Academics
Grades
Grades for courses taken on PSU-approved Programs will transfer back and count towards your GPA. All courses will be recorded as graded courses unless previously approved through your Education Abroad Advisor. You cannot request to change a grade to P—NP after the Program has concluded.
Please note: If you plan on graduating shortly after returning from your Program, you must notify your Education Abroad Advisor and make arrangements in advance.
Course Load
To maintain full-time status, students must be enrolled in at least 12 undergraduate and 9 graduate credits per term. Full-time status is required partly for financial aid purposes and, in some cases, to maintain immigration status in their host country. For additional information regarding PSU’s enrollment status requirements, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Finances
Scholarships
PSU Scholarships, considered “tuition waivers,” can only be used for programs that charge PSU tuition. Most programs do not charge tuition but rather a program fee. Your Education Abroad advisor and Financial Aid Counselor can help advise you whether your PSU scholarship funding can apply to your program fee.
Tuition Discount Benefits and Beneficiaries
Students who may typically qualify for or receive tuition benefits, dependent benefits, and/ or Western Undergraduate Exchange benefits do not apply to study abroad programs. Study abroad programs function through program fees, which include educational expenses.
For additional information, please contact the financial aid office and your Education Abroad advisor.
Veterans Benefits
Students receiving Veterans benefits can apply their benefits to the program's cost. You must notify your Education Abroad Advisor that you plan to use your benefits, as a unique budget must be submitted to the Veterans Services office on campus.
Please note: Benefits can not typically be applied to housing costs or other non “academic-related” expenses.
Billing
Students will be billed the Program fee to their PSU student account before the start of the program, in line with the corresponding PSU term where possible. Students are responsible for complying with the PSU Payment Policy.
Withdrawal and Cancellation Policy
Refunds
The application and Education Abroad service fees are only refundable if the program is canceled. The refund policy of each program determines program fee refunds. Carefully review the program refund policy details before committing to the program. As soon as you have confirmed your place in a program, expenses and commitments for future costs will be made on your behalf, and you will be responsible for covering those expenses whether you attend the program or not. No refunds will be considered for students who have fully completed their program. PSU is not responsible for any losses incurred by ineligible students to attend the program, including losing good academic standing before departure or being dismissed once the program has begun.
Application Fee: A $50 application fee is due by the deadline for all applications to be considered complete and noted as ready for review by the Education Abroad Office. Incomplete applications are withdrawn from consideration following the deadline. Students who do not intend to apply and participate in the noted Education Abroad program are asked to withdraw their application prior to the deadline as a courtesy to staff, faculty, and fellow students. Please note that any paid application fees are non-refundable.
Withdrawal Policy
Students may withdraw their applications manually through the online application platform VikingsAbroad before a program deadline. However, once the deadline has passed, applications may only be withdrawn by the Education Abroad Office. To cancel a complete application from consideration, please email the program’s Education Abroad Advisor.
If a complete application is reviewed and the student is offered a spot in the program, they may decline this offer and withdraw from the program manually via the online application platform VikingsAbroad.
Students who are offered and accept a spot in the program by changing their status to “committed” in the online application platform VikingsAbroad may officially withdraw from a program by providing written notification of their withdrawal to the Education Abroad Advisor in the PSU Education Abroad Office. It is important to note that a withdrawal from a program after students have accepted an offer and confirmed participation by changing their online application status to “committed” held liable and will be billed for all non-refundable fees, as stated above, as well as any non-recoverable program costs, as determined by each program refund policy. Students are not considered withdrawn from a program until written notification is received. Withdrawing from a program does not absolve you of your responsibility to cover program costs.
Changes in Enrollment
If a student’s enrollment status changes at PSU, students must inform the Office of the Registrar and the Education Abroad Office. If the Education Abroad Office is not notified promptly, we may be limited in assisting you with any required follow-up.
Pre-Departure Requirements
Mandatory Orientation
All PSU students must attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation session before program travel. If you need help fitting the orientation into your schedule, you must communicate with your Education Abroad Advisor and make alternate arrangements.
Health and Wellness Requirements
Accessibility and Accommodations
We encourage students to share any information that may affect a person's ability to participate in program activities fully with program advisors to discuss the potential next steps.
The Office of Education Abroad cannot alter systems, architecture, transportation, or laws in other countries or duplicate your home campus; we cannot guarantee that facilities and/or support services will be available at each location abroad in the same range and quality as on the Portland State campus. However, meeting with Disability Resource Center on campus and providing documentation of your accessibility or accommodation to the Study Abroad program advisor is the first step to receiving assistance for your accommodation needs abroad.
Documentation gives our office ample resources to support an individual’s desire to participate in education abroad opportunities. This proactive approach allows us to find programs and/or work with on-the-ground providers to source reasonable accommodations that can tailor support and resources to fit your requirements, making your international study experience both fulfilling and accessible.
