must adhere to these policies in addition to those listed above.

Program Leadership

• All programs must have two responsible leaders, both of whom must be UW (Tacoma) employees (temporary or permanent).    
• The program director is the primary lead and contact for the program and must be UW (Tacoma), faculty. Faculty are responsible for creating the syllabus, meeting student learning objectives, and evaluating/grading students.
• The second leader can be UW (Tacoma) faculty or staff with either a permanent or temporary UW appointment.
• Where there are two UW faculty leaders, roles should be clearly defined as either co-directors or primary and secondary leads and the division of responsibilities should be discussed.
• Rationale: Programs must have two responsible leaders so if there is an emergency, whether it involves a student or a program director, there is another capable UW employee available to take over the responsibilities of leading the program.

Appointments

• All UW program leaders must have an active UW appointment for the duration of the program.    
• Faculty with 9-month appointments who want to lead a summer or early fall program should work with their home department to gain an active appointment for the full program dates.
• Unaffiliated (non-program) staff might include a local coordinator, local faculty or instructors, or other types of non-UW staff providing service to the program. Salary payments for unaffiliated staff cannot be made until services have been rendered. Up to 50% of the agreed salary can be paid halfway through the dates of service. The remaining 50% shall be paid upon completion of service. An unaffiliated program staff member does not qualify as a second leader on the program.
• If an individual has been previously appointed by the UW, they must always have a UW appointment in order to work for the program. They cannot be paid as an independent contractor.

Program Costs

We strive to provide affordable study abroad programs to ensure access for as many UW Tacoma students as possible. Please keep in mind resident tuition rates while you develop a budget for your program. We ask that you stay as close to the corresponding tuition rate for the number of credits as possible. Upon request, we can also provide an overview of program costs dating back to 2017.

Salaries

• The following guidelines apply to program leader salaries that are charged to the program budget administered by UW Study Abroad.    
• If program leader salaries are paid by an academic unit or department on campus (and do not appear on the program budget), program leaders should work with their home unit to determine salaries.
• All salaries should be approved by the program leader’s home department/college.
• Salary will be paid within the pay periods that correspond to the program term.
• If a program does not run or is cancelled, program leader salaries that are charged to the program budget cannot be paid.

*Where salary is included in the program budget, the appropriate Benefits Load should be included corresponding to the appointment.

Salary Notes:

• In many cases, sponsoring departments support programs by allowing the program director to remain on salary during the term abroad. This can cut down immensely on instructional costs, which are borne by students.    
• Your department administrator will be responsible for setting up payroll. However, UW Study Abroad can provide the program budget number once the salary has been determined.
• All salaries incorporated into the program budget must include a line item for the correct Benefits Load for your UW appointment. This line item is already included in the spending plan.

Some UW academic units' study abroad programs are now required to add a "replacement instruction" cost into most quarter-long faculty-led study abroad programs so the academic departments receive some funds to hire replacement instructors while their faculty are teaching abroad.

• The cost of replacement instruction will be required for faculty who lead study abroad programs and remain on their salary for the period of time that they are abroad. It would not apply to faculty leading study abroad programs who are NOT on departmental salary and who are already paid from student fees collected by UWSA.
• If a faculty member wanted to teach 2 study abroad classes on a quarter-long study abroad program and have this count toward more than 1 of their on-campus teaching load, this would need to be approved in advance by the department chair.

Additional Compensation

As long as these expenses can be sustained by the program budget, program leaders are eligible for the following forms of compensation in addition to salary:

Airfare

You must book the lowest economy, round trip airfare from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport to the program site for +/-7 of the program dates.

Housing

• The program can pay for reasonable in-country accommodations, comparable in comfort and quality to student housing.
• It should be relatively close to the student housing, or easily accessible by public transportation.
• Long-term (quarter-long) program leaders can include up to 7 days of additional housing to the program budget for pre/post program work, if the budget allows.
• Short-term (summer A, summer B, early fall, and spring break) program leaders can include up to 3 days of additional housing to the program budget for pre/post program work, if the budget allows.

In-country Travel Expenses

• In-country travel expenses and program-related activities (e.g. field trips and excursions) may be included in the program budget.

