Important Announcement
New Deposit/Full Payment Procedure and Policy for R-MC J-term Study/Travel Courses
Frequent questions asked by parents
Q: When do students register for J-term?
A: J-term pre-registration opens at the same time as fall pre-registration (April 25, 2013 for J-term 2014). Students must take a signed add-form and a $100 non-refundable deposit (cash or check payable to Randolph-Macon College) to the registrar’s office to be added to a study/travel course. (Note: Students also need to obtain the instructor’s signature for the courses with “Permission of Instructor”). October 1 is the last day to Add or drop J-term study/travel courses.
Q:
What opportunities are available?
A: Plenty of international opportunities exist for students in every major! R-MC regularly offers 20-25 J-term study/travel opportunities. Some examples of J-term 2014 course offerings: comparative legislatures and film music in Japan; the Christian heritage of Italy; biodiversity and systematics of Southern African beetles; the art and archaeology of Israel and more. Please visit the J-term 2014 page for more information.
Q:
Is J-term study/travel only for foreign travel?
A: While we have had a few study/travel courses in the U.S. (California and Louisiana for example), the majority take place abroad.
Q: Are there many additional expenses?
A: Additional costs not typically included: purchasing or renewing a passport; visa (required for some countries); and immunizations. Details about what is covered and what is not will be described in the individual course brochure, found on the J-term 2014 section on the Office of International Education’s website or provided directly by the instructor.
Q:What are the fees and how are they billed?
A: Student program fees vary depending on the course. Once registered, students are required to meet the deadlines for deposits and a full payment listed here, unless the instructor established an earlier deadline.
Q:
What steps are necessary and when are they to be completed?
A: Please see below.
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Registration and Payments: See the section for “When do students register for J-term?” above. Click here for the college’s cancellation and refund policy for study/travel courses.
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J-term Need-based Travel Scholarship: Deadline for returning students- May 10, 2013. Deadline for new students - September 20, 20132: To be considered, students must be pre-registered for a 2014 J-term travel course and have completed a 2013-20143 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Award notifications will be sent out mid-June with your financial aid award letter. Complete details are listed on the application available at http://www.rmc.edu/financial-aid/Finanical%20Aid%20Forms.aspx.
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Passports: All individuals traveling outside of the U.S. must have a valid passport. If a J-term study/travel student does not have a valid passport, s/he should apply for one immediately. For complete details visit Travel.state.gov.
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Visas: Students are responsible for determining whether they are required to have a visa to enter the country where they will be traveling (travel.state.gov) and can obtain additional information from their instructor. You must have a passport in order to apply for a visa. Also, non-U.S. citizens may have different entry requirements. Check with the embassies of the countries to which you will travel for further instructions as well as with the course instructor.
- Vaccinations: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a website that lists all required and recommended vaccinations for each country. Passport Health also offers a variety of travel health services such as customized, destination-specific travel health consultations, low-cost immunizations, state-certified Yellow Fever status and more. For more information, visit their website or contact their Richmond office.
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Required online forms: Students and parents are required to complete and submit online forms by a pre-determined deadline (to be announced but typically due in mid-November).
- Other important information for parents/guardians
Students are to communicate the following to their parents/guardians:
- Required online parent forms.
- Reviewing materials provided during orientation as well as the OIE website.
- How and when students will contact their parents upon arrival (may not occur immediately upon arrival)
- Course itinerary
- Contact information for the Office of International Education
- Students staying with families (e.g. homestays in Spain) may not be able to place international calls unless there is an emergency.
- To leave important information at home (e.g. contact information for your J-term course location and itinerary, contact information for RMC’s Campus Safety and Office of International Education, photocopies of the inside cover of passport, tourist visa (if applicable), itinerary, and insurance card).
Q: Safety in foreign countries
A: While traveling does entail some risks, Randolph Macon College is committed to doing everything reasonably possible to provide participants with a healthy and safe study abroad experience. Your daughter or son will be provided information regarding safety and health tips, as well as suggestions on how to avoid risks. Also, important emergency and safety tips are provided during the pre-departure orientation, in the J-term Student Guide and on handouts (available on the OIE’s website) as well as through StudyAbroad.com
The OIE staff is on call for the duration of the J-term study/travel courses and works with the college’s Campus Safety Office and college officials to respond and provide prompt assistance in case of an emergency abroad. In case of emergency, parents should first call Campus Safety at (804) 752-4710, which is staffed 24 hours a day, including holidays; personnel there are prepared to relay information to the OIE staff person on call.
Q: What about health insurance? Is trip cancellation insurance available?
A: The cost of the study/travel course includes group travel insurance, in which you/your child will be automatically enrolled by the Office of International Education (Note: exceptions may be made in cases where the instructor works with a program provider that provides medical insurance as part of the trip package). This insurance package is a specially designed program to insure that the medical and travel needs of our students are met.
Please note that the policy has limitations. You cannot cancel for any reason and expect to receive your money back. However, for specific circumstances (typically medical in nature), there is a cancellation provision that allows up to $3,000 to be refunded. For specific information about cancellation, or other provisions of the policy, please visit the mandatory insurance information section of the Office of International Education’s website.
In addition, in the unlikely event of a withdrawal from a study/travel course, we strongly recommend you consider purchasing an individual travel insurance policy that will cover cancellations for any reason. Please be aware that this is an individual policy and you are responsible for enrolling yourself; this type of coverage often requires purchasing within 15 days of the $100 deposit paid at time of registration. We cannot guarantee this policy as it is an individual plan and it will be your responsibility to meet all of its requirement.