Some considerations may include, but are not limited to:
- Processing Disabilities (LD, ADHD, Psychological, Brain injuries)
- Chronic Systemic Disorders
- Deaf or Hard of Hearing
- Mobility/Orthopedic Disabilities
- Visual Impairments
- Personal Attendants
- Religious Practices
- Substance Recovery Support
Students who have documentation or plan to receive documentation for their accommodations are encouraged to consult PSU’s Disability Resource Center (DRC).
Students seeking religious accommodation are encouraged to review the PSU Religious Accommodations Policy. If you need additional assistance, please email the Office of the Dean of Student Life (DOSL) at askdos@pdx.edu.
Please note: Students without documentation accommodations are not guaranteed to receive the additional support requested. Students with documented accommodations will be reviewed case-by-case and in compliance with the Disabilities While Abroad protocol.
Additional support may be available through the PSU Center for Student Health & Counseling (SHAC) to best prepare students' minds and bodies.
Mandatory International Health Insurance
All students conducting academic work overseas must have international health insurance, either through PSU or through the insurance provided by the PSU-approved Education Abroad Program.
No waivers are allowed.
International Health & Safety
Portland State University follows federal guidelines deployed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and locally through Multnomah County Public Health. Students are highly encouraged to review all health and safety requirements or notice(s) these agencies produce before travel; additional information can be found through the U.S. Department of State.
Vaccinations
Students should review required or recommended vaccination needs and seek consultation with their nearest travel clinic. The Travel and Immunization Clinic of Portland is a local resource commonly used.
Student Behavior
Student Code of Conduct
As a participant of a PSU Education Abroad program, you are still responsible for abiding by the policies of the University while engaged in the Program, and particularly, all the provisions of the Student Conduct Code to the extent that its provisions apply to the conditions of the Program. You must also comply with the host institution's and/or Program's expectations and policies while participating in University-sponsored or supervised activities. Even though you will not be physically located in Portland during your program abroad, you should consider yourself to be studying on an extension of PSU’s campus.
Failure to meet the requirements of either PSU or your Education Abroad Program could cause an authorized representative(s) or agent(s) of the University to discontinue your participation in the Program at any time if, in the judgment of the representative(s) or agent(s), your actions or general behavior are determined to be unacceptable.
Depending on the incident, follow-up disciplinary review may occur upon the student’s return to campus.
Students With A History of Disciplinary Action at PSU:
The Education Abroad Office requests a report of a history of disciplinary action for all education abroad applicants from The Office of the Dean of Student Life. If a student has a history of disciplinary action at PSU, they may be asked to sign an additional behavior contract for their term of study abroad, or it may be recommended that they do not participate in an education abroad program.
Travel to a country with a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning
Students wishing to participate in an education abroad program in a country with a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning will be asked to sign a US Department of State Travel Warning Waiver and Release form when completing their online education abroad program application.
Portland State University has numerous officially approved education abroad programs spanning the globe. The University has selected these programs, in part, based on the knowledgeable program personnel that our partners have stationed in-country, the program infrastructures they have in place, and the due care and attention they devote to enhancing the safety and security of our students. Despite our confidence in the measures our partners abroad take to improve student safety and security, from time to time, the University finds it appropriate to suspend approval in an officially recognized education abroad program or destination for which students may have an open application due to serious concerns, such as political unrest, social instability, contagious disease control, military operations, or terrorism concerns within the host country.
- Portland State University, in its discretion, may suspend approval for an officially approved education abroad program or destination for any of the following reasons: The U.S. Department of State has issued a Travel Warning that specifically directs Americans to leave the country in which the program is located or to forego travel to that country.
- The U.S. Department of State has issued either: (1) Travel Warning that urges Americans traveling to or within the country in which the program is located to consider carefully the risks of such travel and remain vigilant with respect to their personal safety and security if they choose to travel to or within that country, or within a specific region of that country that the Department of State has determined poses particularized risks for American travelers; or (2) Travel Warning outlining significant risks to the safety and security of Americans traveling to or within the country in which the program is located.
- PSU personnel have received recommendations that participants refrain from travel to a specific country or region by either: (1) PSU faculty who are knowledgeable in the sociopolitical dynamics of the country or region in which the program is located; (2) private security firms with personnel stationed in-country; or (3) PSU’s peer institutions who are advising students to decline participation in programs located within the country or region.
Traveling with Dependents
Some Programs may allow students to travel with dependents; however, this is determined on a program-by-program basis. If a Program will enable dependents to join, it is essential to note that the dependent is the responsibility of the individual accompanying the student, not PSU. As such, the dependent is not officially invited to participate in any program-related excursions or activities. All costs incurred by the dependent are the responsibility of the accompanying student and will not be factored into the student’s financial aid budget.