Joining Penn Global Seminars
Learn what is required in committing to a PGS program
Overview
Review the information in this section as you prepare to live and study abroad through the Study Abroad program.
Academic Policies
Students in Penn Global Seminar are expected to participate fully in all course meetings and activities throughout the semester, including a pre-departure orientation and a group health consultation. Students are furthermore required to take part in the entire course travel component. Students who do not participate fully in the on-campus and travel components of the course will be subject to a grade deduction, and cannot be guaranteed course credit. If extenuating circumstances (health or personal issues, or inability to fulfill the requirements above) prevent the student from participating in the travel component of the course, s/he should seek approval to miss course travel from both Penn Abroad and the course professor, and must then work with the professor to find a suitable alternative (for example, an additional research paper).
Students are required to maintain good academic standing in the Penn Global Seminar as well as their regular course load. Students must also maintain good judicial standing at Penn.
Penn Global Seminars are Penn courses taught by Penn faculty and will be awarded Penn credit and letter grades. PGS courses may not be audited nor taken Pass/Fail. PGS participants must be enrolled full-time at Penn during the semester that they are participating in the program. Each PGS course is worth 1 C.U. and may fulfill general education or major requirements. Registration to the course will be by permit only, and the permits will be issued to accepted students by the rostering department.
Financial Policies
Review the complete PGS Financial Policies, including:
- Funding
- Financial aid
- Tuition
- Program fee
- Refund policy
- Withdrawal policy
Program Fee and Inclusions
Penn Global Seminars are funded by a generous donation from the Ahmad Fund, as well as contributions from Penn’s Global Engagement Fund. These funds cover the majority of program costs and are intended to make this program accessible to all students.
PGS students are charged a flat program fee of $950 for participation. This flat fee serves as the student contribution toward the full program travel experience and includes round-trip airfare, all hotels and accommodations, all ground transportation, entrance fees, translation and guide services, and group meals. Students will only be responsible for the cost of any personal meals and incidentals, any visa/consular fees, and (if applicable) the cost of travel to/from Philadelphia to meet the required group flight.
Financial Aid
For eligible students with demonstrated financial need, it is the policy of Student Registration & Financial Services to cover these programs with a mixture of grant and loan funding. Penn Abroad will provide your PGS program costs to SRFS, which will add that amount to your cost of attendance, increasing your eligibility for financial aid. SRFS first increases your parent contribution by 5% to help cover the difference. For your remaining financial need, SRFS will offer 60% of the funding in the form of a grant and 40% as a loan.
You are not required to accept any loans that are offered to you, but if you do, please discuss next steps with your financial aid counselor. The process is different for federal loans, student aid loans, and alternative loans. Any financial aid recipients with further questions should make an appointment with their assigned financial aid consultant.
All costs related to the on-campus component of the program are the responsibility of the student and are not calculated into the program budget for SRFS.
Student Expectations
PGS participants must travel on the group flight booked by Penn Abroad. No exceptions or deviations to the group flight itinerary will be allowed. Students must participate in all required aspects of the itinerary and stay in the accommodations booked by Penn Abroad.
Students traveling abroad as part of a Penn Global Seminar are expected to demonstrate maturity, flexibility, good judgment, and a willingness to learn at all times. Program participants are required to be on time for all activities, maintain a positive attitude, and remain engaged in all aspects of the itinerary throughout travel. Students are expected to be a good ambassador for Penn.
PGS participants are required to observe the laws of the host country and the rules of all host institutions and organizations abroad. Further, while abroad, PGS participants continue to be subject to Penn’s Code of Student Conduct and Penn’s Code of Academic Integrity. Students who violate these codes will be subject to dismissal from the program. Misconduct of any kind will be referred to the University’s Office of Student Conduct.
Any PGS student whose conduct is determined to be detrimental to the safety and well-being of the program or its participants may be subject to program dismissal. Students who are dismissed from a PGS course are not entitled to a refund of any portion of the program fee, and are responsible for any costs associated with required withdrawal from the program and return to the US.