COVID-19 Updates
The Duke Global Education Office (GEO) is closely monitoring the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation around the world. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to GEO at globaled@duke.edu.
If this pandemic has impacted your plans, visit Duke's Keep Exploring website, which outlines courses, co-curricular, and experiential learning opportunities.
Fall 2021
The Global Education Office is hopeful that our Fall 2021 study away programs will operate. Applications opened for our Fall 2021 programs on January 4, 2021. Please review our program webpages for more details and to begin an application:
We cannot guarantee that our study away programs will run in the Fall. Review our Frequently Asked Questions section below to understand how COVID-19 might impact a Fall 2021 study away semester. If you have questions, please email us at globaled@duke.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Summer 2021 Questions
Yes, Duke does not restrict your participation in non-Duke summer study away programs. But, please note that should a student choose to study away on an unsanctioned summer study away program in 2021, including those excluded by Duke’s travel policy for undergraduates, they do so without access to university financial and travel resources, and will not be permitted to transfer credit back to the institution.
Fall 2021 Questions
Yes, students must be active and matriculated in order to participate in any Duke study away programs, including Duke-In or Duke-Approved programs.
Please note, students may need to adjust their graduation plans if the transcript from their study away program is not received and credit transfers are not completed by the specified deadlines.
Usually, this is NOT a problem, but the time it takes for transcripts to be sent and processed can vary quite a bit by program. Therefore, students may want to check with your specific program(s) regarding the anticipated transcript receipt date(s).
Please reference https://globaled.duke.edu/academics/reconcile_transfer_credit, and request that non-Duke study away transcripts be sent to our office as soon as possible after completion of your program.
Yes, you should register for fall 2021 classes on Duke’s campus, even if you are planning to study away in the fall of 2021. Given the uncertain nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can’t guarantee that fall 2021 study away programs will run as planned. You should be prepared to continue your academic path on campus, should the situation call for the cancellation of study away programs.
Yes, you should arrange for fall 2021 housing on Duke’s campus or in the Durham community, even if you are planning to study away in the fall of 2021. Given the uncertain nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can’t guarantee that fall 2021 study away programs will run as planned. You should be prepared to continue your academic path on campus, should the situation call for the cancellation of study away programs.
General Study Away
At this moment, GEO plans to run programs that can operate with COVID-19 risk mitigation plans in place without impacting the overall quality of the study away program. However, even if we plan to run a program, the current world situation could suddenly change, and we may be forced to change or cancel a previously-planned summer or fall program.
We have no timeline for guaranteeing that a program can operate. GEO is constantly reviewing program offerings and monitoring the global and local responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we can’t guarantee that programs will run, we will update applicants of changes as soon as possible.
Each country continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in its own way. GEO is in constant collaboration with Duke’s Undergraduate Health, Safety, and Security Support unit to evaluate the regional and country response of each study away program’s location. GEO will not operate programs that don’t have adequate health and safety measures in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
GEO is evaluating all the elements of its programs within the context of a global pandemic. The decision to suspend or cancel a program is not one that the university takes lightly. In addition to GEO’s own careful assessment of events, such a decision would be based on world events and informed by consultations with various parties, which may include:
- Duke program administrators
- In-country partners
- U.S. State Department officials
- Officials from other U.S. agencies (for example, the CDC)
- Private-sector international security experts
- Other relevant Duke University offices
Academics
If you withdraw after a program has started GEO will work with you and your academic dean to sort out the academic ramifications. These situations are dealt with on a case-by-case basis because every program and situation are different.
Students must take classes scheduled to be delivered face-to-face or via hybrid methods which includes some elements of in-person instruction. If classes later move online due to the pandemic, students should abide by the host institute’s course delivery requirements. Duke will accept the transfer credits, if the courses were face-to-face or hybrid at the point of enrollment.
Financial
Yes. In the event that Duke suspends or cancels a specific Duke-administered study away program due to COVID-19, thereby causing no academic credit to be awarded, a full refund of Duke-billed expenses will be made. This includes a refund of the program fee, should a program be canceled after the commitment date, but before the start of the program.
Carefully consider non-billable expenses (e.g. personal and travel expenses) when planning your program participation. We recommend you purchase travel insurance, though you should make sure it is clear what and when expenses will be covered by your travel insurance policy.
