2003 Terms + Conditions
This section contains general CIEE policies, Academic Policies, and Program Fees and Payment Policies.
GENERAL POLICIES
Admission
CIEE works with sending institutions regarding the processing of applications for CIEE Study Centers. In nominating students, Academic Consortium members have the responsibility to evaluate applicants' credentials carefully and to determine their suitability for the selected programs. Endorsement of an individual applicant by a Consortium school constitutes an assurance that the student meets the minimum admission standards for the program, that the student is prepared linguistically, academically, and socially to succeed and derive benefits from the program, and that it is appropriate for the student's academic program and goals.
Selection for most programs is done on a rolling basis by CIEE staff. For some programs, a CIEE staff committee convenes on a specified day following the application deadline in order to make decisions. For programs with enrollment limits imposed by the host institutions, CIEE encourages sending institutions to rank applications and also to advise students to apply to more than one CIEE Study Center program. In cases where CIEE receives applications in excess of capacity, CIEE favors applicants who have an outstanding personal essay, cumulative grade point average, and supportive evaluations. CIEE does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, marital status, national and ethnic origin, or disability.
Students may defer acceptance to a CIEE Study Center for up to one year from the term of acceptance. The deferral request must be received in writing by the CIEE home office at least 30 days before the beginning of the program to which the student has been accepted in order to avoid financial liability. In order to reactivate the application, students must submit an updated transcript by the application deadline for the program they wish to attend. Students may be required to submit additional information.
Late Arrival or Early Departure
Late Arrival
Students are expected to be present from the first day of the program. In extremely rare cases, there may be valid reasons for a student to arrive late. Permission for such arrangements can only be granted by the CIEE Chief Academic Officer and only upon receipt of a written request from the appropriate officer at the student's sending institution. In no case are such arrangements authorized by Resident Directors.
Early Departure from a Program for Emergency Reasons
Students are required to complete the academic programs including all examinations and submission of papers prior to departing the site and to stay at the program location until the final date of the program as announced in the program materials. In the case of a student who, due to emergency circumstances, is forced to depart early or is unable to complete an aspect of the requirements for one or more courses, CIEE will report an Incomplete (INC) to the School of Record (sending institution). If requested by the student, School of Record (sending institution) or the student's home institution, CIEE will provide all available information on work completed prior to the student's departure to the School of Record (sending institution) and/or to the student's home institution in order to facilitate a full consideration of the circumstances.
Withdrawal from a Program or Program Cancellation
There are several circumstances that may force a student to withdraw from a program, for example, a serious accident or illness, a severe psychological problem, or a family problem. If the circumstances warrant, CIEE will make every effort to secure documentation that may be used by the sending institution to grant partial or full credit for the participant, or to allow the student to complete work at home. If an emergency situation forces the cancellation of a program prior to the end of a session, CIEE will make every effort to secure alternative arrangements for students to complete their academic work, but cannot guarantee that credit will be obtained.
Academic Records
Upon completion of the program, resident staff sends final grade reports along with other supporting documentation from the host institution (when available) to the CIEE home office. A CIEE Academic Record is automatically sent by CIEE to the Student’s sending institution. The CIEE Academic Record, approved by the Academic Consortium, is the official report provided for each participant on a CIEE Study Center program. The CIEE Academic Record includes the student's name, date of birth, term of attendance, and lists each course studied, the language of instruction, hours of instruction, suggested U.S. grade equivalency, and recommended semester hours of credit. In addition, each CIEE Academic Record is attached with a guide that includes detailed information on the host institution, admissions requirements, nature of the courses, the academic calendar, and a grade conversion chart. The CIEE Academic Record includes any supporting documentation provided by the host institution.
Sending institutions normally receive final grades from CIEE approximately two months after the program ending date. Information from the CIEE Academic Record is entered onto the transcript at the sending institution and this becomes the official record of participation in a CIEE program. Noncredit participants receive notification that their grades have been received by the CIEE home office and that the originals will be kept on file for five years, or until the student requests the CIEE Academic Record be forwarded to an institution that will grant them credit. At the end of the five years only official copies will be available. CIEE Academic Records are not released when participants have outstanding financial obligations to the CIEE home office or to the program site.
