Non-Affiliate Programs | Study Abroad

UMD students are occasionally interested in participating in programs that are not vetted or approved by the UMD Study Abroad office, a collegiate unit, or a department on campus.

These programs are referred to as "non-affiliate programs." Directly enrolling in a foreign university or study abroad program with whom UMD has no contractual agreement is included in this category.

UMD strongly encourages students to participate in UMD programs that have been vetted and approved by the Study Abroad office. UMD has close working relationships with many high-quality programs in terms of academic standards, housing, cultural immersion, health & safety, and administrative support services.

Students are encouraged to review study abroad programs already approved by the UMD Study Abroad office. Additionally, students are able to participate in any program offered through a UMD Study Abroad affiliate, even if they are not specifically listed on the Study Abroad website. These programs are referred to as affiliate programs. To see a list of affiliates, please visit the Programs Types web page.

To find an approved program that may meet your study abroad goals:

Attend Study Abroad 101 to learn the basics of studying abroad at UMD and to speak with student Peer Advisors who have studied abroad.
Complete the Study Abroad Guide: Download this file or grab a hard-copy, available at the Study Abroad front desk. This will help you think through items such as choosing a location as well as larger questions regarding your personal and academic goals. Additionally, it will help you prepare meaningful info to discuss at your meetings with your professional or academic advisor and study abroad coordinators.
Attend an advising session with an experienced Study Abroad Coordinator.

If, after reviewing the programs offered at UMD, you decide to choose a non-affiliate program, the following should be noted:

Credit: Classes completed in a non-affiliate study abroad program will be considered for transfer credit to UMD and your degree requirements only if the non-affiliate program is eligible per the UMD Transfer of Undergraduate Credit policy. Most importantly, non-affiliate programs must be offered by institutions that are recognized as accredited by legitimizing bodies.

To confirm if your desired program is offered by an accredited institution, complete the Request for International Program Review form and the UMD Office of the Registrar will research the institution and/or program.

Be aware of the following UMD Undergraduate Degree Requirements policy when participating in a non-affiliate program. “Students must complete at least half of their courses at the 3xxx-level and higher at UMD. Study abroad credits earned through programs approved by International Programs and Services may be used to fulfill this requirement.” View approved programs on the UMD Study Abroad website.

In addition, credits earned in a non-affiliate program do not fulfill the Global Perspectives liberal education requirement at UMD, unless approved as such through the transfer credit evaluation process.
Independence: Pursuing a non-affiliate program requires significant independence, as the Study Abroad office and UMD are not able to assist you with your program arrangements before, during, or after your participation. You will need to explore program details including housing, cultural immersion, health & safety, and support services on your own, as well as facilitate the transfer of credit at UMD.
Scholarships: Students who participate in non-affiliate study abroad programs are not eligible for UMN, UMD, or affiliate study abroad scholarships.
Financial Aid: Students who participate in non-affiliate study abroad programs are not eligible to receive financial aid through UMD with the exception of students who meet eligibility requirements for placeholder registration.
Cost: Students studying in non-affiliate programs will have charges from the program provider. You will pay the program provider directly for their costs. Additional costs include:
- On Call International insurance —The University of Minnesota Education Abroad policy requires those traveling abroad for University purposes are required to complete the travel registry and be covered by health, travel, and security insurance.*
- The cost of official documents to support the transfer of international credit. Students should budget accordingly, as they will be responsible for requesting a number of official documents to support the transfer of international credit. The UMD Office of the Registrar will provide guidance on these items based on your individual situation.
- The cost of official documents to support the transfer of international credit. Students should budget accordingly, as they will be responsible for requesting a number of official documents to support the transfer of international credit. These costs are not included in the $600 Study Abroad processing fee. The UMD Office of the Registrar will provide guidance on these items based on your individual situation.
- Documents may include, but are not limited to the following:
  - Official transcript sent to UMD once all final course grades have been posted to your Study Abroad institution’s transcript.
  - Official credential evaluation by an external credit evaluation service sent directly to the UMD Office of the Registrar.
  - Official transcript sent to your external credit evaluation service.
  - English translation of your academic documents, such as course descriptions
Travel Approval: University policy requires special permission from the University’s International Travel Risk Assessment and Advisory Committee (ITRAAC) prior to travel in specific circumstances for students and faculty/staff leading students abroad.

