Faculty Handbook

Acceptance procedure

In case students ask, it’s helpful for you to know the application process.

After submitting their completed application, students are charged a $100 application fee. (They sign a statement acknowledging their understanding that by submitting an application they are obligated to pay the $100 application fee.)  OSA does not collect or accept payment.  All students, including non-MSU students, will receive an electronic bill from the MSU Student Accounts Office for the application fee that is applied to the cost of the program and is non-refundable once a student accepts admission into the program.

Once a student has applied to your program, the Office of Study Abroad will print an academic student report. Review student reports carefully to verify that the student is in "good academic standing" (i.e., GPA of 2.00 or better and no evidence of current or pending "academic probation”). All students must have a GPA of 2.00 or higher at the time of application; however, this does not guarantee admission.  Please check the student report to determine whether any applicant may have a borderline GPA (barely above a 2.00).  If this is the case and there is an additional semester of grades to be reported before departure of the program, notify OSA and we will print a student report for you after those semester grades have been recorded.   The sponsoring department/college may establish additional eligibility criteria that should be stated in your information sheet and Web site.  Please contact the OSA Program Coordinator for your program if you have concerns or feel that a student has not or will not meet the minimum GPA requirement. 

If you establish additional eligibility criteria, communicate this clearly in all program-related publicity (e.g., information sheet, program Web site, and information meetings).
 
Acceptance is a two-step process based on:

1. A program leader review of the application and academic student report.  This step is completed by you and any other leaders of the program.  At the end of each semester OSA receives a list of recessed students.  You will be notified if any of your students are on this list.
2. A program leader review of the Judicial Affairs Office records.  OSA generates regular lists of applicants with specific judicial records.  Judicial records address behavioral issues, not academic misconduct.  OSA will inform you, usually within ten days of receiving an application, as to whether the applicant has a record.  OSA will suggest action steps, and you will be asked to review the record and inform OSA of your admissions decision. Guidance from the provost’s office indicates you cannot deny admissions merely because there is a judicial report.  You are expected to carefully review the record to determine whether the violation is sufficiently grievous to deny admission. You may wish to schedule an interview with the student to discuss the infraction.

Once accepted, students will be sent an acceptance packet that consists of a Study Abroad Student Handbook and three forms.  One of the forms is a Student Health/Emergency Treatment Authorization that once submitted, is reviewed by a health care professional in the MSU Travel Clinic. For those who have significant health conditions that might complicate travel or those traveling to areas where preventative medications should be considered, students are advised to make an appointment at the MSU Travel Clinic or with their personal physician well before travel. Approximately three weeks prior to the program’s departure, you will receive an e-mail, informing you of students in your group who have particular health care needs.  General health information relevant to the country to be visited will also be included. The actual health forms will not be included.  In some cases, MSU Travel Clinic staff may require that the student see a physician to review a health issue before participating in the program. If the student refuses to see a physician or sign a waiver, he/she will not be allowed to participate in the program. If none of your students have health issues of concern, you will still receive this general information.  Not all students come to the travel clinic, and occasionally, students are not forthcoming about their personal health care situation, so the travel clinic can only let you know about the health forms they have reviewed.

In some cases, interviews will be required before final acceptance is made. Interviews of semester program applicants are strongly recommended.