Requests for transcripts reflecting credit earned must be made to the sending institution. Occasionally, participants require copies of the CIEE Academic Record. Requests must be made in writing to the CIEE registrar and include the following: student name, address, phone number, and signature; program name, term, and year; name and address of the person to which the copy should be sent; administrative fee of $2.00 per record to be sent; and payment by check, money order, or credit card (include credit card number and expiration date – MasterCard and Visa only).
The CIEE Registrar is the only person who is authorized to release student’s final grades.
Exceptions
During the semester, any student who feels there is a justification to request an exception to any CIEE policy should address the request in writing to the Resident Director. Individual instructors are not authorized to grant exceptions to academic policies. A Resident Director may recommend that an exception be granted, in which case the Chief Academic Officer, in consultation with the student’s sending institution, makes the decision.
Drugs and Alcohol Violations
Penalties for drug violations in many host countries are often harsher than in the United States. Use of illegal drugs can result in expulsion from the study program, as well as possible criminal prosecution. Remember that students traveling abroad are subject to the laws of the country they are visiting – their own country’s laws do not protect them. The U.S. and other governments can only seek to ensure that their citizens are not discriminated against, that is, that they receive the same treatment, as do citizens of the country in which they are arrested who are charged with the same offense.
Alcohol Policy
- Students are subject to the laws of the host country and any policies and regulations of the host university.
Alcohol abuse by students is viewed by CIEE as a serious violation of the terms of participation and will be treated accordingly. There are degrees of abuse as follows:
- Consumption of alcohol that causes a student to miss class or be unable to participate fully in a classroom activity is considered alcohol abuse. At first instance, a warning letter will be issued. If there is a second instance, the student’s home institution and parents will be notified, and counseling may be required. Repeated instances may result in suspension or expulsion from the program or a recommendation of reduced or no credit.
- Consumption of alcoholic beverages that results in loud, disruptive, or offensive behavior according to U.S. or local norms, is more serious. Any infraction will result in a warning letter and notification of home school and parents. A second instance may result in immediate expulsion from the program at the discretion of the Resident Director.
- Consumption of alcoholic beverages which results in any of the following is the most serious degree of alcohol abuse:
- Loss of consciousness or vomiting
- Destruction of property or abusive behavior
- Endangerment of self or of others
- Admission to a hospital or emergency room
- Treatment for alcohol poisoning
- Incarceration
Any instance of these circumstances or other circumstances of equivalent severity may result in immediate expulsion from the program at the discretion of the Resident Director.
Dismissal from the Program
Participants are expected to comply with regulations established by their home universities and the host institution. Resident staff may establish additional requirements that are essential to the students' achievement of their educational goals or to continuing good relations with the Host University or community. Resident staff may dismiss from the program any student who does not comply with the relevant regulations and requirements.
The Resident Director warns participants if they are not acting in compliance with program regulations. Participants are expected to take responsibility for changing their behavior or risk early dismissal and consequent loss of time, money, and academic credit. CIEE does not grant program fee refunds to students who are dismissed from their programs.
Academic Policies
Program participants are governed by three sets of policies:
- These general policies set by the Academic Consortium Board for all CIEE Study Center programs.
- Policies set by the host institution.
- Policies set by the student's sending institution.
The sending institution is the institution that nominates the student to CIEE and grants credit. This is usually the student's home institution or a School of Record. In the case of conflict among these three sets of policies, the more stringent policy shall apply in every case, except where otherwise stated in the materials that follow. CIEE provides a written statement of CIEE policies and of any policies that are imposed by the host institution prior to the beginning of the program. It is the sole responsibility of the student to become familiar with these policies and with any more demanding policies that may be imposed by his/her sending institution. It is also the sole responsibility of the student to obtain complete information concerning how academic work completed overseas is assessed by the institution at which the student is a degree candidate and how credit is counted towards the student's degree program.
Student Academic Orientation
The sending institution will provide an orientation covering relevant academic matters prior to the student’s departure. It is the sole responsibility of the student to be familiar with the information and policies covered in this orientation.
