UCEAP Pre-Departure Requirements

As a requirement of participation in study abroad at UC San Diego students must first complete the Study Abroad UC San Diego Online General Orientation prior to departure. The orientation should take about an hour to complete, and participation will be recorded and is a requirement of study abroad. 

How to Access Study Abroad's Online General Orientation:

2. Log in with your UC San Diego Active Directory account.

3. Click “Enroll in Course”

Deadline to Complete the Online General Orientation:

Summer/Fall/Year Departures: JUNE 15

Winter/Spring Departures: DECEMBER 15

You must have a valid passport to travel abroad. If you already have a passport, check the expiration date now. It must be valid 6 months beyond the end of your program. If you need to apply for or renew your U.S. passport, it may take as long as eight weeks, and a renewed passport will have a different number. For your convenience, there are two U.S. passport processing offices at UCSD. For more information, click here.  

The name on your passport must be the same name that appears on all UCEAP application documents.

If you are not a US citizen, you must have a valid passport from your country of citizenship (or if that is not possible, a U.S. re-entry permit). If you are an undocumented student living in the U.S., please reach out to Undocumented Students Services and your study abroad advisor to discuss what paperwork you might need to complete in order to re-enter the United States.

You will pay most of your UCEAP fees through the UCEAP Application Portal. NOTE: All non-California residents are subject to UC non-resident tuition fees while participating on UCEAP programs (except for summer programs).

If this is the first time you have applied to a study abroad program, you will also be charged a $100 administrative fee through UCSD billing. Please pay this fee promptly to avoid a late penalty.

Financial planning is essential. Depending on your program the first UCEAP fee payment ($950) will be due by:

• April 1 or May 1 for summer/fall departures*
• November 1, December 15, or February 1 for winter/spring departures*

*NOTE: students on financial aid will be allowed to defer this initial payment.

You are responsible for knowing the due date for your program, which is listed on your program budget. You will find the budget worksheet and payment deadlines under the Finances tab for your program in the UCEAP Application Portal. 

In addition to UCEAP fees and the Study Abroad Administrative fee, you also can expect some of the following pre-departure expenses (depending on your host country):

• Passport
• Health Clearance
• Travel Clinic at Student Health (only for certain programs)
• Possible immunizations
• Photos
• Possible housing deposit
• Airfare

For Financial Aid, file the FAFSA by the March deadline and verify with the Financial Aid Office that your file is complete. The Financial Aid Office will adjust your package according to the cost of your UCEAP program.

For assistance with your financial aid for study abroad, contact: 

Submit a Financial Aid question (UC San Diego students):
UC San Diego Services & Support Portal

Submit a Financial Aid question (non-UC San Diego contacts):
Financial Aid Case Support for Non-UC San Diego contacts

During your term(s) on UCEAP, you are automatically enrolled in UCEAP Travel Insurance. The premium for this insurance is paid by the UC Office of the President. For details about coverage use the Insurance tab in the UCEAP Application Portal and in the UCEAP Guide to Study Abroad (provided in the Requirements section).

Beginning with Fall 2015, UCEAP participants also will be required to maintain major medical insurance here at UCSD while they are studying abroad. You can do this by enrolling in the UCSD Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) or by waiving SHIP insurance using private insurance that meets the SHIP waiver criteria. 

While UCEAP Travel Insurance provides you with comprehensive travel and health insurance coverage while studying abroad, it is not considered a Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) health plan per the Affordable Care Act (ACA) criteria. As a result, if you were covered solely by this policy while you are abroad, you could face IRS penalties for not being in compliance with the ACA. This is the main reason for the recent policy change.

All students automatically are enrolled in SHIP at the beginning of each academic term, but you have the option to waive SHIP coverage with proof of comparable private health insurance (UCEAP Travel Insurance does not satisfy SHIP waiver criteria).

Be sure to bring with you abroad your PID # and PAC (Personal Access Code, or password) to register for classes via WebReg on TritonLink for the quarter you return to UCSD.

We can't obtain your PAC number for you if lost; you must request it from the Registrar by email or fax.

• If you plan to live on campus and expect to move out prior to your contract end date to study abroad, please contact Housing Dining Hospitality (HDH). There is a formal process to terminate your housing contract and they can provide you with the necessary steps.

• If you would like to live on campus after you return from abroad, sign up for the housing waitlist as soon as it is available.
• If you have a housing guarantee, you should also e-mail the Housing Office (housinginfo@ucsd.edu) to let them know you are going on a UC-sponsored UCEAP program and you were eligible for Room Selection for the term you are abroad.
• Students without a housing guarantee may also sign up for the waitlist.
• Another great on-campus housing option is I-House, which has a separate application process and is geared towards international-minded students, such as study abroad returnees.

In addition to the above UC San Diego pre-departure checklist, the system-wide UCEAP office will notify you by email when your program-specific Pre-Departure Requirements (PDR) are posted in the Requirements section of your UCEAP Application Portal.  It is essential that all of their requirements be completed on time and with close attention to detail. Most requirements are submitted directly to the system-wide UCEAP office or online.

View this handout (PDF) containing suggestions for obtaining passport-style photos, transcripts, police clearance, and other items frequently requested by UCEAP.

As part of your UCEAP Portal PDR checklist, you will see the health clearance requirement. You must complete a health clearance at UCSD Student Health Services or at your private physician's office depending on your program and/or your insurance.

Students with SHIP or RAFT insurance must complete the UCEAP Health Clearance at UCSD Student Health Services. Students with private health insurance may complete the UCEAP Health Clearance with their private physician or at UCSD Student Health Services, however, you should check with your insurance provider to confirm if UCSD services are reimbursable.

Start the Health Clearance process as soon as possible and make sure to schedule your appointment in advance since there could be a long wait wait time to see your physician. The Health Clearance Form must be received by UCEAP at least 60 days before your official program start date.

You must alert the UCEAP Systemwide if you have a change in health or treatment plan after you submitted your Health Clearance Form to UCEAP. You may need to get a second form or a letter from your treating physician indicating that the change will not obstruct a successful study abroad experience. If you do not comply, you may be dismissed.

Instructions:

• For Students Going to Student Health (PDF)
• For Students Seeing Their Private Physician (PDF)

UCEAP Forms and Instructions:

Instructions for Confidential Health History and Health Clearance Forms (link)

• Confidential Health History Form (link)
• Health Clearance Form (link)

Refer to the San Diego Immunization Branch for more information on recommended immunizations and medications for the country you are going to. This site also lists contact information for travel physicians in San Diego County if you are not planning to use Student Health Services.

While we hope you don't encounter a reason that prevents you from participating, if you are considering withdrawing you should connect with your UCSD study abroad advisor via drop-in advising or by sending a message in the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) immediately. This will allow us to address your concerns to hopefully allow you to continue with your study abroad plans. 

If you withdraw after the official UCEAPdeadline, you will be charged a $500 UCEAP Late Withdrawal fee and possibly other unrecoverable payments that were made on your behalf to the host institution or a third-party provider. Withdrawal deadlines can be found in your UCEAP Application by clicking on "Application Submission" and scrolling down to Terms & Conditions.