Our team is taking many steps to continually assess which study abroad programs will be viable and to provide the best possible advising to students amidst an extremely dynamic global pandemic. Below are examples of our considerations and action steps that are constantly ongoing:

• Assess partner and affiliate study abroad programs to ensure they continue to meet Bentley’s standards of academic quality and intercultural engagement.
• Assess the extent to which student mobility can take place ethically without causing an outsized risk of COVID transmission within the host country.
• Confirm partner and affiliate health and safety protocols and contingency plans to ensure preparedness for change of delivery mode from in-person to virtual prior to program start or mid-semester.
• Monitor the dynamic country- and program-specific enrollment regulations and entry requirements to advise students on entry and residency requirements in the host country.
• Provide information on optional insurance to mitigate risks of program cancellation or interruption
• Monitor changes or cancellations by our partners and affiliates to provide updates to students.

Our advising and pre-departure preparation has always been designed to provide the guidance students need to make informed personal decisions about study abroad. In the context of a global pandemic, students and families must be even more prepared to utilize this guidance to determine their own comfort level and tolerance for international travel risk, and ultimately make their own decisions about whether or not to embark, or return from, a study abroad program in the event that a program is not cancelled for all participants. 

Unfortunately, program cancellation is still a viable possibility. Below are just some examples of triggers that may lead to consideration of program cancellation:

• If there is a possibility that access to medical care would be compromised in the host country
• If partner universities or affiliates close or suspend courses with no virtual options
• If U.S. citizens cannot enter the host country

All students, faculty and staff participating in a Bentley faculty-led international course or GBE are encouraged to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 prior to departure. As of March 30, 2023, Bentley has updated its Covid-19 policy and ended the vaccination and booster requirement. Please visit this link for the latest update: https://www.bentley.edu/COVID19

However, students matriculated in study abroad programs (faculty-led international course or GBE) are still required to comply with their host country's entry requirements, which may vary by destination. Our office will guide you through specific requirements upon enrollment.

Students participating in semester and summer study abroad programs are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, each student will still need to comply with their host country's entry requirements. While our team will work closely with you to comply with country guidelines, we ask you to please consider the following:

• Some countries may require proof of vaccination to gain entry.
• Some host institutions abroad, likewise, may require proof of vaccination for enrollment in their courses.
• Students who are not vaccinated may be subject to mandatory isolation or quarantine upon entry for an extended period, at their own expense, in a location not of their choosing.  
• Students who are not vaccinated may have reduced freedom of movement in their host country.
• When applicable, study abroad students should carry written or digital proof of vaccination when traveling abroad.

While we continue to prepare for fall and academic year study abroad programs to take place as planned, the pandemic’s ongoing uncertainty means we must prepare for the possibility that a study abroad program could notify Bentley of cancellation. Below are program cancellation scenarios and the options for students under those circumstances:

1. If your fall 2023/spring 2024 study abroad program is cancelled and fall 2023 is the final semester of your undergraduate degree [intended graduation date Dec 2023], you will be eligible to switch to another fall 2023 study abroad program, subject to available space. Program availability will be communicated to you after the program cancellation occurs.  
2. If your fall 2023 study abroad program is cancelled and fall 2023 is not the final semester of your undergraduate degree, you have the following options: 

• Defer your enrollment to your same program in spring 2024, subject to available space.  
• Apply for a semester or academic year program in the 2023-24 academic year, waive application fee, and receive priority in the application process. 
• Withdraw from study abroad. We will provide all students with resources and information about pursuing postgraduate international opportunities. 

We encourage you to refer to this page frequently, as we regularly update it with more details regarding Bentley’s decision-making protocols and program updates.

The following partners and affiliates have cancelled their study abroad programs for the following terms:

Fall 2023:

• IFSA Shanghai

To review the latest updates about the university’s Covid-19 Policy, please visit https://www.bentley.edu/COVID19

To review our communication library announcements, check our COVID-19 Archive here:

• https://www.bentley.edu/offices/international-education/coronavirus
• Re-entry Guidelines email for Fall 2021 students - 12/1/2021
• COVID-19 Variant Update email for Spring 2022 students - 12/2/2021