A CIEE academic orientation also takes place at the program site. All students are required to attend the CIEE orientation sessions.
Course Loads, Credits, Equivalencies, and Grades
Students on CIEE programs are required to take a full course load as offered by each program (usually the equivalent of 15 U.S. semester-hour credits). CIEE evaluates course offerings at host institutions that report the workload of courses on a basis other than the U.S. semester-hour system on a case-by-case basis. Final authority for the published credit equivalency rests with the CIEE Chief Academic Officer (CAO). Final authority for awarding of credit to an individual student rests with the appropriate authority at the student's sending institution.
In general, a block of fifteen 50-minute sessions is equivalent to one semester hour of credit. Some courses may include activities such as conversation hours, applied arts sessions, visits to museums, etc., which, although academic in nature, do not entail additional outside work. In these cases, no more than one half of the contact time is counted. Credit for internship activities and independent study projects must be negotiated on an individual basis by the student with his/her sending institution. Grades are awarded for student performance using a U.S. system of letter grades, a host-country system of letters, numbers, and/or descriptors, or a combination of these methods. CIEE provides a suggested U.S. letter grade. Determination of the final grade based on the documentation provided by CIEE is at the discretion of the student's sending institution. The student's sending institution may or may not post grades earned overseas to the student's transcript, and the home institution may or may not include overseas grades in the grade point average.
Attendance
Class attendance is required throughout the program. Students may not arrive late to, or leave early from, the academic program unless it is for an academic purpose. The student's home institution must then submit a written request to CIEE. Students may be excused from class only with the permission of the Resident Director. Students who miss class for medical reasons must inform the Resident Director. Students who do not attend all classes regularly will receive a written warning from the Resident Director. Continued absence may lead to dismissal from the program. Students are not permitted to travel away from the program site while classes are in session. Weekend travel is permitted.
Pass/Fail and Audit
Pass/fail registrations are not permitted in CIEE Study Center Courses that are offered for graded credit. With the approval of the Resident Director, a student who carries a full course of study for credit may audit additional courses. A student is not allowed to change from Audit to Credit status, or vice-versa, after the end of the Drop/Add period.
Drop/Add Period
In general, students are permitted to make changes in their course selection during the first two weeks of a term (or during the first two weeks of Cycle II). Drop/Add periods may vary from program to program depending on the policies of the host institution. In most cases the drop/add period will end no later than the third full week of regular classes. No changes are permitted in registration (other than those to correct clerical errors) after the end of the Drop/Add period. After the end of the Drop/Add period, no course may be deleted from a student's CIEE Academic Record.
Incompletes
In some instances, there may be valid reasons (e.g., accident, illness, personal, or family problem) why a student may not complete all assignments for a particular course and therefore may be awarded an Incomplete (INC). An Incomplete on a CIEE Academic Record is accompanied by an attachment providing full information about what is required from the student in order to complete the course (e.g., paper, exam, etc.) and the date by which this must be accomplished. This date will be no more than one semester after the end of the course in question. Once the assigned date has passed, an Incomplete that has not been satisfied automatically reverts to an "F" and cannot be changed. A new CIEE Academic Record is produced and sent to the student's sending institution.
Withdrawal from a Course
If a student is granted permission by the Resident Director to withdraw from a course after the end of the Drop/Add period but before the withdrawal deadline, a grade of "W" is entered on the CIEE Academic Record. If after the withdrawal deadline a student stops attending a course, fails to take the final examination, or fails to turn in required work, a grade of "F" is reported. The withdrawal deadline may vary from program to program but will not be later than the mid-point of the term as determined by the Resident Director.
Academic Honesty
CIEE subscribes to standard U.S. norms requiring that students exhibit the highest standards regarding academic honesty. Usually two important principles are considered when defining and demanding academic honesty. These are both related to the fundamental tenet that one should not present the work of another person as one’s own.
The first principle is that final examinations, quizzes and other tests must be done without assistance from another person, without looking at or otherwise consulting the work of another person, without access to notes, books, or other pertinent information (unless the professor has explicitly announced that a particular test is to be taken on an “open book” basis).
