The expression of interest occurs each January/February for the coming academic year. Once the deadline has passed, associate deans review course interest for their unit and compare that against courses proposed in other units to identify potential conflicts (e.g. too many courses in one term or to a given location). After addressing any concerns, associate deans communicate to the Office of International Education which courses have approval to proceed. 

Watch for an email in February from your dean's office if your unit will be accepting expressions of interest for travel courses for the coming academic year.

Faculty of approved courses then receive instructions from OIE to complete their proposal for their new or repeat course.  OIE will review the draft budget and solicit approvals from the home academic unit. OIE will coordinate health and safety review with the UVM International Travel Advisory Group.

Faculty leaders may not submit a proposal until they are notified by OIE that their dean’s office has approved their course to run for the coming academic year. Proposals are required whether a course is new or repeat, and are reviewed for budgetary and health/safety matters. Curricular review happens outside of the proposal process. To submit a proposal, you will follow the instructions sent to you when your Expression of Interest was approved. The proposal process is in GoAbroad. If you have questions when completing GoAbroad requirements, please email travel.study@uvm.edu

Course leaders and co-leaders or teaching assistants must complete and sign detailed health and safety checklists before their departure. These checklists should be completed roughly 30 days before departure, but faculty should review them 90 days before departure for planning purposes. There are separate checklists for course leaders and co-faculty/TAs. A copy of what course leaders and co-faculty/TAs sign is viewable on Travel Study Faculty and TA Health and Safety Checklists.

OIE will provide you with a budget template. If your course is a renewal, the template will reflect your prior trip's budget. Once you and OIE staff are agreed that the budget meets university guidance, it is submitted to your Chair and Dean's Office for unit approval. After unit approval, the budget is reviewed centrally by the Financial Analysis and Budgeting office.

As a faculty program leader, soon you will have a choice on what role you will play with your vendors. Late Spring/early Summer 2023, UVM expects to have designated preferred study abroad program providers to assist with the logistics of international course delivery, the cost of which will be added to student program fees. If you choose an "all-inclusive" preferred study abroad program provider to arrange in-country services, the time you need to devote to vendor management will be limited. If, however, you choose to directly engage with multiple vendors in-country, you are signing up to be a "vendor manager," and will spend a considerable amount of time educating those vendors about U.S. and UVM document requirements, which include proof of insurance (see below), tax forms, contracts/invoices, etc. 

• Expense categories include housing, meals, entrance fees, supplies/materials, in-country transportation, local guides, and guest speakers. Expenses must align to an expense category in your budget. 
• Review in detail health and safety requirements for transportation and housing as you identify vendors and discuss required services

The UVM Department of Risk Management requires partners, contractors and/or vendors providing services to demonstrate proof of liability insurance, as follows:

• Contracting with a Non-Governmental Organization or other educational partner (like a university): General Liability insurance not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence & annual aggregate in countries where this insurance limit is available; otherwise the maximum General Liability insurance available in that country is the requirement.
• Contracting for bus or other chartered vehicle service: Automobile Liability insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000 each accident in countries where this insurance limit is available; otherwise the maximum auto liability insurance available in that country is the requirement.
• Contracting for chartered boat transportation: Watercraft Liability insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000 each accident
• Contracting for chartered air transport in-country: Aircraft Liability in an amount not less than $10,000,000 each accident
• Exception to these requirements must be vetted by UVM Risk Management: risk.management@uvm.edu

It is the faculty course leader's responsibility to collect proof of insurance (valid for the period of course activity) for each vendor/contractor/partner according to the guidelines above, and to have the insurance reviewed by the Department of Risk Management. Vendors will be required to provide proof of automobile insurance as mandated by the host country's laws (if contracting a charter bus or other vehicle) and general liability insurance according to the standard availability in the destination country (if contracting with a non-transportation vendor). The Department of Risk Management requires 30 days to review proof of insurance. Faculty course leaders must submit insurance for review at least 90 days prior to departure to risk.management@uvm.edu. Faculty course leaders should also follow up with Risk Management to confirm approval or needed changes.

• Apply through GoAbroad
• Pay non-refundable deposit to commit to the course, after notification by OIE of acceptance
• Seek course overrides from faculty for course registration
• Register through normal university procedures.
• Upon registration, tuition, program fees and other required fees will be charged to student account. (Costs not covered by the program fee are the responsibility of the student.)
• Complete GoAbroad student requirements (questions may be directed to travel.study@uvm.edu) which include medical clearance forms (if applicable to the course)

Student questions: travel.study@uvm.edu