Petitions to participate in an education abroad program that is not on the UMW Approved Program list are assessed on an individual basis by the Center for International Education (CIE) Advisory Committee.  The Committee will review completed petition forms and send notification of the decision to the student within 10 business days.  Petitions are not guaranteed to be approved, and every student should be prepared to apply to a UMW Approved Program as a backup. 

Students whose petitions are approved should follow the remaining study abroad deadlines and policies as outlined on the Center for International Education website (international.umw.edu) and materials.  Please note that UMW’s policies regarding program fees, application of UMW financial assistance and scholarships, and credit requirements remain in effect for approved petitions.

Important to Note:

  • You must prove that UMW Approved Programs do not meet your needs.
  • Decisions by the CIE Advisory Committee are final. There is no appeal process.
  • Sign this petition form prior to submission. Incomplete Petitions will not be considered.
  • If your Petition is approved, you will be required to pay the applicable UMW education abroad fee and to purchase international health insurance, just as required for UMW Approved Program participants.
  • If you have questions about the petition process, please contact CIE (cie@umw.edu or 540-654-1434).

Deadlines:

  • Petition by no later than mid-September for spring semester or summer term study abroad, and
  • Petition by no later than mid-February for fall semester study abroad.

Name(Required)
(example: May 2028)
This could be the host institution abroad or the program provider. (example: KEI Hanyang University)
(example: Cork, Ireland)
When does the program take place?
MM slash DD slash YYYY
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Do you plan to earn academic credit through your participation in this program?(Required)
Please click on all inclusions built into your program's fee/package:(Required)
Note: if international medical insurance is not included by your program, you are required to be enrolled with CIE’s plan through iNext (estimated at $47.50/month). This cost will be charged to your UMW Student Account along with the Education Abroad Fee ($20/week or part thereof; $300/semester).
In a brief and succinct essay, please provide an explanation as to how the petition program meets your needs and why a UMW Approved Education Abroad Program does not.
What courses do you plan to enroll in through the proposed program? Please also list the number of courses and credits a student is allowed to earn per term, as well as U.S. credit equivalencies and/or number of contact hours per course. Note: all students participating in education abroad for academic credit (re: transfer credit) must complete the Study Abroad Course Approval Form prior to their departure and earn at least a grade of “C” or equivalent. If you don’t plan to earn academic credit, please write N/A but do indicate whether or not you want to complete the Beyond the Classroom or Diverse and Global Perspectives General Education Requirement by contract.
Max. file size: 5 MB.
Please upload any additional files you feel would support your petition to participate in this non-UMW Approved education abroad program.
Signature of Agreement:(Required)
By submitting this form and inputting my name above, I state my intention to participate in an education abroad program for the term specified in this petition. If I decide NOT to participate in an education abroad program, it is my responsibility to send a written notification to the Center for International Education. By failing to do so, I risk loss of course registrations, pre-paid deposits, and campus accommodation for the semester I plan to study abroad. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to discuss with my academic advisor the implications of a term abroad for my future study at UMW. I understand that courses for the non-UMW program cannot be approved for UMW credit unless until this petition is approved by the CIE Advisory Committee.