The second principle is that any use of the work of another person must be documented in any written papers, oral presentations, or other assignments carried out in connection with a course. This usually takes one of the following forms:
If you are quoting directly from another’s work, the usual form might be:
As noted by Kaplan (1996: p. 49) “In 1807 the British outlawed the slave trade, and in 1808 Sierra Leone became a full-fledged British colony.”
Or alternatively, if not including a direct quote, in the following way:
Elimination of the slave trade and entering into colonial status were closely related in Sierra Leone (Kaplan 1996, p. 49)
If you are including information told to you by another person, an example of how you should document it would be as follows:
Although students who study abroad are frequently more fluent than those who stay at home, their grammatical accuracy may not be better—it may even be worse. (Barbara Freed, personal conversation)
Of course you do not need to document facts that can be considered general knowledge. For example:
The November 2000 presidential election was one of the closest in US history.
The general rule is that if you have to look something up, or if you learned it recently either by reading or hearing something, you have to document it.
A third principle, that applies specifically to course work, is that the same written paper may not be submitted in two classes. Nor may a paper for which you have already received credit in the United States, be submitted to satisfy a term paper requirement while studying overseas.
Appeals
During the semester, any student appeal related to CIEE academic policies should be addressed to the Resident Director. Any appeal of a policy or decision taken by the student's sending institution must be addressed directly to authorities at the sending institution.
An appeal arising after the conclusion of the program should be addressed to the appropriate Program Officer in the CIEE home office. The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) in consultation with the student’s sending institution decides all appeals. An appeal board may be convened at the sole discretion of the CAO or upon the request of the sending institution.
If a student believes the grade reported for a specific course is either an error or unfair, the student must provide an inquiry or appeal using the appropriate CIEE form, which can be obtained from the CIEE Registrar. Participants have six months from when grades are forwarded to their sending institution to file an appeal.
PROGRAM FEES AND PAYMENT POLICIES
Program Fees
CIEE publishes program fees for each term according to the following schedule:
Terms |
Date |
January Intensive Language, Spring, Calendar Year |
August 1 |
Summer, June Intensive Language, Fall, Academic Year |
November 1 |
Comprehensive program fees are published on the CIEE website – www.ciee.org -- in a downloadable PDF file on the dates indicated above. In addition to setting fees for each term as outlined above, CIEE also sets fees for a number of popular combination terms (fall term + spring term) in order to encourage students to continue their studies abroad. For fall 2003 and academic year 2003-04, fees for these combination terms have been set for programs in Brazil, Chile and for the Barcelona, Spain program.
Continuing Student Discounts
CIEE includes a substantial fee discount for academic year, calendar year, and some combination terms (fall term + spring term) in our published fees. Therefore, there are no further discounts beyond our published fees for students attending academic year, calendar year, or combination terms. Since not all destinations have yearlong programs nor are there fees set for all combination terms, students who would like to continue from one program to another are offered a 5% discount on the less expensive of the two programs. This discount applies to all terms with the exception of academic year, calendar year, or combination terms. CIEE also offers a 5% discount to students who attend more than one program in non-consecutive terms. In this case, the 5% is discounted from the latest program fee only.
Confirmation of Participation
CIEE requires a deposit from each student intending to participate in a CIEE Study Center. This deposit is paid at the time the Participation Confirmation is returned to CIEE in order to confirm a place in the program. In lieu of paying the deposit a student may have a school official indicate on the form that the school will pay the entire program fee. In some cases institutions have made arrangements to confirm participation for the student. Forms and detailed information are included in the acceptance materials.
Payment of CIEE Program Fees
Participants are billed upon acceptance to a CIEE program. Once the CIEE home office has received the Participation Confirmation, the CIEE Change-of-Status policy (outlined below) applies. CIEE has agreements with most institutions regarding billing procedures for their students. In some cases, institutions ask CIEE to bill students directly and, in others, CIEE bills the institution or sends the student invoice to the institution to be distributed to the student. In the absence of an existing arrangement with a school or where the participant does not have a sending institution, CIEE bills the participant directly (bills are sent to the permanent address indicated on the application form; please notify CIEE if the billing address should be different).