If Duke terminates a program early but makes arrangements for students to earn full or partial credit, the tuition refund amount would reflect these circumstances. Whether or not credit is awarded would depend on the particular program and when the suspension or cancellation takes place, among other factors.
Students studying away on Duke-approved programs, sponsored by another institution, are subject to the cancellation and refund policies, if any, of the respective institution.
Application
Yes, non-Duke students can apply to Duke-administered study away programs.
The application deadlines will shift to allow students a comparable application window to that of previous years not impacted by a global pandemic.
It’s hard to know for sure, but we anticipate that popular programs that were in high demand before the pandemic will remain in high demand. Some programs may operate with reduced numbers to increase social distancing, so that may also increase competitiveness.
Life on Study Away
There is a behavior compact for all study away programs. This will be outlined in the Participation Agreement of your study away program’s agreement.
It’s currently too early to give specific guidance, but traveling beyond your program location is likely to be limited in some form to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
It’s currently too early to give specific guidance, but wearing a mark and social distancing could be enforced on study away programs to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Health & Safety
It’s currently too early to say how testing will be conducted on study away but this is part of our overall COVID-19 mitigation plan in each location. How testing is conducted will likely vary by program and location.
It’s too early to know what travel expectations or restrictions will be in place both on your country of departure and country of arrival in fall 2021, but it is possible by then that recent negative COVID results and/or testing onsite upon arrival and/or proof of COVID immunization will be required by countries and or airlines prior to travel.
Quarantine requirements vary by location of the program and where participants are arriving from. Information about quarantine requirements, if any, will be disseminated prior to departure giving participants adequate time to plan.
Program Site
This will vary by program. If you’d like more information about disinfecting parameters, please contact your program manager for more information.
This will vary by program. For more information, please contact your program manager.
PREVIOUS SEMESTER MESSAGES
The Duke University Global Education Office (GEO) has suspended all outgoing undergraduate study away programs for spring 2021 due to ongoing health, safety, and logistics concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension applies to Duke-In, Duke-Approved, and petition programs, including domestic study away programs and U.S.-based exchange programs. GEO will continue offering spring semester opportunities for Duke students unable to return to Duke’s campus through the Duke at DKU and Study Away at Home programs.
Duke academic policy states that online transfer credit, such as those offered through virtual study away programs, will not be accepted by the registrar’s office. Please note that should a student choose to study away this spring on an unsanctioned program, they do so without access to university financial aid and travel resources, and will not be permitted to transfer credit back to the institution.
Duke students who have paid deposits towards suspended Duke programs will have those funds credited to their bursar accounts. Non-Duke students will be contacted by their GEO Program Manager about deposit refunds. Students on Duke-approved programs should check with their program provider regarding cancellation, withdrawal, and refund policies.
GEO will withdraw all spring study away applications from MyGlobalEd. To ensure a seamless continuation of your studies this spring, we recommend students refer to updates on Keep Learning regarding the Duke spring semester.
The Duke University Global Education Office (GEO) has suspended all undergraduate study away programs for fall 2020 due to ongoing health and safety concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension applies to Duke-In, Duke-Approved, and petition programs, including Duke in New York and U.S.-based exchange programs.
Please note that should a student choose to study away this fall on an unsanctioned program, they do so without access to university financial aid and travel resources, and will not be permitted to transfer credit back to the institution. In addition, Duke academic policy states that online transfer credit, such as those offered through virtual study away programs, will not be accepted by the registrar’s office.
Duke students who have paid deposits towards Duke programs will have funds credited to their bursar accounts. Non-Duke students will be contacted by their GEO Program Manager about deposit refunds. Students on Duke-approved programs should check with their program provider regarding cancellation, withdrawal, and refund policies.
GEO will withdraw all fall study away applications from MyGlobalEd. Should a student wish to defer to spring 2021, please follow the appropriate procedure below:
- Duke-administered programs: If desired, request a deferral to the spring 2021 term through this online form. Spring deferral might not be available for every program. Students choosing to defer their Fall 2020 study away studies to Spring 2021 are subject to the Spring 2021 responsibility to pay schedule: https://globaled.duke.edu/finances/withdrawal-cancellation.
- Duke-approved programs: Students should inform their non-Duke program that they are withdrawing their fall application and inquire about options for deferring their application to spring 2021. If a student plans to defer, please inform GEO through this online form.
- To ensure a seamless continuation of your studies this fall, we recommend that you refer to updates on Keep Learning regarding the Duke fall semester.