What resources are informing decisions about the status of study abroad programs?
University leadership is making decisions about the operational status of study abroad programs based on guidance issued by key government health authorities – such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. Department of State (State Department), the World Health Organization (WHO), local health departments – and in coordination with on-site program administrators.
We also consult with partner institutions to provide advice and guidance to students currently abroad on programs. Should conditions change, for example, the CDC or State Department raise warning levels for a certain destination, AU will work with students and their sponsoring programs to adjust itineraries which may include leaving an affected country.
All students should heed guidance or advisories from local authorities, the State Department, and CDC. Travelers in affected countries should plan for transportation disruptions and allow for additional time for immigration and health screenings.
When and how does AU Abroad make the decision to cancel or suspend a program?
American University's international travel policy directed the university to restrict, cancel, or postpone any university sponsored or supported international travel program or activity if the risk of travel is substantial. In accordance with guidance from the CDC, State Department, WHO, and other authorities, the leadership of American University will cancel or suspend any program in a location where it deems the risk of travel is substantial.
What is the AU Abroad Office doing in response to concerns?
With ongoing global developments related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the university continues to take steps to protect the health and safety of our students and provide support to students who are affected by the situation. AU’s emergency response team includes relevant senior members of the AU Administration, including those from the Office of Risk Management, Office of Campus Life, the Provost’s Office, and AU Abroad. This team meets regularly to evaluate the current situation and make decisions to safeguard the health of our student population abroad and support their educational activity.
Which study abroad programs has AU Abroad suspended?
At this time, AU Abroad has suspended programs in China, South Korea, and Italy following CDC raising the alert to Level 3: Avoid Nonessential Travel. All other AU Abroad programs are continuing as normal though we are closely monitoring the situation in all countries where we have students.
For students returning from Italy, what guidelines have been established?
All students who have returned from Italy are being supported by their study abroad partner institution with distance learning to complete their academic programs for the Spring 2020 semester remotely. There is no self-quarantine guidance for travelers returning from Italy at this time. Travelers should expect screening at airports, including points of departure and/or arrival. You can find American University's Community Resource Information on COVID -19 at
https://www.american.edu/ocl/healthcenter/coronavirus-resources.cfm. That said, the situation is changing rapidly and we recommend that students check the
CDC website frequently for updates.
Will AU Abroad allow students return to Italy later in the semester if the CDC advisory drops back to a Level 2 or 1?
The university has suspended programs in Italy for Spring 2020 and there is no possibility for these students to return to their programs even if the advisory from the CDC changes.
If students want to fully withdraw from programs in Italy, what costs are refundable?
All of AU Abroad’s partners in Italy are offering students the option to continue their coursework remotely and stay fully enrolled as an AU student for the remainder of the semester. If a student does not wish to pursue this option and instead prefers to withdraw completely from all classes for the semester, they will forego all credits and go through the normal university procedure for a voluntary withdrawal and be subject to the university’s refund policy.
For non-tuition related expenses, American University will only refund uncommitted and/or recoverable funds. If a payment was made directly to a partner institution, including for housing, those payments are not recoverable by the American University and cannot be refunded. Instead, such payments are subject to the partner institution’s cancellation and refund policies.
For John Cabot University, contact the housing office at
housing@johncabot.edu.
For American University of Rome, contact the finance office at
finance@aur.edu.
For Studio Arts College International, contact the billing office at
billing@saci-florence.edu.
What advice do you have for students studying abroad in a CDC Level 2 location, like Japan?
At this point in time there are no immediate plans to alter the operation of study abroad programs in countries that are designated as Level 2 by the CDC. Any changes to the operation of study abroad programs will be communicated directly to students and their families with instructions on next steps. Students and families should also monitor updates from CDC and Japanese health authorities.
What happens if a student commits to a program that eventually gets cancelled?
AU Abroad is moving forward at this time with all programs for Summer 2020 and Academic Year 2020-2021. If that should change, students will receive notification and guidance from AU Abroad, and the AU Abroad office would work in conjunction with AU Housing and Dining as well as the Academic Advising units of the university to support students in course enrollment and accommodations on campus for the Fall 2020 semester.
If I have concerns about continuing my program regardless of my current host country’s CDC advisory status, what options do I have? Can I continue coursework remotely?
If a student chooses to withdraw from their Spring 2020 semester abroad in a country where their program is continuing as normal, they would be subject to the standard withdrawal policies of the university. AU Abroad would support students and work with partner programs to see if remote study would be possible, but that option would not be guaranteed. Housing and other program-related fees which have been committed or are not recoverable would be non-refundable.
What are the recommendations from AU Abroad on independent travel for students currently studying abroad on non-suspended programs?
We are in regular communication with all our students studying abroad in an effort to keep them informed about COVID-19 and how best to ensure their safety and well-being.
We are asking students to carefully consider their travel plans in the coming weeks and remain close to their local program site. We discourage students from traveling to any currently affected countries or areas for many reasons, including possible difficulty in returning to their original program site. Independent travel is not a required component of a study abroad experience and, therefore, any financial losses resulting from canceled independent travel plans remains solely the responsibility of the student. Further, we encourage students to closely monitor news reports, guidance from CDC and local health authorities, and messages from AU Abroad staff.
How can we receive updated information?
In light of this rapidly evolving situation, American University requests that you monitor developments on the AU website as well as reliable sources such as the
CDC website,
WHO website, and
State Department. If there are any updates to the operation of AU Abroad programs, that office will be in contact with students and emergency contacts as soon as possible.