Study abroad for summer 2021 and future terms

On January 22, Chatham posted the following update to its COVID-19 Academics and Calendar page.Consistent with current Chatham study abroad approval policies, Chatham will approve individual students to participate in mobility-based study abroad for summer and upcoming terms in locations that have a U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory of Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) or Level 2 (Exercise Increased Precautions) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) COVID19 Travel Health Notice of Level 1 (Low) or Level 2 (Moderate). Virtual study and internship opportunities are available for many locations that do not meet these health and safety levels. Students must submit Chatham’s study abroad application for consideration of any credit-bearing international experience and should contact the Office of International Affairs, internationalaffairs@chatham.edu, with any questions.What does this mean for students planning to study abroad in summer 2021 and upcoming terms?Many students have indicated a plan to study/intern abroad in countries that do not currently meet Chatham’s approval criteria. To review the safety levels for your program location, please click on the above links and search for your program location.  Locations with US Department of State (USDOS) Level 3 or 4 and/or Centers for Disease Control (CDC) COVID19 Level 3 or 4, do not currently meet Chatham’s approval criteria, though conditions may change prior to a program’s start date.Students may still choose to apply for these programs, but Chatham will not fully approve students for mobility-based study or internship abroad unless the program location’s USDOS and CDC levels are reduced. As you may be aware, there is no guarantee that a location’s USDOS and CDC levels would improve to an acceptable level prior to a program start date. If a student’s program location’s USDOS and CDC levels does not improve to USDOS Level 1 or 2 and CDC COVID19 Level 1 or 2 by 60 days before the program start date, Chatham will not approve study or internship abroad to that location. In these situations, students should make alternate arrangements; some options are listed below.In any case, it is not recommended that students make nonrefundable deposits or definite plans for travel until students receive full approval to participate in a mobility-based study or internship abroad program. It is the student’s responsibility to know and understand their study abroad location’s entry requirements, health and safety policies and protocols of their study abroad destination, any program-specific codes of conduct or other local requirements, as well as the financial and withdrawal policies of their selected study abroad program. Other options students may consider include:

• choose to study abroad in another location that meets approval criteria
• opt for a virtual study/intern abroad program (for which Chatham study abroad voucher and International Studies certificate funding will be honored)
• if possible, defer their study abroad to a future term

Please reach out to internationalaffairs@chatham.edu with any questions.