Listed below you will find the important policies that govern overseas education at Villanova University. Please take careful note of each policy and keep them in mind as you start planning your study abroad.
Pre-departure Academic Requirements
- A minimum GPA of 2.75 is required. Some programs may require a higher average.
- All undergraduate majors are eligible.
- Full-time status and Sophomore or Junior standing is required. Seniors may apply with special permission from their College.
- Transfer students must have completed three semesters at Villanova prior to participating in a semester long overseas program, or with special permission from their College.
- Students may not participate in study abroad while on academic or disciplinary probation.
- All Passport Villanova requirements must be completed by the October 15 (for spring study abroad) or April 1 (for Summer and fall study abroad)
- Villanova University students cannot participate in study abroad programs in countries under a Travel Warning from the U.S. Department of State
Credit Transfer Information
- Working with a representative of the OEA, a Course Approval Form must be completed for each student listing the courses they plan to take while overseas.
*Exceptions are made to courses taught by on-site, VU faculty/staff. Program-specific website will detail this information.
- A minimum grade of “C” must be earned in order for the credit to transfer as a "T" (Transfer Credit). Credit for work completed overseas will appear on the Villanova University transcript.
- Courses cannot be taken Pass/Fail. If a course is taken Pass/Fail, no credit will be granted.In place of a letter grade, the designation “T” (Transfer Credit) will be assigned for all courses in which the student received a “C” or higher.
*Exceptions are made for courses specifically taught or coordinated by VU faculty. See program-specific website for more information. - Transfer credit ("T's") will not affect a student's GPA, but can be counted towards graduation requirements, including but not limited to major, minor, concentration, and some core requirements.
- A maximum of 60 credits are transferable toward a Villanova diploma. This includes Advanced Placement, Overseas Study, and summer credits earned at another institution.
Requirements While Abroad
- Students must maintain full time enrollment at the host institution or program abroad.
- Students may not enroll in distance learning courses while abroad.
- Students must confirm their overseas course schedule in the Passport Villanova system upon finalized enrollment overseas
- All courses that a student takes abroad must be approved for Villanova credit prior to their return to campus. Students can obtain additional course approvals while abroad.
CLAS Policies for Study Abroad
- The following Core Requirements cannot be completed abroad: ACS 1000/1001, ETH2050, PHI1000, THL1000, SWS, Core History, and MSE.
- Some CLAS departments further limit the number of study abroad classes that can be applied to the major or minor. Students are responsible for confirming any limitations with their major or minor department.
VSB Policies for Study Abroad
- No more than three business courses may be taken while abroad in one semester. ECO 3108 Global Political Economy equivalents are considered an Arts & Science core requirement and do not count towards the three business courses allowed.
- Four of the six courses required courses for each VSB major and two of the three required courses for each VSB minor must be taken at Villanova.
- Accounting courses may not be taken abroad for accounting credit
- All VSBXXXX courses must be taken at Villanova, except for special programs such as GCP and BCIC.
- If a students competed two years of a foreign language in high school, credit for introductory courses in that language while studying abroad will not satisfy degree requirements, including electives.
- The following Core Requirements cannot be taken abroad: ACS1000/1001, ETH2050, PHI1000, ENG1050, & THL1000. (Exception GCP)
General Summer Policies
- 2.75 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale. Some programs may require a higher GPA.
- Full-time university status without any financial holds, academic or disciplinary probation.
- An interview with the Faculty Program Coordinator is required in order to be accepted into any program.
- Attendance at all pre-departure orientation sessions as required by the Faculty Program Coordinator.
- All non-VU students must contact the Faculty Program Coordinator directly for additional program information.
- Students must attend program through the stated dates. Late arrivals/early departures are not allowed.
- All undergraduate programs are subject to a $15 general fee. Graduate students/programs are subject to a $50 general fee.
- VU students are not allowed to take Distance-Learning courses while participating in a VU summer program.
Additional Academic Requirements and/or Special Instructions may be listed within the specific program descriptions and/or on the Web.
Grade Transfer Policy
Villanova School of Business (VSB) students participating on VU Business programs whose courses are taught by VU faculty members or adjunct, VU hired faculty members will result in letter grades.
