Travelearn FAQ

Travelearn Frequently Asked Questions

Academic Course

Q: What types of assignments will be required for a Travelearn-related course?
A: Contact the faculty coordinator for information regarding the course content.

Q: I will be graduating the same semester in which the Travelearn will take place and need the credits for graduation. Will I get my grade in time?
A: Students in their final or second-to-last semesters are discouraged using Travelearn-related course credits to satisfy graduation requirements. However, exceptions may be allowed by the faculty coordinator; contact him or her to request permission.

Q: What is the difference between taking the course for credit and not taking the Travelearn for credit?
A: Those participants who do not register for the academic course will not be required to complete assignments, attend mandatory lectures, etc. and will not receive a grade. Students seeking Financial Aid to put towards the cost of a Travelearn program must register for the corresponding Travelearn academic course(s).

Q: When I sign up, am I automatically registered for the academic course(s) ?
A: No. You must obtain Special Permission from the faculty coordinator and then register for the courses via KeanWISE (see Registration below for more detail).

Q: If I sign up for a Winter Travelearn program, when does the academic course meet?
A: You will register for courses connected to a Winter Travelearn program as part of your Spring semester course load. Although the faculty coordinator will likely require attendance at pre-trip meetings during the preceding Fall semester, the bulk of the coursework will take place during the Spring.

Administration
Q: Who do I contact if I have an issue with the academic course content, course registration, or course requirements?
A: Contact the respective Travelearn faculty coordinator or your academic advisor.

Q: Who do I contact if I have a financial aid issue?
A: Contact Al Dorsett in the Office of Financial Aid or CIS.

Q: Who do I contact if I need to request a special medical, dietary, transportation arrangement?
A: In most cases, CIS will put you in direct contact with the travel agent or educational tour company to make such arrangements. Be sure to contact CIS about such requests ASAP.

Q: How are roommates assigned?
A: When you complete your Travelearn Participant form, you will indicate your roommate preference and efforts will be made to accommodate your request. If a preferred roommate is not indicated, assignments will be made by gender by the faculty coordinator.

Financial Aid

Q: Can financial aid be applied to the cost of the Travelearn?
A: Yes. Matriculated Kean students without any type of hold on his or her university account are eligible to apply for aid to cover the costs associated with a Travelearn program.

Q: How do I make payments via financial aid?
A: Once it has been confirmed that an individual is an eligible matriculated student without any existing holds on his or her university account, he or she will complete a Financial Aid Contract (FAC). This document will act as a promissory note, and will allow the university to “front” funds on the student’s behalf to the travel agent or other vendor. The FAC allows the university to receive the funds automatically when your financial aid is disbursed by your lender.

Q: When do I complete a contract?
A: You must have your eligibility confirmed and contract completed by the stated deposit deadline. The FAC must be signed by Mr. Al Dorsett in Financial Aid, who will estimate your aid eligibility. If you are unable to pay the deposit amount out of pocket, you will contract for the deposit and program fee when you first sign up for the program. If you are able to pay the deposit, you may contract for the program fee only.

Q: What happens once I sign the contract?
A: The Financial Aid Contract will be forwarded to the Office of Financial Aid and Student Accounting to confirm your participation. You will then need to meet with Mr. Al Dorsett in Financial Aid to finalize your aid arrangements. Mr. Dorsett will also assist you in factoring in aid in to cover the cost of Kean tuition and fees, which are not included in the program fee and therefore not budgeted into the FAC.

Q: Can I obtain financial aid if I do not register for the corresponding academic course?
A: No. Regulations require that students receiving financial must be registered as at least a part time student. Please note that for summer Travelearn programs, a minimum of 3 of the 6 required credits must be taken in the semester in which the Travelearn will take place.

Please note that in order to obtain financial aid for summer Travelearn programs, you must submit a summer aid application form to the Office of Financial Aid. This document generally becomes available on March 1 and must be submitted by March 31.

Q: What type of financial aid can I apply towards a Travelearn program?
A: The Office of Financial Aid will first determine if you have any remaining federal aid (e.g., Stafford, Perkins, etc.) that can be applied to a program. If you have exhausted your aid, you will be directed to apply for an alternative educational (private) loan.

