Study Abroad and Away Portal

Rhodes’ summer programs, frequently referred to as “Maymesters,” are short-term, intensive programs that take place during the summer months between semesters. These are designed and led by Rhodes faculty members. The Buckman Center has need-based scholarships available; no institutional or federal aid is portable for summer programs.

Rhodes, Sewanee, and Centre College jointly operate three semester-long off-campus study programs: the "New York City Internship Program" (NYC, USA), "Cape to Campus: South Africa" (Port Elizabeth, South Africa), and the "Global Environmental Challenges Program" (Cuenca, Ecuador). Rhodes' portable institutional and federal aid applies. Students from all three schools will enroll in these programs and the faculty leaders are drawn from each of the schools on a rotating basis. 

A fourth semester program, “A Discovery of Voices: London Goldsmiths” is a spring semester with Dr. Vanessa Rogers (Rhodes Music Department) at the University of London Goldsmiths. Students will enroll in at least one Rhodes course taught by Dr. Rogers and may direct enroll at Goldsmiths, pending availability. Rhodes' portable institutional and federal aid applies.

Rhodes students have access to exchange programs worldwide. Students pay tuition (in some cases, room and board) to Rhodes and receive tuition (in some cases, room and board) on the program. Rhodes' portable institutional aid and federal/state aid applies. Exchanges can occur in any discipline and can range in length from one semester to one academic year. Exchange students are directly enrolled at the host institution and pursue courses with host country students. 

In addition to Rhodes’ Programs and Exchange Programs, Rhodes has semester- and year-long Affiliated Program partnerships with numerous other colleges, universities and international organizations. Students pay tuition (in some case, room and board) to Rhodes and receive tuition (in some cases, room and board) on the program. Rhodes' portable institutional aid and federal/state aid applies. 

In the case of an Affiliated Summer Program, students pay the program out of pocket; no institutional or federal aid is portable for summer programs. However, the Buckman Center has need-based scholarships available.

Program fees for Rhodes’ summer programs vary but generally include tuition and housing, along with programmatic excursions, international accident and illness insurance, and required in-country travel. In most cases, at least some meals and airfare to the program site are not included in program fees.

Non-Rhodes, affiliated summer programs have their own deadlines and fee schedules.

Rhodes College reserves the right to cancel, alter, or amend any part of a Rhodes summer program or to increase fees should circumstances make these actions advisable or necessary. In the event of cancellation of an entire session of a Rhodes summer program prior to the program start, all monies paid to Rhodes prior to that date will be refunded. Should an unavoidable event such as epidemic, civil unrest, or threat of terrorist activity result in a partial cancellation, a prorated refund of all fees, together with an appropriate evaluation of academic credit, will follow. These actions will terminate any further liability on the part of Rhodes.

Non-Rhodes, affiliated summer programs have their own policies.

In the event that a student voluntarily withdrawals from a Rhodes summer program after being accepted, the student will remain responsible for the entire cost of the program and will forfeit any study abroad/away scholarship they may have been awarded. Voluntary withdrawals include each of the following: students who lose their eligibility to participate by poor conduct or academic performance; students whose acceptance to a summer program has been rescinded for any reason; and students who are unable to participate because they lack the necessary prerequisite courses, travel documents, immunizations, or other items required for travel to the program site. In each of these instances, the Withdrawal and Refund Policy will apply.

Refunds will be considered only in cases of serious medical or family emergency and the amounts of refunds will be determined individually on the basis of costs recoverable by Rhodes after reviewing documentation regarding the emergency:

• Medical emergency documentation must be typed on the provider’s office letterhead. The provider must (1) be a qualified professional who is licensed and properly credentialed to diagnose and treat the diagnosed condition, and (2) not be a relative or close family friend of the student.
• Family emergency documentation may take several forms, such as a letter from a parent, a funerary notice for an immediate member of the student’s family, or court documents.

To be considered for an emergency withdrawal, the documentation must be sufficient to reasonably verify the emergency and confirm that the student is no longer able to participate in the program. Rhodes reserves the right to request additional documentation to assess the nature of the emergency for consideration of the withdrawal. If the withdrawal is approved, any recoverable costs will be refunded to the student after the final accounting of the program has taken place, which may be several months after the program has completed.

