UK EA Policies

UK Education Abroad (UK EA) is committed to supporting students with disabilities in accessing international programs. However, it is important to understand that accommodations abroad may differ from what you receive on campus.

• Eligibility: Requesting, researching, or requiring accommodations will not affect your eligibility to participate in a program.
• Variation in Support: The level of support and accommodation you receive on campus may not be available in another country. Some services may look different or may not be possible at all, as not all locations require accommodation of disability in the same way as provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Program Limitations: UK EA cannot guarantee accommodations abroad and has varying levels of influence depending on the type of program and partner institution.
• Documentation Requirement: If you already have academic or other approved accommodations at UK (such as extended time on assignments or use of a service animal) and wish to request them on your education abroad program, you must provide documentation through the Disability Resource Center (DRC) before UK EA can work with partners to explore reasonable and available accommodations.

To be eligible to participate in a UK Education Abroad (UK EA) program, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum GPA Requirement: You must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 to apply. Please note that most programs require at least a 2.5 GPA.
• UK GPA Requirement: You must have an official UK GPA to apply.
• Academic Standing: You are required to remain in good academic and disciplinary standing from the time of application through the time of departure. If your standing changes, you may no longer be eligible to participate in your program.
• Class Standing: Most UK students are eligible to participate in an EA program beginning the summer after their freshman year.
• Transfer Students: If you are a transfer student, you must consult with your Education Abroad Advisor to confirm your eligibility based on incoming credit hours from your previous institution.
• Faculty-Directed Embedded Programs: If you are enrolled in a Faculty-Directed Embedded program, you must remain in satisfactory academic progress in the on-campus, education abroad-related course(s). Failure of the on-campus course(s) may result in ineligibility for the travel component of the program.

As a participant in a UK Education Abroad program, you are responsible for maintaining timely and professional communication with UK Education Abroad (UK EA).

• Responsiveness: You should respond promptly to all requests, instructions, and communications from UK EA staff, as possible.
• Program Deadlines and Notifications: Ignoring or failing to reply to communications from UK EA does not release you from program responsibilities, including payment of program costs, meeting deadlines, or completing required forms.
• Consequences: Lack of communication may affect your ability to receive important program information, meet deadlines, or complete necessary steps for participation, but it does not waive your financial or academic obligations.

EAP 599 is a one credit-hour, asynchronous, reflection-based course that keeps you enrolled full-time at UK, adjusts your UK tuition cost to one credit-hour, and allows you access to financial aid and scholarships. UK EA will enroll you in EAP 599.

• Undergraduate Students: All undergraduate students participating in fall, spring, winter, or summer education abroad programs must be enrolled in EAP 599: Global Learning Experience during the term of their program abroad.
• Graduate Students: Enrollment in EAP 599 is optional for graduate students; however, there may be a tuition benefit associated with enrolling in and participating in the course.
• Withdrawal Policy: If you withdraw from EAP 599 but successfully complete your program abroad, you will be required to re-enroll in the course to receive academic credit.

UK defines “education abroad” as a global program that provides academic credit, either through enrollment in a UK course or transfer credit from another institution.

• Application and Approval: You are required to apply to UK Education Abroad & Exchanges and receive approval before participating in any education abroad program.
• Credit Transfer: If you participate in an education abroad program prior to enrollment at UK, the Transfer Center will facilitate the transfer of your academic credit.

External programs are academic credit-bearing international programs that are not listed in the UK Education Abroad (UK EA) Program Search. If you plan to participate in an external program, you must follow the requirements outlined below:

• Application Requirement: You must submit an External Program Petition to UK EA in order to participate in an external program for academic credit.
• Review Process: UK EA will review your proposed program to ensure that it meets academic, health, and safety standards. Approval may only be granted after this review is complete.
• Approval Not Guaranteed: External programs are not guaranteed to be approved.
• Mandatory Registration: If you participate in an external program without notifying UK EA, you will be required to retroactively register your experience with UK EA and enroll in EAP 599 for the term of your program abroad.

UK Education Abroad (UK EA) expects you to live in vetted and approved housing provided by your affiliated partner program. Independent housing requests are subject to the affiliated partner’s policies and approval process.

• Housing Expectation: You are expected to live in the program housing arranged and approved by your affiliated partner.
• Independent Housing Requests: If your affiliated partner allows students to opt out of included housing, you must follow the partner’s policies and requirements for arranging independent housing.
• Partner Responsibility: Your affiliated partner is responsible for ensuring safe and secure housing for all UK students participating in their programs.

All UK students participating in UK Education Abroad programs or UK-endorsed international trips are required to be enrolled in and covered under the University’s blanket international travel medical insurance and evacuation policy.

• Automatic Enrollment: You will be automatically enrolled in this insurance policy by UK Education Abroad.
• Cost for Faculty-Directed Programs: If you are participating in a Faculty-Directed program, the cost of this insurance is included in your program fee.
• Cost for Non-Faculty-Directed Programs: If you are participating in any other type of program, the cost of this insurance is $10.50 per week and will be billed directly to your UK student account at the beginning of your program term abroad. For example, if you are traveling on a summer program, you will be billed for the full cost of coverage at the start of the UK summer term.
• Policy Details: For complete details regarding coverage, please review the full policy here.

If you are not pursuing a full UK undergraduate degree but wish to participate in a UK Education Abroad program, you must follow the requirements outlined below:

• Enrollment Requirement: You are required to enroll in the Education Abroad Program (EAP) in order to receive credit toward an undergraduate certificate program.
• Graduate and Professional Students: If you are a graduate or professional student, you must consult with your Education Abroad Advisor to determine how tuition benefits apply when enrolling in EAP 599 credits.
• Visiting Students: If you are a visiting student, you must be officially admitted to the University of Kentucky as a non-degree seeking student prior to the Education Abroad application deadline.
  • To apply, you must complete the admissions process through UK Undergraduate Admissions or UK Graduate School Admissions.
  • If you are not a current UK student, you are required to consult with the program director before applying to ensure you have the appropriate academic background for the course.

You are responsible for paying all costs associated with your participation in a UK Education Abroad program.

• Fixed and Estimated Costs: Detailed information about fixed program fees and estimated expenses is provided on each program page. You are responsible for reviewing these costs and planning accordingly.
• Payment Responsibility: All program-related costs, including tuition, housing, travel, and other fees, are your responsibility. Failure to pay required fees may result in cancellation of your program participation.

Your eligibility to participate in a UK Education Abroad (UK EA) program is subject to review of your student conduct record.

• Pre-Approval Review: UK EA will review your student conduct history as part of the approval process. If you have three or more conduct violations, you may be required to complete additional steps before being considered for program participation.
• Conduct Abroad: While abroad, you remain subject to the UK Student Code of Conduct. Any violations that occur during your program will be reported to the UK Office of Student Conduct.