Students taking courses taught by non-VU faculty members will receive credit transfer (`T'). Courses taken by VSB students participating on VU Arts & Sciences (A&S) programs will receive letter grades
Villanova University College of Arts & Science students participating on VU A & S programs will receive letter grades. VU A & S students participating on VU Business programs whose courses are taught by
VU faculty or adjunct, VU hired faculty members will receive letter grades. Courses taught by non-VU faculty members will result in credit transfer (`T').
Villanova University College of Nursing students participating on VU A&S programs will receive letter grades. VU College of Nursing students participating on VU Business programs whose courses are taught
by VU faculty or adjunct, VU hired faculty members will receive letter grades. Courses taught by non-VU faculty members will result in credit transfer (`T').
Villanova University College of Engineering students participating on VU A&S programs will receive letter grades. VU Engineering students participating on VU Business programs whose courses are taught by
VU faculty or adjunct, VU hired faculty members will receive letter grades. Courses taught by non-VU faculty members will result in credit transfer (`T').
Upon completion, all internships are awarded a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade.
In order to receive a 'T', students must earn a 'C' or better. Courses earning less than a 'C' mark will not be recorded onto the Villanova University transcript.
Summer Program Course Withdrawal
If a student withdraws from a Villanova summer program after the deadline, but before courses begin, courses will be dropped from the academic record.
If a student withdraws from a summer program once coursework has begun, the student will receive an authorized withdrawal without academic penalty, WX, for all coursework. Although there is no academic penalty (GPA is not affected), a WX is considered a grade and must appear on the Villanova academic transcript.
What is the Semester Tuition Policy?
Students participating in semester education abroad programs pay their standard Villanova tuition regardless of the overseas location. Under the policy, students may apply their Villanova financial aid to study abroad, just as they do when studying on campus.
Special billing applies for students who receive Tuition Remission, Tuition Exchange and Augustinian Relative Grants and those who are ROTC students and Presidential Scholars. If you are a recipient of the above awards, please contact your OEA adviser and the Office of Financial Assistance for more information.
What about room and board?
Non-tuition costs such as room and board are not paid to Villanova University, but are instead paid to the university or program in which the student enrolls. In general, these room and board costs tend to be about the same as they would be at Villanova University. Keep in mind, though, that several factors have to be taken into consideration here, such as geography (i.e., cost of living in London or Tokyo versus Capetown or Bangkok), travel, expenses, and fluctuating exchange rates (i.e., the US dollar versus the Euro).
What if the program I choose is more expensive than Villanova?
In most cases, Villanova pays the overseas tuition even if the recipient institution’s tuition exceeds Villanova’s. You should assume that your full tuition overseas will be covered.
What are some of the benefits of this tuition policy?
All financial assistance applies. Whether students have grants, federal aid, even University scholarships, that money is credited to the student’s account as if they had stayed at Villanova. The policy is an equalizing one that allows all eligible students to study overseas on essentially the same terms as on-campus study regardless of financial need.
Students who study abroad on a Villanova program or approved partner program remained enrolled like every other Villanova student. Most importantly, the credit earned abroad is applied toward major, minor, and core requirements as approved prior to departure. Students also have access to email, MyNova, and online registration. The Office of Education Abroad remains in regular contact with the students, helping with issues of advising, course approval, and other troubleshooting.
Tuition Remission
Tuition remission does not cover semester study abroad programming. Instead, students receiving tuition remission are responsible for paying the actual fees of the program. Tuition is invoiced to the VU student account, along with a $500 administrative fee. Non-tuition expenses, including but not limited to room and board, are paid directly to the program.
Tuition Exchange
Please discuss this directly with the Office of Education Abroad.
Please contact the OEA, direct, to discuss this policy in more detail.
Cost Worksheet
Use the OEA Semester Cost Worksheet to estimate semester study abroad expenses. For a list of Villanova Tuition fees, please visit the Bursar's Office website.
Villanova Summer Program Commitment Fee
To confirm your spot in the program, you will need to submit a non-refundable $450 commitment fee within two weeks of your acceptance.
*$850 commitment fee is due for the following programs:
- Learning Communities Abroad London
- London/LSE Internship Program
All commitment fees are to be submitted online via the E-payment process (NOT V-BILL) at: bursar.villanova.edu.