Per Diem

• You may budget a daily per diem of up to 40% of the posted State Department ‘Meals & Incidentals’ Per Diem for the program site.
• Long-term (quarter-long) program leaders can include up to 7 days of additional per diem to the program budget for pre/post program work, if the budget allows.
• Short-term (summer A, summer B, early fall, and spring break) program leaders can include up to 3 days of additional per diem to the program budget for pre/post program work, if the budget allows.
• The per diem is paid out of student program fees, so we expect program leaders be as frugal as possible with dining choices.
• In the event of low enrollment, your program manager may first look to reduce per diem expenses before cutting elements of the program that are key to student learning.

Program Director Pre-departure Workshops

• UW Study Abroad offers an online Program Director Workshop course that covers important information necessary for running a successful and safe program.
• You are required to take this course and complete an assessment based on the content. You can access the course through your program proposal once your program is approved.
• These workshops explain the UW resources and support available to you while overseas, specifically: planning pre-departure orientation, managing the program budget and finances, and handling emergency situations.
• Please note programs will not be confirmed until the online Program Director Workshop and assessment it completed.
• UW Study Abroad offers an in-person session to discuss the online course content and run case scenarios. For more information about the in-person sessions, visit our Program director workshops page.

Student Participation and Housing

General Information

Students are expected to participate in every course, activity, and field trip outlined in the program syllabus and articulated by the program directors per the Study Abroad Standards of Conduct. Students are not permitted to opt out of aspects of the program per the Study Abroad Standards of Conduct. 

• Unexcused absences should affect a student’s grade.
• Students are not permitted to opt out of aspects of the program.
• Program directors have discretion to excuse students from participation evaluated on a case by case basis. 

Students must stan in the housing arranged by the program.Housing set-ups should be well advertised and described to students so that they have appropriate expectations prior to applying and committing to a program, and as they prepare to go abroad.

Students can only petition to opt out of the designated housing for the following reasons:

• Students with special housing needs due to a disability or health concerns. Students must work with the UW Disability Resources for Students (DRS) Office to arrange for a housing accommodation at least 8 weeks in advance of departure (ideally earlier)
• Students who plan to stay with family who already live at the site of the study abroad program
• Students who have accompanying family members with them (also see Bringing Family Members below).

Students who wish to petition to opt out of the designated program housing should request this in writing to the program director and UW Study Abroad. The request must be approved by both the program director and UW Study Abroad. Requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. There will be no reduction in program fees if a student is approved to live outside of program housing to accommodate accompanying family members or to live with family who already live at the site of the study abroad program. If a student has an approved DRS housing accommodation, DRS can help pay for the difference in housing costs.

Opting out of housing on short-term programs (21 days or shorter) is not an option for reasons other than the need for special housing due to physical differences or abilities.

Gender Inclusivity

We encourage faculty to provide options that support students of all genders when assigning housing on programs. In housing applications, you may want to give students the option to choose between housing that is assigned with students who share the same gender, or if they have a different preference that better supports their identity (e.g. gender-inclusive, mixed-gender, or living with a particular roommate). We acknowledge that there may be limitations on offering certain housing assignments based on host country norms/laws, landlord contracts, and/or housing rules and we encourage you to be up front with students about this. Consult your program manager as needed to accommodate student requests.

Sample Housing Survey

As you make housing arrangements, we suggest you send out a housing survey to students that asks their gender and how they would prefer their housing be assigned (e.g.with others of the same gender, or a different set-up that better supports their identity). You can inform students that you will do your best to provide housing options that support all students on the program, given space availability. You can also provide free-from space in the survey for students to explain things further, if they would like, and also clarify that if they want to room with a particular roommate, both students need to list each other.

Sample roommate survey

Bringing Family Members

• In very limited cases, students may be permitted to bring family members on programs with permission from their program director(s), UW Study Abroad, and the local provider (e.g., the UW Rome Center).
• The deadline to submit this request to bring family members on a program is within 10 days of acceptance to the program.
• Family members are not permitted to stay in housing with other program participants. If a student wishes to live with their family members, they will be responsible for any housing costs above and beyond what is included in the program fee. There will be no reduction in program fees if a student decides to live outside of program housing to accommodate accompanying family members.
• Additionally, the program may not be able to find accommodations on their behalf.
• Family members are not permitted to participate in any group activities and program funds may not be spent on a student’s family members.
• Students bringing children are responsible for securing and paying for local childcare. 

Credits

• Depending on the length, timing, and format of the program, there are multiple options for the number of credits a program can offer.
• The sponsoring academic department and college should ultimately determine and approve final allotments for the number of credits.

