The Foundation Board is supportive of a scholarship recipient’s interest in studying abroad and has adopted two Study Abroad Policies that are sent to all current scholars upon matriculation to college. One Study Abroad Policy (“SAP Quarter and Semester”) applies only to study abroad programs that last a full quarter oor semester. The other Study Abroad Policy (“SAP Short-Term”) applies only to programs lasting less than a full quarter or semester (“Short-Term Programs”).
The major elements of SAP Quarter and Semester are:
- Study abroad is limited to scholars who are not on probation;
- Scholars must take a full course load, as defined by their home institution, so as not to impair their ability to graduate within 4 years;
- All courses taken abroad must be pre-approved for credit by the home institution;
- Study abroad does not waive in any way the scholar’s duty to meet all requirements of their Scholarship, including, without limitation, (a) the requirement that a scholar’s Scholarship is for the shorter of (i) 4 years or (ii) the receipt of a bachelor’s degree and (b) the academic performance requirements that the scholar must meet to have his/her Scholarship renewed (grades earned during study abroad are considered for this purpose): and
- The scholar’s home institution must take responsibility for seeing that the funds advanced by the Foundation are paid to the study abroad program and/or the student, as the case may be. In other words, for purposes of payment, the Foundation will only have a financial relationship with the home institution and will not establish a direct financial relationship with the study abroad program.
As a practical matter, the likelihood that the Foundation will approve the scholar’s quarter or study abroad request and that the scholar will have a rewarding study abroad experience will be enhanced if the scholar begins planning for study abroad well in advance of the semester in which the scholar hopes to study abroad.
The major elements of SAP Short-Term are:
1. Scholars may participate in an unlimited number of Short-Term Programs as long as the cumulative number of weeks of the Short-Rerm Programs in which the scholar participates doesn’t exceed 12 weeks.
2. Scholars will be automatically approved to participate in Short-Term Programs sponsored by their home institution provided that they supply evidence that the Short-Term Program is for credit.
3. Scholars who want to participate in a Short-Term Program sponsored by an entity other than their home institution must supply evidence that credits earned from participation in the Short-Term Program will be accepted by the student’s home institution.
4. The scholar’s home institution must take responsibility for seeing that the funds advanced by the Foundation are paid to the Short-Term Program and/or the student, as the case may be. In other words, for purposes of payment, the Foundation will only have a financial relationship with the home institution and will not establish a direct financial relationship with the Short-Term Program.
5. Scholars are expected to inform the Foundation of their intent to participate in a Short-Term Program no fewer than 60 days before payment is due for the program.
6. With one exception, the Foundation will pay the full cost of participation in Short-Term Programs. The Foundation will only pay for travel if travel is included in the comprehensive fee for participation in the Short-Term Program. If travel is not included in the comprehensive fee for the Short-Term Program and students are expected to make their own travel arrangements, the Foundation will not pay the cost of the Scholar’s travel arrangements.
Current scholars with questions about our study abroad policy may contact the Foundation Board by emailing David Vandermeulen at dvandermeulen@sprynet.com
Mary John Goree Las Animas County Scholarship Foundation 