Students participating in any Study Abroad and Away short-term program must abide by the following policies. Policies are subject to change. Please refer to the sections below for additional program-specific policies that apply to those participating in a Faculty-Led Program, a Summer School Abroad program or an Alternative Break Program.

Policies for All Short-Term Programs

Communication

Students must respond within 24 hours to all email correspondence sent to the email address listed on their program application from Program Leader(s) or the Study Abroad and Away Office regarding their participation in their program. You are expected to participate in all required programming which may include, but are not limited to: classes, workshops, and meetings; and submit all additional required forms by their respective due date. Failure to respond to email correspondence in a timely manner or to attend and participate fully in any and all aspects of your program will be reflected in your academic grade (if applicable) and/or your ability to participate in the program.

University Policies

Participants must abide by San Jose State University (SJSU) policies, including the SJSU Student Code of Conduct (found online here), while enrolled in the program. You may be subject to disciplinary action upon return to campus for violations of those policies.

Alcohol and Drugs

As a participant in an SJSU Faculty-Led Program, you are responsible for knowing and obeying the laws of the host country, all local institutional regulations and rules of your specific program regarding alcohol and drugs. Unless permitted by host country law, local institutional regulations, and the program leaders, you will not possess, consume, furnish, or distribute any alcoholic beverages.

The use of illegal drugs on SJSU Faculty-Led Programs is prohibited (even in locations where drugs may be legal), just as it is on campus. You must understand that violations of law or policy may result in:

(i)   immediate removal from the program;

(ii)  academic withdrawal from the University for the remainder of the semester; and

(iii)  disciplinary action upon return to campus.

Alcohol and drug misuse and abuse will not be tolerated on SJSU Study Abroad and Away programs.

Host Country Customs

You are expected to abide by the laws and customs of the host country, community, institution and program. You must be sensitive to the social mores of the host culture. You are also subject to the disciplinary codes and processes of any host institution(s) and providers of contracted services. 

Being sensitive to cultural customs of the host country may include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

• dressing appropriately for the host culture;
• being respectful of local guides, hosts and other community members with whom you may interact as part of your program's curriculum;
• respecting property of individuals, businesses and institutions in the host country

You must agree to act respectfully, as your behavior will be viewed by local hosts as a reflection of San José State University.

Program Removal

If you disrupt the group learning process, violate the SJSU Student Code of Conduct, or if your behavior gives the program leader(s)/on-site coordinator reasonable cause to believe your continued presence in the program poses a danger to the health or safety of persons or property, or impedes, disrupts or obstructs the program in any way, you may face removal from the program. Examples of grounds for immediate removal include, but are not limited to alcohol, drug and weapons related violations, assault, and sexual or racial harassment.

Prior to dismissal from the program, you will be provided with an opportunity to explain your conduct to the program leader(s)/on-site coordinator. The determination to be removed from the program would be made jointly by the program leader(s)/on-site coordinator, the Director of Study Abroad and Away and the Dean of the College of Professional and Global Education. The determination to be removed would be final and no refund will be issued. Should you be removed for disciplinary reasons, you will be responsible for airfare and any other expenses associated with early removal from the program.

Travel

Purchasing flights: Students are responsible for making their own flight arrangements, unless the flight is included in the program fee. As such, SJSU is not responsible for penalties assessed by air carriers or any other associated costs based on program cancellation, operational and/or itinerary changes when students make their own flight arrangements. No one (students or faculty) are permitted to purchase flights until the entire group has paid for the program in full. Do not purchase flights until you are notified to do so by the Study Abroad and Away office.

On-site lodging: You are expected to stay in the accommodations arranged by your program. SJSU may substitute hotel accommodations or housing at any time. Specific room and housing assignments are within SJSU’s sole discretion. If you wish to arrive prior to, or stay after, your program dates, you are responsible for making your own lodging arrangements. You cannot stay in alternative lodging (even if you pay for the lodging independently) at any point during the program.

