Who should register?

Any student who wants Study Abroad course credit to be approved and to appear on the UCA transcript must register their program with our office.

Any students receiving a TAG Grant or other university funding on an independent program are required to register their education abroad program through the UCA Office of Education Abroad.

Steps to Apply for Independent Study Abroad

1) Complete the online application  prior to your scheduled meeting with the Office of Education Abroad. Found under Apply Now.

2) Attend a health and safety meeting offered each semester through the Office of Education Abroad. Students may schedule an individual meeting or attend a group meeting.

3) A detailed itinerary must be submitted in the online application before to departure. This itinerary must include details such as hotel/hostel/host names, addresses, and phone numbers. Students may access this application at any time online.

4) Communicate with the office. Check your email account for updates as the office staff will share important information related to international insurance, registering with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (https://step.state.gov/), the required Health and Safety meeting, and other pertinent information related to travel and safety. Upon return, turn in all official transcript to the UCA Education Abroad Office if the student is to receive credit.

5) The UCA Study Abroad Fee will be charged in the amount of $75.00 as part of the enrollment process.

6)  International Insurance Requirements: All travelers must have international insurance coverage. Anyone is able to purchase international insurance by going through the iNext website at www.inext.com. Please prepare to upload a copy of proof of international insurance. If a student wants to purchase another type of international insurance or if it is included in the study abroad program, please upload that copy in the application.

7) Register with the U.S. Government’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program: https://step.state.gov/step/.

8) To receive credit, participants must enroll in a shell course at UCA through the academic department or through the Office of Education Abroad. A pre-approval for study abroad credit is also required prior to travel.

9) UCA students may not use UCA Study abroad scholarships or other university financial aid to travel or study in locations rated at LEVEL 4 DO NOT TRAVEL on the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory website. Students traveling in areas or countries with Level 1 and Level 2 ratings should consult the website and heed all warnings while avoiding all Level 4 areas or locations that may exist in some countries.  All travel to locations or countries with a LEVEL 3 RECONSIDER TRAVEL advisory must be pre-approved by the Associate Vice President for Global Learning and Engagement, Legal Counsel, the Provost and Executive Vice President, and the President of the University of Central Arkansas.

Some key points to consider before traveling:

Do I need to apply for a visa to enter the foreign country?

Have I called my credit card(s) and bank(s) to inform them of international travel?

Do I need any vaccinations before traveling? Check cdc.org for requirements/suggestions. Students registering for programs agree to the following: I understand that UCA does not control requirements of vendors, universities, and other stakeholders for study abroad programing. Should a vendor or organization require masks, vaccinations, quarantine, or other measures regarding COVID 19, I agree to follow these requirements. While UCA and its partners will work to update students, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to take measures to protect themselves from the spread of disease.

Do I have an adequate supply of prescription medicine while abroad? Do I need to contact my doctor to request extra medication for my travel?

Have I completed the education abroad credit documentation including the pre-approval for credit? UCA Education Abroad Course Approval Form

Students can education abroad with programs that are not through UCA however the process of transferring credit is between the student, the department, and the Office of the Registrar. Please see the Office of the Registrar for more information. https://uca.edu/registrar/transfer-student-guidelines/