Program Directors can design their programs to offer credit through their home department.  If a sponsoring agency is providing support, a credit option may be available through UM's Continuing Education.  For more information on offering credit through Continuing Education, please contact Candice Merrill at 243-6431 or candi.merrill@umontana.edu. 

Health Insurance

UM has specific minimum health insurance requirements for students, faculty, and staff traveling abroad. The Program Director should review what those requirements are and how to meet them from the links below.

• Student Health Insurance Abroad Requirements
• Faculty/Staff Health Insurance Abroad Requirements

Program Directors who wish to enroll their students in the HTH Worldwide Insurance Services Comprehensive and/or Supplemental Plan should download and complete the appropriate form(s) below.

• HTH Comprehensive Insurance Policy Enrollment Form
• HTH Supplemental Insurance Policy Enrollment Form

Program Directors should provide information about their program by submitting a completed Faculty-Directed Program Form to Marja Unkuri-Chaudhry at marjac@mso.umt.edu for OIP to advertise the program.  While OIP will advertise the program on its website, the Program Director should take the lead on campus in promoting his/her own program.  Program Directors are also encouraged to participate in OIP sponsored study abroad fairs held annually in early September and late January.

Students can use many forms of financial aid for study abroad, such as scholarships and loans.  Students can use their aid to cover "reasonable" costs for study abroad, including round-trip airfare, tuition and fees for the program, living costs, passport and visa fees, health insurance, etc.  

If academic credit is offered directly through UM's academic departments, the Program Director must submit a letter to Carol Durnford in UM's Financial Aid Office (243-5510, or cdurnford@mso.umt.edu) detailing the expenses along with a list of the program participants' names and social security numbers.  It is very important that the Financial Aid Office knows about the program as early as possible.  

Program Directors should offer an orientation for program participants.  This orientation can be offered as part of a regular academic class during the semester preceding the departure, through a series of pre-trip meetings, or through a one-time workshop.  The suggested topics to be covered include:

• Health care issues abroad - consult Center for Disease Control and Prevention Health Advisory for Destination Regions
• Health insurance and medical facilities in the host country - consult Student Health Insurance Requrements while traveling abroad
• Safety information on the host country - consult U.S. Department of State Country Specific Information
• U.S. and on-site emergency contact information and risk management plan
• Program rules, policies, and behavioral expectations
• Academic information (registration, requirements, etc.)
• Money matters (how to pay for the program, financial aid, etc.)
• Getting to know the rest of the group and trust/teambuilding

Program Directors may request IP's assistance in conducting student pre-departure orientations or students may participate in IP orientations held annually early April and early October (notify OIP one month in advance at studyabroad@umontana.edu).

Program Directors will need to obtain the students' signature for the following forms and submit them to IP:

• Agreement and Acknowledgement of Risk
• Responsibilities of Study Abroad Participant
• Student Health Information
• Student Insurance Coverage Form (only if the Program Director is allowing students to meet the UM insurance requirements with any available insurance plan)  

Program Directors and all other UM faculty/staff traveling with students will be required to register their travel online at least 30 days prior to departure.   Program Directors will submit a completed Student Roster form to Marja Unkuri-Chaudhry electronically at marjac@mso.umt.edu or by campus mail as part of their international travel registration. (The Student Roster form is also available to download from the international travel registration system.)