The U.S. State Department issues Travel Advisory Levels for all locations outside the United States. There are two types of Travel Advisories:
- Country-wide Travel Advisories: Each country has a designated advisory level from 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) to 4 (Do Not Travel). The ITRAAC process refers to these as “Travel Advisories.”
- Regional Travel Advisories: Select countries have within-country advisories that pertain to localities or sub-sections where higher levels of vigilance are recommended. The ITRAAC process refers to these as “Regional Travel Advisories.”
Services & Support:
- Program Vetting: Non-affiliate programs have not been vetted by the Study Abroad office and we cannot guarantee the overall quality of the program or the level of support students will receive while participating.
- Advising: Study Abroad staff do not advise on the safety or quality of non-affiliate programs, nor do they advise on the application process for any specific non-affiliate program.
- Forms: UMD Study Abroad is unable to sign nomination and credit approval forms.
- Enrollment Verification: If you receive a form from your non-affiliate program requiring verification of your current status as a University of Minnesota student, you can verify your enrollment status with One Stop Student Services.
- Disciplinary Clearance: If you have a form specifically related to disciplinary clearance, email the form to the UMD Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution at [email protected].
- Emergency Support: If you do not require placeholder registration to participate in a non-affiliated program but your travel is for University purposes (travel that fulfills a degree requirement, is supported by University funding, etc.), you must complete the UofM travel registry process through the GPS Alliance.
  
  You must register your travel and complete the Canvas course to met the requirements of University policy. Registering will allow you to obtain the required international health, security, medical and evacuation insurance through On Call International, and the Canvas course will better prepare you for a safe trip abroad.

Considerations for Non-affiliate programs

When thinking about whether or not to pursue a non-affiliate program instead of a program that has been vetted and approved by UMD Study Abroad, consider the following:

Finances

You are responsible for paying all program fees to your non-affiliate program provider or university. They will bill you directly.

Eligibility for Placeholder Registration

In very rare situations, the UMD Study Abroad office will provide placeholder credits for an undergraduate student participating in a non-affiliated study abroad program. This is the case only when both of the following criteria are met:

The student is receiving a government-funded scholarship (eg, Boren) that requires that the student be enrolled at the UofM while abroad.
There is no UMD program that meets their requirements in terms of language level and destination. If there is a UofM program that offers the language level and destination required for the scholarship that the student has received, they will be required to utilize the approved program.

These students may also be eligible to receive financial aid through UMD. Completion of the Study Abroad Non-Affiliate Program Cost Estimate and Study Abroad Non-Affiliate Program Financial Aid Contractual Agreement forms are required to determine eligibility.

Note that students applying for a Gilman scholarship would not meet these criteria. The UMD Study Abroad office will only certify Gilman applications for students participating in a program already approved by the UofM because Gilman does not have any location or language requirements that would necessitate choosing from outside of the list of already approved UofM programs.

If students do not meet the eligibility requirements for placeholder registration and are participating in an academic year, calendar year, fall, or spring semester non-affiliate program, they may be required to take a leave of absence from the University and apply for readmission following the completion of their non-affiliate program.

Upon Completion of your Program

Submit the following documents to the Office of the Registrar:

Official Transcripts - Request to be sent directly from every institution you attended while abroad.
Official Course Descriptions or Course Syllabi - Sent directly from your institution(s) or downloaded from the institution’s website.
- Note: If you pursued transfer credit decisions prior to departure, the Office of the Registrar will confirm that the course catalog numbers and other details are consistent. If the course information provided is not consistent, updated documents may be requested. Keep your syllabi for your records to support the transfer of credit and degree progress.
Official credential evaluation by an external credit evaluation service provider sent directly to [email protected] (see online for a list of preferred providers).
- Note: Your official transcript will also be required for the external credit evaluation service. Students should anticipate purchasing two official transcripts at the end of the program once your final course grades have been posted on your Study Abroad institution’s transcript. One to be sent directly to UMD and the other to be sent directly to the external credit evaluation service.
Additional official documents may be requested based on your coursework or program.

Documents must be sent to:

Office of the Registrar
University of Minnesota Duluth
139 Darland Administration Building Mail Code: D013B
Duluth, Minnesota 55812

Students should budget accordingly. You are responsible for requesting a number of official documents to support the transfer of international credit.

*The term “University purposes” refers to travel that is affiliated with the University in any way. This includes, but is not limited to, travel funded by the University or where credit is awarded or degree requirements are fulfilled (e.g., work, internships, field study, research, etc. including non-credit degree requirements), volunteering, conference or workshop attendance, athletic events, and Campus Life Program activities abroad. Travel with a Registered Student Organization (RSO), that is not otherwise funded or supported by the University, and personal travel such as a vacation is NOT for University purposes.