Duration and credit models currently available for UW study abroad programs:

*Spring break programs are eligible for 1 credit and UW Study Abroad will enroll the students in this credit. To be eligible for financial aid, the program must also be attached to a course taught on campus that takes place in either winter or spring quarter. Program Directors must ensure that students participating in the Spring Break program are enrolled in this pre- or post-program course. The course can be an existing on-campus course, or many programs set up a 1-credit pre-departure course for the study abroad participants as a way to better prepare the group for their Spring Break experience.

Program Deadlines and Cancellations

• All UW study abroad programs offered in the same term have so-called priority deadlines (please see table below). If a program does not meet its enrollment goals by the priority deadline, we can extend the deadline no more than two times. To ensure sufficient time for students to make a decision about study abroad participation and to complete all necessary pre-departure requirements, the last deadline has to be at minimum 1.5 months before pre-departure requirements are due.
• Please note that if you are working with a study abroad provider or in-country vendor that has earlier deadlines, we may need to adjust our timelines accordingly.
• The decision to cancel a program due to low enrollment will be made in consultation with UW Tacoma Office of Global Affairs, UW Study Abroad, program directors, and the academic unit.

Grades

• Following the same schedule used for classes taught on campus, grades are due to UW Tacoma Office of Global Affairs by the first Monday after the end of the quarter in which the program was offered.    
• Please plan your courses and assignments so that you are able to report grades by the deadline.
• Late grade submission may affect student eligibility for financial aid or graduation.
• Grades for all summer programs (sum A, sum B, and summer quarter-long programs) are due at the end of the summer quarter.
• Grades for Exploration Seminars (early fall) are due at the end of the autumn quarter.

Self-sustaining Programs

• Faculty-led programs are self-sustaining and must generate enough revenue to cover the projected expenses.    
• If the program does not meet minimum enrollment as defined by the program budget, the program may be canceled due to financial insolvency.
• The decision to cancel a program due to low enrollment will be made in consultation with UW Tacoma Office of Global Affairs, the program director, and the sponsoring department.

Balance and Deficit Policy

• At the end of the current program cycle (after Spring 2021) UW Study Abroad will ‘zero out’ the accumulated balances in all our faculty-led program budgets (deficits as well as surpluses).
• Total net balances (surpluses minus deficits) will create the initial reserve in a new Study Abroad Program Assistance Fund (SAPAF) that will provide increased protection against financial losses in programs once study abroad resumes.
• The SAPAF will act as an insurance fund for all faculty-led programs. The fund will be available to assist programs in case of emergency or unforeseen costs, or multiple student withdrawals, which might otherwise make a program unsustainable.
• Every iteration of a program will generate a contribution to the SAPAF. This contribution, similar to the current program reserve that many of you are familiar with, will be calculated as percentage the of total program costs, but these funds will not be available for program directors to spend.
  
  • Starting Summer 2025 – the SAPAF will reduce to 5% 
• If SAPAF funds reach a UW-permitted maximum amount, to be held for emergencies and program deficits, additional contributions will be used for the Global Innovation Fund, student scholarships, and one-time expenses to support UW Study Abroad operations.

Budget Balances and Surpluses

• All future program iterations (starting with the Summer 2021 programs) will begin and end with a zero balance.
• Every iteration of a program will have a separate and independent budget, and all program budgets will be ‘zeroed out’ after reconciliation. 
• There will no longer be any balance transfers or carryovers (deficits or surpluses) between iterations of a program.
• Program directors and program managers will work together to aim for a ‘zero balance’ of expenses and revenues at the end of every program iteration.
• The goal is to have an approximately zero balance across all programs, with surpluses and deficits netting out, and the 7.5% SAPAF contribution flowing directly into the assistance fund.

Field Advances

• In order to manage on-site expenses, program directors must be eligible to receive a field advance and should be in good financial standing with the UW.    
• As a custodian of UW funds, program directors will be responsible for accounting for those funds according to UW policies and procedures.
• Program directors may be held responsible for unapproved or inappropriate expenses or use of funds.
• Field advance custodians who do not account for funds in a timely manner may not be eligible for future field advances.

Faculty or Staff Bringing Family Members

Program directors are permitted to bring family members on programs if the site and provider can accommodate them. 

• Family members are not allowed to participate in program activities, except in limited situations, such as a group dinner or field trip. 
• If program directors’ family members participate in a group dinner or program activity, they are responsible for the cost. 
• No program funds may be spent on family members. 

Student Evaluations and Re-entry Programming

UW Study Abroad will administer standardized student evaluations upon completion of your study abroad program. We also strongly encourage faculty program directors to work with OGA on re-entry programming for students; this will help students integrate their study abroad experience with learning on campus.