Once at the Bursar site, click on the Payment Methods link, then select the E-Payment option and proceed accordingly, filling in the amount of your deposit next to Deposit - Summer Study Abroad or Deposit - Winter Study Abroad (for Winter MBA)
If commitment fee is not paid within two weeks, you will be removed from the program and your place will be forfeited to another student.
If you cannot pay the commitment fee within two weeks of this receiving your acceptance and still intend on participating in the program, you must notify the Office of Education Abroad immediately to make alternate arrangements.
You will be automatically removed from the program if payment is not received within two weeks.
Tuition Remission and Exchange
Tuition remission and exchange does not apply to summer programs, whether they are through Villanova University or an affiliated partner program. Please visit the VU Human Resource website, or office, for more information.
For VU summer programs, students will be responsible for all program fees to be paid directly to Villanova University.
Non-Villanova Summer Program Participation
If you are participating in an approved Affiliated non-Villanova summer program, you will pay the full fee to the approved program. Villanova will charge all students a $500 administrative fee for processing of the study abroad credit. Students cannot receive credit for a summer study abroad program without having the program and courses pre-approved by the April 1st deadline.
Tuition Remission and Exchange
Tuition remission and exchange does not apply to summer programs, whether they are through Villanova University or an affiliated partner program. Please visit the VU Human Resource website, or office, for more information. For affiliated non-VU summer programs, students will be responsible for all program fees to be paid directly to the program, and VU will charge a $500 administrative fee to the students Villanova University student account.
State Department Travel Warning Policy
The U.S. Department of State provides Travel Advisories for each country in the world. These Travel Advisories include four levels of safety and security risk. You can learn more about Travel Advisories and see the full list HERE.
In April 2021, the U.S. Department of State announced that it updated its Travel Advisory assessments to give more weight to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel guidance, resulting in an increase in Travel Advisory level for many countries in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Villanova University travelers are strongly encouraged to consult U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories and CDC guidance prior to participating in travel abroad. The Office of Education Abroad monitors these ratings as well as travel risk indicators from International SOS.
Should identified travel risks change after the student has been accepted to a program, Villanova will work with the student as needed to select a different study program.*
*Please note that, often times, program deadlines may have passed or the program may be full. The OEA will work to the best of its ability to help accommodate a student in this situation. As is often the case, deferring to a future semester is a good option, in order to give the student ample time to find a suitable ‘replacement’ program.
Affiliated non-Villanova Program Requirements
With hundreds of programs to choose from, Villanova requires that your education abroad program meet these criteria to ensure an immersive experience that is academically focused.
• The program provider or host university must be a non-profit academic organization (university, university consortium, government agency, etc.)
• The program must provide instruction at an accredited non-US university or language institute. Exceptions are only made for full integration programs (e.g., internship, field research, or service-learning programs).
• To promote immersion in the educational culture of the host institution, courses should be taught by local professors.
• Housing must be provided through integrated accommodations such as an international residence hall, apartment or home stay. Students are required to live in established program housing when the housing is guaranteed by the host institution or program provider. Villanova University believes that program housing is best for health and safety concerns, as well as to support cultural immersion and academic development.
Non-VU Summer Program Requirements
If you are interested in attending a Non-VIllanova Summer Program, all the Affiliated non-Villanova Program Requirements (above) apply, as well as the following:
You must attend the required First Step Information Session no later than April 1.
You must meet with the summer program adviser, within the OEA, and have a Course Approval Form (CAF) started by April 15.
Non-VU summer program must be at least six weeks long.
Students must take two courses, for six credits. If program is in a non-English speaking country, at least one course must be taken in language instruction.
Villanova will charge a $500 administrative fee, to the students Villanova account, for all non-VU summer programs.
Pre-departure Student Conduct
Students placed on disciplinary probation before going abroad will not be permitted to study abroad if a student conduct probation period extends in to the semester or summer term that the student intends to be abroad.
Student Conduct While Abroad
While abroad, students must comply with the behavior standards outlined in the Villanova University Blue Book Student Handbook.
In addition, all students are required to comply with the code of conduct policies outlined by the Program Coordinator, Overseas Host University and/or Program Provider.
Failure to comply with any policies, whether outlined by Villanova University or the Overseas Host University/Program Provider, may result in dismissal from the study abroad program, and could lead to disciplinary action when the student returns to campus.