The following message was sent Friday 9/18 to all students with applications for Spring 21 study abroad/away. For many of our WFU programs, students also received program-specific emails.

Dear Study Abroad/Away Applicants for Spring 2021,

The WFU Center for Global Programs & Studies (GPS), along with the University, continues to assess how we can deliver safe, quality programming for Spring 2021. To that end, we know that you have questions about your Spring 2021 study abroad/away programs. Thus, this email is intended to provide you an update on where things currently stand.

As of today (09/18/20), unless you have already been notified otherwise, all Spring 2021 programs (Wake Forest-sponsored and Affiliate) are scheduled to run as planned. Final decisions on the viability of WFU-sponsored and Affiliate programs are likely to be made in October or early November – in advance of WFU’s spring 2021 registration period. Affiliate programs will communicate any updates directly to students.

Please know that decisions will be made with the best interest of our students’ and faculty members’ health and safety as the primary consideration. For reference, in order to assess risks related to the operation of study abroad/away programs, Wake Forest takes guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of State, the World Health Organization (WHO), institutional partners abroad, and local and international governments and health officials. Going forward, the University will continue to rely on these sources of information as we monitor and review risk in each location where we operate programs. Similarly, we are actively tracking travel-related restrictions, quarantine mandates, gathering limitations, and visa requirements as they might apply to the various program locations.

For students applying to Spring 2021 study abroad/away programs, take note of the following important information:

  • If you are still intending to study abroad/away, please proceed with the next steps as outlined in your WakeAbroad account and in the emails you have received from your study abroad advisor, resident professor, and/or program provider.
  • If you have been accepted to a program and you are still interested in studying abroad/away, then you should submit your deposit and any required commitment forms (e.g. Final Registration for Study Abroad form in your WakeAbroad file, Intent to Participate Form for WFU programs, etc.) by the due dates indicated. If you have concerns, speak with your study abroad advisor, resident professor, and/or program provider.
  • Do not purchase airfare or make travel plans at this time. If you do, we strongly suggest that you purchase fully refundable airline tickets and/or trip cancellation insurance (i.e. cancel for any reason coverage) and select direct flights to your program location. Also, ensure that the trip insurance policy covers cancellation due to pandemic. WFU assumes no responsibility for losses or penalties due to program cancellation or student withdrawal.
  • For abroad programs, verify that your passport is valid for 6 months beyond the scheduled end-date of your program. If your passport does not meet this validity parameter, then you will need to renew your passport.
  • For students on WFU-administered programs, in the interest of health and safety, independent travel outside of your program’s host country will be prohibited during the spring 21 semester abroad. Affiliate programs may enact similar restrictions. Additional information will be provided when final determinations are made about the viability of spring programs
  • If the WFU Center for Global Programs & Studies (GPS) makes any changes to your program, then we will reach out to you directly via email. Please check your WFU email account and WakeAbroad account regularly.
  • For all Spring 2021 WFU-administered programs, if WFU determines that we cannot safely operate a program due to COVID-19 and GPS cancels the program, then you will not be charged any program-related fees and will have your program deposits refunded. If WFU programs remain operational and you withdraw from your program, then you will be bound by the withdrawal policy outlined in your Intent to Participate Form.
  • For all Spring 2021 Affiliate programs (i.e. non-WFU), you are encouraged to speak directly to your program about cancellation policies. Should the Affiliate program cancel your study abroad program, then you will not be charged the required WFU Study Abroad Enrollment Fee. Should the program remain in operation and you elect to withdraw, then you will be subject to the Reynolda Campus withdrawal policy for the Study Abroad Enrollment Fee and the Affiliate program’s refund policy.

Thank you for your patience as we continue to work through this time of uncertainty. It is our collective hope that conditions will allow for the safe operation of study abroad/away programs in the semester ahead. We will provide updates as circumstances change or new information becomes available. In the meantime, if you have any questions/concerns, please contact us at 336.758.5938 or studyabroad@wfu.edu.

With all best wishes,
Dean Taylor

David F. Taylor
Assistant Dean for Global Study Away
Wake Forest University
Center for Global Programs and Studies

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