Due Dates, Late Fees, and Interest
Participants Billed Directly by CIEE
Participants billed directly by CIEE must provide the name and home address of a person responsible for settling the account. The program fee must be paid in full 30 days prior to the departure date. Program fees are billed for by term (summer, June Intensive Language Program, fall, January Intensive Language Program, spring).
Students participating in an academic year or calendar year program or in programs for two or more consecutive terms, receive a bill for each term. The program fee for each term must be paid in full 30 days prior to the departure date for each term. Students participating in an academic year program pay the full fall term fee prior to departure in the fall and the difference prior to the spring term.
Students participating in a calendar year program pay the full spring term fee prior to departure in the spring and the difference prior to the fall term.
For fall, academic year, calendar year, or spring terms, a participant may request a deferral of payment as follows. Please note that deferral of payment is not allowed for summer, June Intensive Language Program, and January Intensive Language Programs.
A. Financial Aid Deferral Form: If a portion of the participant’s fee will be paid by financial aid, that amount will be deferred without cost to the participant up to 15 days after the posting of the financial aid to the participant’s account at the home school. In order to secure this deferral, the participant must provide a completed Financial Aid Deferral Form no later than 30 days prior to departure. There is no charge for financial aid deferral. It is the participant's responsibility to make arrangements for financial aid to be sent to CIEE within two weeks of the disbursement date (please see note 6 below).
B. Deferred Payment Form: In all other cases, participants may request deferred payment terms in writing no later than 30 days prior to departure. The charge for this deferred payment plan is $100. Payment terms are as follows:
Fifty percent of the fee to be paid 30 days prior to departure
Seventy-five percent to be paid by April 1 for spring and November 1 for fall programs
One hundred percent to be paid by May 15 for spring and December 15 for fall programs
Exclusion from Participation
Any participant who fails to either pay in full 30 days prior to departure or file a Financial Aid Deferral Form or a Deferred Payment Form 30 days prior to departure may be subject to exclusion from participation at the discretion of CIEE.
Late Fees and Interest
Any participant who fails to either pay in full 30 days prior to departure or file an appropriate deferred payment request 30 days prior to departure will be charged a $200 late fee and will be automatically assigned to a deferred payment plan as outlined under Deferred Payment Form above.
Any student who misses the 75% or the 100% deadline will be charged an additional $100 late fee. Any student who has a balance of $1,000 or more at the end of the program will be charged 1.5% interest per month on the remaining balance until the account is settled in full.
Grades will not be transmitted for any student for whom an unpaid balance remains. Returned checks and declined credit card payments will be considered as failure to make the payment.
Fees Billed by CIEE to Institutions
In the case of fees billed by CIEE to institutions, the institution should provide the name and full address and other contact information for the person responsible for settling the account. The policies below will be followed unless an alternative agreement has been signed by CIEE and by the institutional representative.
All program fees must be paid in full 30 days prior to the participant’s departure date. CIEE program fees are billed for by term (summer, June Intensive Language Program, fall, January Intensive Language Program, spring).
Participants in academic year or calendar year programs or in programs for two or more consecutive terms, receive a bill for each term. The program fee for each term must be paid in full 30 days prior to the departure date for each term. Students participating in an academic year program pay the full fall term fee prior to departure in the fall and the difference prior to the spring term. Students participating in a calendar year program pay the full spring term fee prior to departure in the spring and the difference prior to the fall term.
An institution will be considered in good standing if either (a) a minimum of 80% of the overall total due and payable has been paid, or (b) the institutional representative has made specific arrangements with CIEE for payment in full by a specified date.
An institution not in good standing will be notified of the deficiency by CIEE. If deficiencies persist, CIEE reserves the right to charge interest at a rate not to exceed 1.5% per month, and/or to terminate the institutional payment plan.
Grades will not be transmitted for any student for whom an unpaid balance remains. Returned checks and declined credit card payments will be considered as failure to make the payment.