To be eligible for a need-based study abroad/away scholarship, Rhodes students:

• Must have at least a 2.75 GPA and be in good academic and social standing
• Must have a current FAFSA or CSS Profile in the Financial Aid office showing demonstrated need
• Must submit their application to study abroad/away in the Rhodes Online Portal by the application deadline

Eligible students are automatically considered for a need-based study abroad/away scholarship. Approximately two weeks after the application deadline, all applicants will be informed whether they have received an award, and the amount, if any. Award amounts vary; some awards may cover as much as 100% of the program cost, though that is quite rare and most awardees will receive less than that. Awards are limited and it is possible that not all eligible students will receive an award. Awards can only be used for one program per summer.

Students who are awarded a scholarship must maintain their scholarship eligibility through the start of the summer program, or the scholarship will be revoked. Students with revoked scholarships or those who are unable to participate in the program for any reason are subject to the Withdrawal and Refund Policy.

What if a Student is Eligible, But Doesn't Receive an Award or the Award Amount is Insufficient?

• Students who meet eligibility requirements* for a need-based study abroad/away scholarship may withdraw their study abroad/away application for financial reasons, without penalty, by the stated deadline. 
• Any eligible student* who does not withdraw by the stated deadline will be subject to the Withdrawal and Refund Policy and they will be responsible for the entire cost of the program, even if they do not participate (the current deadline is listed in the study abroad/away application).

*Students who are not eligible for a need-based study abroad/away scholarship are excluded from the option to withdraw without penalty.

For non-Rhodes, affiliated programs, please see the relevant program’s withdrawal and refund policies.

Students must enroll in a minimum of 12 US credits, or the foreign equivalent of 12 US credits, in a semester to be considered a full-time student as determined by both the host instruction and Rhodes College. Registration for fewer than 12 US credits or more than 19 US credits must be approved in advance by the Standards and Standing Committee. Failure to enroll in at least 12 US credits or the equivalent without prior approval may result in forfeiture of the semester’s financial aid.

Global credit systems and course loads vary, so the Buckman Center has a robust advising and credit transfer process to support study abroad/away students’ understanding of how their credit will transfer and how many foreign credits they must take to be considered a full-time student. Students who fail to follow the Buckman Center’s process for credit approvals and verification will face fees of $200 in each instance and may be subject to discipline for varying from Rhodes’ Academic Regulations without prior approval.

For a semester or year-long program, if a student voluntarily withdraws or loses eligibility to participate after the Rhodes Withdrawal Deadline, the student will be responsible for a non-refundable withdrawal fee of $300 as well as any non-recoverable costs for their program based on the date of the withdrawal. Students who lose eligibility to participate in or choose to withdraw from a semester program after being accepted must do so in writing to global@rhodes.edu.

The study abroad/away program provider may have their own withdrawal policy. Students must notify them of the decision to withdraw, as Rhodes College cannot withdraw students from a non-Rhodes program on the student’s behalf. Students who withdraw from a study abroad program after the withdrawal deadlines established by both Rhodes College and the affiliated partner program may be responsible for unrecoverable costs incurred on their behalf. These costs are expenses that Rhodes College or the partner program cannot recover after commitments have been made. Examples of unrecoverable costs may include, but are not limited to:

• Housing deposits or reservation fees
• Meal plan deposits or prepaid meal expenses
• Excursion or activity deposits
• Transportation arrangements
• Other non-refundable program expenses

If unrecoverable costs are incurred as a result of a student's withdrawal, the student will be notified of the charges and the costs will be applied to the student's Rhodes account. The amount owed will vary depending on the timing of the withdrawal and the expenses already committed by Rhodes College and/or the program provider. Non-recoverable costs will be determined no later than two months after the program’s end date and may include significant expenses related to the program's operation.

Students are encouraged to carefully consider their participation plans before committing to a program and to review all withdrawal deadlines and policies prior to committing to a program.