Confirming Participation

Once approved to study abroad, students need to take several steps to confirm their participation on the program and begin preparing for a successful study abroad experience. The steps outlined on this page are a general overview of the process; however, students should also always reference communication received through email and in the EA Portal for more detailed information.

Approval notification

Students will receive an official approval email from UNC Charlotte Education Abroad. Although approved to participate, there are several steps that must be completed in order to confirm participation on the program. The approval email will outline the exact steps required and any specific deadlines. The steps and email information will vary by program type, so it is the responsibility of the student to thoroughly read the approval email, even if they have participated on a previous study abroad program, as the steps could be different. Depending on program type, students may need to:

Conditional approvals

In some cases, a student may receive an email notifying them of a conditional approval. Students who receive a conditional approval do not yet meet the eligibility requirements of the program; however, EA has allowed the student to move forward with the program on the condition that they meet the requirements by the end of the semester prior to their study abroad program. The conditional approval email will outline the conditions which need to be met in order to participate in the program. Students who receive a conditional approval may still complete all pre-departure requirements as usual.

Pre-Departure requirements

Pre-departure requirements are tasks that appear in the EA Portal application once approved. These are an important part of helping the student prepare for the experience abroad. EA collects information from each student for risk management purposes in order to provide support in the event of an emergency abroad. In addition to completing the tasks in the EA study abroad application, all students are required to complete pre-departure orientation.

Learn About Pre-Departure Requirements

official acceptance

Although students have been approved by UNC Charlotte to study abroad, they will need to wait for official acceptance before making any financial commitments for the program. Students should refrain from buying a plane ticket, securing housing, applying for a visa, etc, until they receive official correspondence about their program. This will differ by program type.

  • For Faculty-Led Programs, students will need to wait until EA confirms the program will run. Although students have been approved, EA will need a minimum number of students to commit to the program before it will officially run. Students will receive an email when the program is confirmed notifying them about next steps.
  • For all other program types, students will be waiting for official approval from their host institution and/or affiliate provider before moving forward with any plans to participate on the program.

FAQS

When will I find out if I’m approved?

Approval and review timelines will vary by program type. Many of our programs offer rolling admissions and you can expect to hear from EA within a couple weeks of submitting your application. However, some programs require supplemental applications to a host institution or provider, and official acceptances from those organizations may take longer.

Can I defer my approval to another term?

No, applications are reviewed on a per term basis. If you wish to apply for a different term you will need to withdraw your current application, and submit a new application, and application fee, for the other term once available.

What if I have a schedule conflict with the pre-departure orientation?

The orientation date is scheduled well in advance and shared with students as early as possible so they may make adjustments to their schedule in order to attend. However, students with an unavoidable work or class conflict should contact EA regarding pre-departure make-up options.

What if I want to withdraw my application?

You may withdraw your application via the EA portal at any point up until you have received an approval decision. Once approved, if you want to withdraw your application you will need to contact EA immediately. Depending on when you withdraw your application there may be financial penalties. Participants on Faculty-Led programs should be aware that once paid, the program confirmation deposit is non-refundable and additional fees may be owed depending on date of withdrawal. Please refer to the policies section of our website for more detailed information.