Withdrawal or Deferral Refund Policy
For summer 2003, fall 2003, and academic year 2003-04, CIEE will refund all program fees, including the Confirmation Deposit required upon acceptance, to students who withdraw from the program prior to the program start date. Students must notify CIEE of their intention to withdraw in writing and prior to the date. The program start date is the first day of orientation on-site. Once a student arrives at the program site, they are subject to the previously published Change in Status Policy.
CIEE is not, however, responsible for flight costs incurred by students who withdraw from a program. Students should therefore look into purchasing tickets which are refundable and/or consider purchasing travel insurance that would cover the cost of their airline tickets should they decide not to travel.
Confirmed students for summer 2003, fall 2003, or academic year 2003-04 should discuss late registration and housing placement with officials at their home school in case a decision is made not to attend a CIEE Study Center.
Fall and Spring Terms
Withdrawal before the program starting date: If written notification of withdrawal or deferral of participation (defined here as a Proper Withdrawal) is received by CIEE more than 30 days prior to the program starting date, all fees minus the $300 non-refundable deposit will be refunded. In the case of deferral, the non-refundable deposit may be applied towards future participation on this or another CIEE semester program, within the next 12 months.
If written notification of withdrawal or deferral of participation is received by CIEE less than 30 days prior to the program starting date, 75% of the program fee less the $300 non-refundable deposit will be refunded. (In the case where payment has not yet been received by CIEE, 25% of the program fee is due.) In the case of deferral, the 25% of the program fee penalty may be applied towards future participation on this or another CIEE semester program, within the next 12 months.
Withdrawal on or after the program starting date: If written notification of withdrawal is received by CIEE on or after the program starting date, the following refund policy applies. Refunds for partial attendance are as follows:
- The $300 application fee is non-refundable.
- Proper withdrawal within the first 2 weeks of the program start – 50% refund of program fee only
- Proper withdrawal within the first 4 weeks of the program start – 25% refund of program fee only
- Withdrawal at any time after 4 weeks into the program – no refund is given.
Summer, June Intensive Language Program, and January Intensive Language Programs
Withdrawal before the program starting date: If written notification of withdrawal or deferral of participation is received by CIEE more than 30 days prior to the program starting date, all fees minus the $300 non-refundable deposit will be refunded. In the case of deferral, the non-refundable application fee may be applied towards future participation on this or another CIEE summer program within the next 12 months.
If written notification of withdrawal or deferral of participation is received by CIEE less than 30 days prior to the program starting date, 75% of the program fee less the $300 non-refundable deposit will be refunded. (In cases where payment has not yet been received by CIEE, 25% of the program fee is due.) In the case of deferral, the 25% of the program fee may be applied towards future participation on this or another CIEE summer program within the next 12 months.
Withdrawal on or after the program starting date: If written notification of withdrawal is received by CIEE on or after the program starting date, but within 2 days of the program start date, 50% of the program fee will be refunded. If withdrawal occurs after the 2-day deadline, no refund will be given.
Notes:
- In the case of a refund, the refund is automatically sent to the billed party except in some circumstances involving financial aid. (If CIEE bills the institution, the refund is sent to the institution; if CIEE bills the participant, the refund is sent to the participant.)
- Cancellations and deferrals are effective only upon the date of receipt of written notification by CIEE.
- The $30 application fee and $300 deposit are non-refundable.
- The program starting date is the date of the first day of orientation.
- Participants who receive scholarship aid from CIEE and subsequently withdraw must repay CIEE the scholarship aid received. If the amount of the scholarship aid is less than the amount of any refund due, the scholarship aid is deducted from the refund. If the amount of the scholarship aid is greater than any refund due, the participant must repay CIEE the difference.
- A payment deferral, based on financial aid disbursements after the program starting date, cannot be granted past the following dates: December 1 for the fall semester; April 15 for the spring semester and academic year; and July 15 for summer programs.
- In the case where a student confirms participation 30 days or less before the program start date, full payment must accompany the signed confirmation form.
- CIEE withholds final grades when participants have outstanding financial obligations to CIEE or the program site.
Direct all questions regarding participant accounts to the Accounts Coordinator, CIEE, via email at studyinfo@ciee.org or via telephone at 1-800-40-STUDY.