EA Services

UNC Charlotte Education Abroad charges all applicants an administrative fee. This directly supports office operational costs, allowing EA to provide a full range of advising and support services to students, faculty, staff, parents, and other stakeholders.

Student Advising & Support Services

  • Support and advise students, parents, and University partners throughout the study abroad process, including while researching programs, completing applications, pre-departure, while abroad, & upon return
  • Support study abroad related programming and events
  • Process and review numerous applications per year, submitting information to host institutions and organizations
  • Develop and provide pre-departure orientation for students prior to their international experience
  • Ensure continued enrollment at UNC Charlotte while students are abroad
  • Liaise with offices across campus such as the Office of Financial Aid, the Office of the Registrar, Cashiers, Dean of Students, academic departments, Disability Services, and others to help facilitate the study abroad experience
  • Collaborate with Registrar to facilitate the course approval process which allows for the recording of approved UNC Charlotte equivalent credit to a student’s transcript for credit earned on a program abroad
  • Coordinate academic course approvals for faculty-led programs
  • Ensure correct transcript notation acknowledging and verifying study abroad participation
  • Maintain exchange agreements and manage exchange balances (receiving incoming exchange students allows outgoing UNC Charlotte students to study at a host university)
  • Manage EA re-entry programming including the Peer Advisor and Internship programs
  • Offer workshops to study abroad alumni that offer resources on how to articulate their study abroad experiences professionally

Risk Management and Mitigation

  • Review study abroad programs for compliance with standards of good practice to mitigate risks to students’ health, safety, and security
  • Evaluate a potential program’s risk and security to:
    • Manage the University’s liability for appropriately approved programs , which comply with University guidelines and policies
    • Monitor and assess current partner programs to provide on-going risk assessment and management by monitoring health, safety, and security issues
  • Ensure student and faculty participants are enrolled in GeoBlue international insurance coverage
  • Monitor safety and security issues abroad through a variety of internal and external sources and respond to student emergencies abroad twenty four hours a day every day of the year, coordinating with appropriate campus offices to respond to any crisis abroad
  • Provide students with access to the AlertTraveler phone app for the duration of their study abroad experience. AlertTraveler is a risk management mobile application that provides country and city intelligence, safety and security alerts, and allow for instant check-ins with students in the event of an incident.
  • Maintain contact as needed with all students abroad and provide support in case of an emergency
  • Provide Program Administration workshops to Faculty Directors to share best practices for risk management and provide support to students in the event of an emergency abroad
  • Maintain and distribute a comprehensive Faculty Director Handbook, which provides appropriate response guidance for a wide variety of group and individual emergencies

Program Development & Logistics

  • Work closely with faculty and staff to develop, implement, and administer accessible programs around the world that meet the University’s quality standards
  • Maintain relationships and networks with international and U.S. based partners who provide educational opportunities for our students. Negotiate and manage agreements and contracts with partner institutions and organizations
  • Coordinating student and faculty workshops that address trends and issues pertaining to offering study abroad programs
  • Program promotion (website, study abroad fair, program flyers, classroom presentations)

Program Administration

  • Develop and maintain a database of program information, student application materials, emergency contact information, and itineraries for all participants
  • Manage all program-related payments, including processing of all invoices, collection of student payments, and tracking financial transactions
  • Determine program costs, ensuring institutional compliance and fiscally responsible programs
  • Process contracts and travel related expenses for UNC Charlotte Faculty Directors who lead study abroad programs
  • Manage or administer multiple scholarships, coordinating with the University Scholarship Office, UNC Charlotte academic colleges and departments, the Office of Financial Aid, University Advancement, and other offices to award over $230,000.00 to UNC Charlotte students studying abroad each academic year
  • Maintaining regulatory compliance with state and federal legislation