In many cases, such alternative loans require a co-signer; it is the student’s responsibility to determine that he or she has the ability to meet the financial responsibilities of the FAC.

Q: I have completed a Financial Aid Contract for a Travelearn program, but I do not have any federal aid remaining and I can not obtain a co-signer. Can I void my contract?
A: No. As funds are paid to vendors by the university on your behalf, you will be responsible for paying back the university for the amount specified in your contract by the last day of the semester in which the Travelearn will take place. Failure to do so will result in consequences such a hold being placed on your university account and/or having the amount forwarded to a collection agency.

Q: The payment deadline for the summer Travelearn program that I want to sign up for falls in February, but I will not know my summer aid eligibility until the late spring. What can I do?
A: Payments to vendors are often due many months in advance of travel, which will often mean that payment deadlines will fall well before students know their exact aid eligibility. Therefore, students who wish to sign up for a summer Travelearn must still complete the FAC by the deposit deadline. Again, it is the student’s responsibility to asses his or her ability to meet the financial responsibilities of the FAC.

Getting Started

Q: How do sign up?
A: To sign up for a Travelearn program, download, complete, and submit the requisite Participant Form, Travel Waiver, and copy of passport and submit the administrative fee / deposit payment by the respective trip deposit deadline.

Q: When I sign up, am I automatically registered for the academic course(s) ?
A: No. You must obtain Special Permission from the faculty coordinator and then register for the courses via KeanWISE (see Registration for more detail).

Payments & Refunds

Q: Are Kean tuition and fees included in the program fees?
A: No. The program fee includes only those items specified.

Q: I am registering for the related academic course. What will the tuition and fees be?
A: Participants who register for the academic course will be charged according to their student status (e.g., in-state, out-of-state, undergraduate, graduate). Tuition and fees for academic-year Travelearn-related courses for full-time, matriculated students will be assessed under the full-time flat rate, although overload charges will apply if the maximum number of credits per semester is exceeded. Tuition and fees for part-time students will be assessed on a per credit basis. Tuition and fees for summer Travelearn-related courses will be assessed on a per credit basis.

Q: Are late payments accepted?
A. For non-EF Tour programs, no. Late payments for EF Tours programs are governed by EF Tours’ Booking Conditions - late registrations are accepted on a space-available basis, and a late fee will apply.

Q: I have submitted a deposit for a Travelearn program but now can not go on the trip. Can I have my deposit refunded?
A: No. All administrative fees / deposit payments are non-refundable.

Q: I have paid in full for a non-EF Tours Travelearn program. Can I have my payment refunded?
A: CIS will refund the full payment made less the deposit if a request for withdrawl is received no later than the nonrefundable payment deadline stated for a given Travelearn program.

Q: I have paid in full for an EF Tour program. Can I have my payment refunded?
A: See the EF Tours Booking Conditions.

Registration

Q: I am a Kean employee participating in one of the Travelearn programs. Can I register for the academic course?
A: Yes. Contact Human Resources to inquire about the procedures for registering for academic credit.

Q: I have a KeanWISE account, but I am having difficulty registering for the corresponding course in KeanWISE. Why?
A: Be sure that you have met with the faculty coordinator and have confirmed that he/she has entered his or her Special Permission code for the course.

Q: I am a student currently attending another university and would like to take the experience for academic credit. What do I do?
A: Complete a Registration Eligibility Form (available in the Kean course bulletin) and submit to CIS. CIS will provide the form to One Stop to generate a KeanWISE username and pin. Additional documentation (i.e., official transcripts from the university where you are enrolled) may be requested. Contact the faculty coordinator to request that he/she enter a Special Permission code to allow you to register for the course.

Q: I’m an external participant and I’m not currently enrolled at a university. Can I still take the experience for academic credit?
A: Yes. Complete the Registration Eligibility Form and submit to CIS. CIS will provide the form to One Stop to generate a KeanWISE username and pin. Contact the faculty coordinator to request that he/she enter a Special Permission code to allow you to register for the course.