Program Operation Guidelines

UNH Study Away Eligibility Policy & Form

All UNH students studying abroad must meet the following academic criteria of the UNH Study Away Eligibility policy at the time of application. Eligibility is determined by students completing the required Study Away Student Eligibility Form, which can be found in the UNH Faculty-led Short-term Study Abroad Application Templates below. Please note that item #6 below references the petition process for a variance.

  1. Be in good standing with the Student Conduct System.
    1. A student who is on probation, regardless of the underlying violation, must successfully petition through the Academic Standards and Advising Committee (ASAC) for permission to participate. Petitions are available in the student's College Dean's Office.
  2. Have earned at least 32 credit hours, at least 12 of which must have been earned at the University of New Hampshire at the baccalaureate level.
  3. Have a minimum of 2.5 cumulative grade point average at the time of application to and at the time of departure for the study abroad program. Study abroad programs provided by UNH or other approved institutions may have higher minimum GPA requirements. Students with a cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 2.5 may be eligible for UNH Managed programs - this will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
  4. Have a declared major.
  5. Transfer students are not eligible to study abroad during the first semester of their baccalaureate program at UNH.
  6. There may be study away programs which are appropriate for first semester students who will not have satisfied the above eligibility criteria. Those students in their first semester must submit the following to the study away program directors to be reviewed by the Academic Standards and Advising Committee, which will determine student eligibility on a case by case basis:
    • Grades to date in all currently enrolled courses
    • Letter of recommendation from their Hall Director
    • Personal statement detailing their personal objectives for this experience
    • Letter of support from the Study Away program director

Additional Study Abroad Policies

Please review all UNH study abroad policies, including travel risk and restrictions, study abroad fees, and studying abroad following or during health withdrawals.

UNH Faculty-led Short-term Study Abroad Application Template

To streamline the process and tp ensure compliance with the UNH Education Abroad policies, the Education Abroad office uses UNH-Via for program matching, application and registration purposes. Please contact the Education Abroad team for more information and assistance. 

Risk Management Guidelines

Prior to departure

  • Faculty shall review the Risk Management Resources online here.
  • Students shall receive information on the UNH International Travel Assistance And Insurance Program and download the International SOS App if applicable. UNH International Travel Cards are available from the Global Education Center or can be downloaded here.
  • Students and accompanying faculty and/or staff must register their trip in the UNH International Travel Registry.
  • Students and accompanying faculty and/or staff, when visting a different country, should open their International SOS Assistance App and select "Share Location" to receive alerts and emergency communication about the new place. This should be done every 48 hours while traveling to keep your new location active.
  • Students should be registered with the U.S. Department of State. This can be done online at: https://step.state.gov/step/.
  • Faculty Leader shall subscribe to receive U.S. Department of State email updates.
  • Faculty Leader shall collect and have available on-site a copy of the following for each student. Additional copies will be given to the department chair and the Global Education Center:
    • Health Information Form (from Student Application)
    • Emergency Contact Information (from Student application)
    • Passport details pages (pages with picture and signature)
    • International flight arrival/departure details if there’s no group flight or if participant is traveling separately
  • Faculty Leader shall provide the college dean, department chair, the Global Education Center and participants with the following
    • Program leader contact information (on-site cell phone number, etc.)
    • A contingency plan for your students if an emergency occurs (meeting places, etc.), including what they should do if the leader becomes incapacitated. Use the UNH Emergency Plan Template.
    • Up-to-date program itinerary that includes where the group will be on a daily basis, where the group will be staying each night, address and phone number for every accommodation on the itineray, phone/email contacts for all persons involved with hosting the group. 

UNH Emergency Contact Numbers

  • International SOS Alarm Center
         Call collect:  +1-215-942-8226
  • UNH Police 24 Hour Emergency Dispatch
         +1-603-862-1212
  • Global Education Center (Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm E.S.T.)
         +1-603-862-2398
  • Global Education Center Emergency Contact Number
         +1-603-767-8547

In the case of a crisis situation

  • Your first responsibility is the safety and well-being of program participants. Do whatever is necessary, whether this means obtaining prompt and appropriate medical attention, or obtaining embassy or police intervention.
  • Immediately after doing everything possible to assure participants' safety, first contact International SOS for security and/or medical assistance and advice, then contact the University Emergency Group (UEG) via UNH Dispatch. The appropriate UNH representative in Durham will coordinate UNH's response to the crisis, including contacting family members, if necessary.
  • Depending on the nature of the emergency, notify the local U.S. embassy or consulate about the crisis, and follow any procedures they require.
  • Keep a detailed factual record of the crisis development and your actions, including: dates, times, and names and contact information for all involve, especially local emergency assistance (doctors, police, consular officials, school contacts).

The Global Education Center must be kept informed on a regular basis in the event of an ongoing crisis

  • Individual students may choose to return to the U.S. Every reasonable effort will be made to allow them to continue their academic program on campus. Refund policies are outlined in the Student Handbook and in the Understanding and Paying Your Tuition Bill Handbook.

Evacuation

  • Decisions on program cancellations and evacuations will be made by the International Travel Risk Review Committee.
  • A plan for evacuation will be developed through consultation with you, International SOS, UNH Police, local U.S. embassy or consulate, and other appropriate individuals and organizations.
  • The plan would be transmitted to you in confidence and UNH would continue to work closely with you throughout the process.