Traveling before or after the program: You will be able to travel independently before or after your program, but we strongly advise you to discuss any independent travel plans with your families and others that you rely upon before making any concrete plans. You are required to confirm departure and arrival times and locations with your program leader(s)/on-site coordinators. If you travel independently and arrive after the start of the program, you are responsible for all academic consequences (if applicable), such as lost class time and missed assignments. In the event of a delayed arrival, you will notify your program leader(s)/on-site coordinator and the Study Abroad and Away Office (SAA) personnel. Your property is transported at your risk; SJSU is not responsible for travel delays, inconveniences, or lost/stolen property. You will be financially responsible for any additional expenses incurred should you arrive early, prolong your personal travel, or for the loss/destruction of your personal property before, during and after the program. 

Traveling during the program:You will be responsible for notifying your program leader/on-site coordinator of your itinerary whenever you leave the program site(s) that occurs during the program dates. For programs that include free time, you must provide all travel plans in advance. During free time, we strongly advise that you do not go out alone. We suggest that you travel in smaller groups of 3 or 4 people, rather than individually, in pairs, or in large groups.

SJSU is not responsible for any injury or loss you may suffer when you are participating in program activities, traveling independently or are otherwise separated from any University-sponsored activities. If you become separated from the program group for any reason, you will rejoin the group at your own expense at the first opportunity.

Spouses/Partners, Children, Parents

All short-term Study Abroad and Away programs are for students enrolled in a San José State University course or program; spouses/partners, children, parents, and friends may not participate in, overlap with, or plan personal/family travel experiences with participants during a Study Abroad and Away program. If such a person affiliated with you disrupts the program, it may be grounds for your removal.

Health

Students are responsible for their own health maintenance. You must agree to disclose any pre-existing mental and/or physical health conditions in their entirety on my Student Health Form, understanding that your answers will not impact your application or acceptance decision. The Study Abroad and Away office will work to provide reasonable accommodations for students to have a successful program experience. Should a situation arising from such a condition that you have not disclosed in advance place yourself, others, and/or the program at risk, this may result in dismissal from the program.

Students should research relevant agencies such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to determine if there are any required immunizations for the country/countries they will be traveling to while participating on a SJSU Study Abroad and Away program. It is your responsibility and choice to obtain any required or recommended immunizations suggested by these agencies in a timely manner prior to your participation on the program.                    

In the event of serious illness, accident or emergency during your time abroad/away, you must inform an appropriate program official so assistance may be secured and if necessary, your designated emergency contact may be notified.

Acceptance

Upon acceptance into the program, you will receive an official acceptance letter from the Study Abroad and Away office and more information on steps you will be required to complete. Failure to satisfy the requirements may lead to program disqualification.

Withdrawal and Cancellation

Withdrawal: Please refer to the Program Withdrawal page for details on policies regarding withdrawal from SJSU Study Abroad and Away participation on short-term programs.

Cancellation: If, due to any unforeseen circumstances or other circumstance beyond the control of the university, an SJSU program is cancelled, either prior to departure or during the course of the program, students will not be guaranteed a refund of any fees paid to SJSU, including program deposit, tuition fees (if applicable), program fees, or any other fees incurred in connection with the program. In most cases, SJSU forwards program fees to vendors in foreign countries, thus it is very difficult to recover such fees due to a program cancellation. In such cases, the Study Abroad and Away office will make a good-faith effort to recover such fees and return any portion of fees it may recover that may be attributable to a student's participation in the program. 

If the program is interrupted or cancelled by SJSU for any reason, including, but not limited to, pandemic, epidemic, natural disaster, acts of God, war, quarantine, civil unrest, public health risks, criminal activity, terrorism, or accident, SJSU will, depending on the circumstances and timing of the cancellation, make every effort to enable students to complete any academic work of the program, including by placement in an alternative program or by other means. 

Refunds for air transportation are subject to the rules and regulations of the appropriate airline or travel agency. Students have the option to independently purchase fully refundable airline tickets and/or trip cancellation insurance to safeguard against losses or penalties should a program be canceled or the dates change. The SJSU Study Abroad and Away Office assumes no responsibility for such losses or penalties.

