Fall Study Abroad: Registration and Housing Updates (For Middlebury Undergraduates)

Dear Study Abroad Students,

We are writing to give you some guidance about registration and housing for the fall 2020 semester. As recently announced by Professor Suzanne Gurland, Dean of Curriculum, and Jen Thompson, Registrar, the College is delaying fall registration until mid-summer. You also heard from the Residence Life Office earlier this month that room draw for the fall semester has also been delayed. 

In light of the uncertainty of Programs Abroad operating in the fall due to COVID-19, we have some information and guidance to share with you as you make your plans:

  1. If it is your intention to study abroad, then you should commit (by clicking the “commit” button) to your study abroad program here. This lets everyone on campus know that your first choice is to be away from campus this fall. 
  2. We strongly recommend that all study abroad students register for courses on campus in the event their fall program is canceled or they are otherwise no longer able to go abroad. Under normal circumstances, pursuing plans for both study abroad and on-campus enrollment is not allowed; however, given the current situation, students intending to study abroad in the fall semester are being encouraged to plan for both scenarios.
  3. As a study abroad student, you do not need to re-enroll at Middlebury by June 15 (the date originally stated in your approval letter and the study abroad handbooks) to be eligible for course registration and room draw.
  4. If your program is cancelled and you have not already registered for on-campus courses, you will need to register during the add/drop period at the beginning of the fall semester.
  5. The Residence Life team is developing housing plans in case study abroad programs get canceled.  We are looking at options to increase capacity for student housing in case there are more students on campus than usual.
  6. There will be no withdrawal fee charged by Middlebury if you commit now—then later change your mind about studying abroad—provided your decision is prior to the arrival date on site. Depending on the timing, there could be some non-recoverable charges for which you would be responsible. If you are studying abroad at an externally sponsored program/university, you should refer to your program’s withdrawal policy.
  7. If you plan to study abroad, you should be careful about any financial outlay. We advise moving forward with visa application materials in order to secure your visa (where required) but holding off on purchasing flights. When you do buy your flight, you’ll want to be clear about the airline’s refund policy to avoid having to pay for a flight you may not be able to use.

You will receive further information about the registration and housing processes from the Registrar and Residence Life offices at a later date.  If you have any questions about your study abroad plans, please feel free to be in touch with your study abroad advisor in my office.

Sincerely,

Carlos Vélez

Dean of International Programs