Harvard recently joined a growing number of universities when it told students not to return to campus after spring break. In an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus, students will be taught virtually. From Princeton to the University of Washington, from USC to Ohio State, colleges and universities are interrupting traditional classes in favor of online education.

This is a big disruption for students on American campuses, to be certain. But what about our students currently studying abroad? Programs in CDC Zone 3 countries (China, Iran, South Korea and Italy) have essentially been scrapped and students have been instructed to return home. What will happen to their credits, tuition payments and graduation timelines? That depends entirely on their home university’s policies and their host university’s ability/willingness to pivot to online teaching. It will be done on a case by case basis. Then there are the vast majority of our study abroad students who are dispersed in other countries throughout the globe. Most universities have not called these students home but many have instructed them not to travel outside of their host cities. There are good reasons for this position, as news of the virus is changing on a daily basis and students not only risk getting sick - they also risk not being able to return to their host cities/programs!

Compared to the death, illness and economic damage caused by the coronavirus, the disruptions to study abroad seem relatively minor. Still, students dream about and plan for their study abroad experiences for years. More importantly, they may lose credits, money and even time. We’ll continue to monitor the situation but in the meantime, keep calm and carry on …..

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/09/us/coronavirus-university-college-classes/index.html