Safety and Security

Students are responsible for responding and replying to any and all forms of communications from the Study Abroad and Away office, within 24 hours of receipt, when contacted regarding potential threats or risks abroad during the program. All Study Abroad and Away students participating in an international experience are required to enroll in the mandated international insurance plan for students, as well as enroll in any risk management tools, communication tools, and risk management programs used by the Study Abroad and Away office. Students participating in domestic study away programs are required to procure domestic health insurance for the duration of their program.

Each program provides detailed information with location-specific safety information. Participants should follow all recommendations. This includes information about emergency gathering points, on-site contact information and SJSU contact information.

You should always avoid demonstrations and protests while on program, as even peaceful ones can sometimes turn violent.

Program-Specific Additions

Individual SJSU Study Abroad and Away programs may, in conjunction with the Study Abroad and Away office, establish additional rules and policies regarding issues specific to that program. Students will be responsible for reading and understanding these additional rules and will agree to abide by them while participating in the program.

Policies for Faculty-Led Programs

Travel

Purchasing Flights Students should not purchase airline tickets until all of the group members are registered in their Faculty-Led Program (FLP) course and have paid the entire program fee. Unfortunately, FLP courses may be canceled if enrollment is insufficient to provide appropriate instruction or if contracts with service providers are incomplete before the start of the course registration. If a course is canceled, tuition fees will be refunded. However, SJSU is not responsible for refunding any personal expenses (e.g. flights, spending money, etc.) if the program is canceled for any reason. Airfare and other individual expenses are the responsibility of the student. To be able to get the best airfare, you need to register for your FLP course and make full payment by the stated deadlines. Failure to meet the deadlines can delay all other participants' ability to buy their plane tickets.

Traveling during the Faculty-Led Program (FLP): For programs that include free time, you must provide all travel plans in advance. Additionally, if you choose to travel independently during your scheduled FLP, you cannot travel further than 2-3 hours’ distance from the program site within the host country. This is to ensure that we can have participants gather on short notice if an emergency were to occur in the region. When an emergency happens, transportation and borders are likely to be closed for an indefinite period of time; for this reason, participants traveling outside of the program site must remain within the host country.

Safety and Security

Each faculty program leader will register all participants in the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) prior to departure, for the duration of their time abroad, when traveling internationally. This program will provide students with up-to-date travel warnings and advice for specific locations.

Policies for Summer School Abroad Programs

Safety and Security

Students must enroll in the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) prior to departure, for the duration of their time abroad, when traveling internationally. This program will provide students with up-to-date travel warnings and advice for specific locations. View more information here: https://step.state.gov/step/.

Policies for Alternative Break Programs

Travel

Purchasing Flights Students should not purchase airline tickets until all of the group members have paid the entire program fee. Unfortunately, Alternative Break Programs  may be canceled if enrollment is insufficient or if contracts with service providers are incomplete before the start of the program. SJSU is not responsible for refunding any personal expenses (e.g. flights, spending money, etc.) if the program is canceled for any reason. Airfare and other individual expenses are the responsibility of the student. To be able to get the best airfare, you need to make full payment by the stated deadlines. Failure to meet the deadlines can delay all other participants' ability to buy their plane tickets.

Traveling during the Alternative Break Program: For programs that include free time, you must provide all travel plans in advance. Additionally, if you choose to travel independently during your scheduled program, you cannot travel further than 2-3 hours’ distance from the program site within the host state/country. This is to ensure that we can have participants gather on short notice if an emergency were to occur in the region. When an emergency happens, transportation and borders are likely to be closed for an indefinite period of time; for this reason, participants traveling outside of the program site must remain within the host state/country.

Safety and Security

For those participating in international programs, students must enroll in the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) prior to departure, for the duration of their time abroad. This program will provide students with up-to-date travel warnings and advice for specific locations. View more information here: https://step.state.gov/step/.