Accessing and Reviewing Applications 

Program directors will utilize UW MyGlobal to manage applications. Please review the details on the UW Study Abroad Managing Applications Online page.

Interviewing Students 

We strongly recommend that study abroad program directors interview students to make sure they are the right fit for their program. An interview rubric can be used to help program directors conduct interviews and make application decisions. (Please check out the UW Study Abroad Interviewing Resources website and/or the "Interviews with Study Abroad Applicants" tab on this page.). It is recommended that program directors schedule interviews a few days after the priority application deadline. 

Accepting Students

After reviewing student applications and recommendations, program directors must make acceptance decisions within 14 calendar days of the application deadline. This is important both for confirming the program will run and for aligning the application process with our scholarship process. 

Once the acceptance decisions are made, log back into MyGlobal to select the application(s) for the student(s) you want to accept, waitlist, or not accept for your program.

1. From the student’s overview page, click on the “Status” tab.
2. Select the appropriate option from the drop down menu.
3. Click “Submit.”

Decision Letters

• The Decision Date for your program is 12 days after your application deadline (15 days for summer programs). Students will be notified via email that their status has changed in their online application. They will have to log in to view the change (the first page that they see is their decision letter).
• Students will not be informed of admissions decisions prior to the decision date – even if you have already changed their status.
• You may also chose to send out more personalized acceptance letters via email.

In addition to reviewing application materials online, UW Tacoma's Office of Global Affairs strongly encourages program directors to conduct interviews with all eligible applicants in order to more fully assess readiness for study abroad and fit with their program.

Suggested Process

• Set up a Doodle calendar for applicants to sign up for interview times (allowing for group or individual interviews).
• Send the below email to applicants as they apply, i.e. before the priority application deadline. Please schedule interview time slots for the week after the application closes. Please feel free to edit the email as you see fit.
• Interviews need to be completed and admissions decisions need to be made within twelve days of the priority deadline.

Suggested Email to Students

Hello,

As the faculty program directors, we are so very pleased that you have completed your online application materials for the [program title] study abroad program to [location] for [quarter/year]. As a final step in the application process, you are required to attend a meeting with the program directors at which you will be asked to provide us with typed and printed responses and discuss the following questions:

1. Why did you choose this particular study abroad program and what do you expect to gain from the experience?
2. What experiences, if any, do you have to engage with cultures other than your own?
3. What assets do you feel you have that will contribute to your own and others’ learning on this program?
4. What worries you about traveling abroad and how might you deal with those concerns?
5. Describe a time when you experienced a conflict with another person. How did you deal with the situation?

Please take a moment to go to this Doodle Poll (ENTER LINK HERE) and sign up for an interview slot. Please note that these will be group interviews, so multiple students can sign up for the same day/time.

If you are a student on the UW Seattle or UW Bothell campus, please email us so that we can set up a time to conduct a phone or Zoom interview.

Suggested Study Abroad Interview Evaluation Rubric

Once your students have submitted their payment contracts, you'll have a participant roster and the program is confirmed. Congratulations!

Please check out the helpful resources and next steps to prepare you and your students on the websites below:

• UW Study Abroad Orienting Students website

• UW Study Abroad Program Director Workshops website

You are always welcome to check in with the UWT Study Abroad team for additional guidance.

As a study abroad program director, you fill many roles besides the obvious one of teaching. We have found that leading a study abroad program is rewarding, intense, and at times challenging, but also provides unique opportunities for personal and professional growth. We are sharing below what we hope is a comprehensive list of responsibilities, but you’re always welcome to reach out to us with questions: uwtintl@uw.edu

Proposing a Program

• Discuss your program idea with your dean and/or department chair.
• Consult with Dr. Karleigh Koster, Asst. Director of UWT Study Abroad, to discuss your ideas and work on your proposal/renewal, budget and timeline.
• Work with an in-country partner or contact in-country vendors to get accurate price quotes for the services you will require.
• Develop the course curricula.

• Submit your program proposal and preliminary spending plan to UW Study Abroad via the online platform by the following deadlines:
   

  Proposed Program Term	Program Proposal Due to UW STUDY ABROAD
  Summer, Autumn, Winter	August 31
  Early Fall	October 31
  Spring	March 31
  Spring Break	April 15

Program Director Resources

Please review the detailed information and wide variety of resources available on the UW Study Abroad Program Directors website.