Non-Tufts Programs: Other Important Information

Students Electing Advanced Standing
Students electing advanced standing must spend at least three academic years--defined as fall through spring--as full-time students. Ordinarily, two years or four semesters of the undergraduate’s course of study must be taken at Tufts University’s home campus. Up to one year or two semesters may be spent in a Tufts-related program, either foreign or domestic. Under exceptional circumstances, when the academic needs of a student cannot be satisfied with a Tufts program, a student electing advanced standing may participate for as much as one year in the accredited academic program of another institution with the prior approval of the appropriate academic dean.

Housing in Medford
Students should check with the Office of Residential Life regarding their on-campus housing requests for the semester or year in which they plan to return to Tufts. A proxy, usually the Residential Life office itself, should be designated to act in the housing lottery.

Health Insurance and Medical Exams
If you now have Tufts health insurance, it may be possible to continue it while abroad on a non-Tufts program, provided that you plan to return to Tufts. You must call/send for a brochure and enrollment form as you are not automatically billed. If you are not covered by Tufts, be sure that you are covered by medical and accident insurance while you are studying and traveling abroad, either through the sponsoring institution or by a family or personal policy.
Some alternative options for coverage can be found through the NAFSA website.

Standards of Conduct
Students studying abroad, though on leaves of absence from Tufts, remain matriculated students of the university. As such, it is assumed that you will conduct yourself by the same standards of academic and social responsibility that are required on the Medford campus. If you do not meet the academic policies of a program (especially concerning class attendance) or fail to observe appropriate behavior outside of class and in a program’s housing, you must expect to pay the appropriate penalties: penalizing of grades and/or suspension from the program. Tufts University will support fully the academic and disciplinary actions taken by the various study abroad programs.

Tufts Registration from Abroad

• The Registrar's office will send an email to your Tufts account regarding course registration for the next semester; thus, it is critical that you are able to access your Tufts email account from abroad.


• You may register online, through SISONLINE, at the registrar's website: http://uss.tufts.edu/registrar. Course listings and registration instructions are located on the site. Although you should consult with your academic adviser regarding course selection, no "academic adviser release" is required for students registering from abroad.


• You may, alternatively, register by email or fax by contacting Debbie Carney- Mahoney at Deborah.Carney_Mahoney@tufts.edu or via (617) 627.3848.


• If you are unable to register using either of the above methods, you may submit the registration form by mail, in person, or by proxy (including: your full name; your Tufts ID number; your email address; your telephone number; and the call number, department number, section, and title of each class to which you are requesting entry) to:
  Student Services
  Dowling Hall, Tufts University
  Medford, MA 02155

It is your responsibility to contact the appropriate department if you need to register for high-demand courses. Remember that high-demand registration usually takes place a week before regular registration.

If there is a course (or courses that you absolutely must take the following semester, you must make prior arrangements with the professor and/or department in question, explaining your situation and asking that a place be reserved for you in that course. Although admission to courses cannot be guaranteed, selecting courses or sections of large lecture courses that meet at less popular times, placing your name on a waiting list, and attending all classes during the add/drop period usually results in admission to otherwise full courses.

Since most students returning from study abroad are seniors, the chances of gaining admission to courses are fairly good. However, it should be clearly understood that you may not be able to arrange precisely the schedule of courses that you would like, and you should take this fact into consideration in your decision to study abroad.

Communication with Tufts
When it is necessary for us to contact you during your leave of absence (e.g., concerning registration), the only means by which we will be able to do so is through your Tufts email account. Please ensure that you are either able to check it from abroad, or that you have forwarded your incoming messages to an account that you will be able to check on a regular basis.

Reorientation
A reorientation program will be organized in January and September to facilitate re-entry procedures for students returning from study abroad. Information concerning registration, advisers, and transfer of credit will be offered at the reorienation academic advising session. A reorientation dinner will also be held so that students may connect with others who are returning from abroad. An email informing you of the date and location of these meetings will be sent to your Tufts email account, or you may consult the calendar of events here.