Students should begin planning their off-campus study (OCS) program early in the fall semester of the academic year before they wish to study off campus and must submit an application to the OCS office by the deadline in late January or early February. The vast majority of students apply for a single semester off campus. Approval for year-long programs is awarded on a competitive basis, taking into account GPA, course planning, written rationale, and faculty recommendations.

The first step in the approval process is to obtain a copy of the Off-Campus Study Handbook and a "Grinnell Approval Application to Study Off-Campus" from the OCS Resource area or website. These materials set out the procedure for choosing an off-campus study program and applying for approval. Approval to study off-campus study is granted by the Off-Campus Study Board and requires the signature of both the academic adviser and the campus program adviser for the particular program. This approval process does not apply to summer study; permission to attend summer programs is granted by the Registrar and the academic adviser, requiring that the student complete a "Transfer Course Approval Form," available in the Registrar's Office or website.

Academic regulations for on-campus students also apply to off-campus programs. In addition, students must normally be junior or first-semester seniors in good academic standing, with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75, making normal progress toward graduation and having completed the prerequisite courses for the program. The off-campus study program must be integrated with the student's overall educational objectives as determined by the student and the academic adviser. Approval to study off campus is also subject to strong faculty recommendations and endorsement by the academic adviser, program adviser, and Off-Campus Study Board. Students also must complete all requirements for graduation, including those for the major, in a maximum of eight semesters, including the off-campus study semester(s).

Meeting the minimum standards of eligibility to study off campus does not guarantee that Grinnell College approval will be granted. There may be limitations to the number of students approved to study off campus in a given year if an unusually large number of students apply. In this case, granting approval may be made competitive. Selection will be made on the basis of the student's written rationale for studying off campus, integration of program with on-campus studies, GPA and recommendations.

Transfer students admitted as first- or second-year students may be granted one semester off campus, but those admitted as third-year students are not eligible for off-campus study programs except for the Grinnell-In-London and the Grinnell-In-Washington programs.

Approval granted to students who subsequently are placed on academic probation or are placed on academic warning may be canceled.

Approval is not officially granted until a $200 pre-registration deposit for the return semester is paid to the College.

The number of off-campus study credits transferable to Grinnell College is subject to prior approval. Credits in excess of 18 will be assessed a Grinnell overload charge. Pre-approved credits are automatically accepted toward graduation when evidence that the approved courses have been completed with a grade of "C" or above (C- is not acceptable) is received by the Office of the Registrar. Off-campus study courses may not be taken "S/D/F." Students may not take "incompletes" in courses taken on off-campus study programs.

Grades earned in off-campus study are reported on the Grinnell transcript but are not figured into the GPA, except for Grinnell-in-London and Grinnell-in-Washington grades, which are calculated into the GPA. Approval is granted with the understanding that Grinnell is not responsible for any difficulties students may encounter in study elsewhere, or for alterations in programs that make it difficult for students to earn as many academic credits as they might like during their time off campus.

Students approved for off-campus study (OCS) programs who wish to receive aid must complete the same financial aid forms as students intending to remain on campus. All financial aid deadlines and requirements still apply. Awards for the fall semester are generally mailed in June, and adjustments to awards for the spring semester are mailed in November.

Students planning to attend OCS programs other than Grinnell-in-London, Grinnell-in-Washington, ACM, or IES programs must provide budget information from the program to the Office of Student Financial Aid as soon as the information is available. Awards cannot be determined until budget information is obtained.

The Financial Aid Office uses the same federal and institutional formulas to determine a family contribution and need whether the student is on campus or on an OCS program. Budgets generally include allowances for tuition, room and board, textbook and personal expenses, and transportation. Grinnell will charge its own tuition and analogous fees for any student enrolling in an off-campus study program whose tuition and fees are equal or less than Grinnell's tuition and analogous fees. For off-campus programs whose tuition and fees exceed those of Grinnell, the College will continue to charge students the tuition and fees of those off-campus programs.

Grinnell makes every effort to meet a student's demonstrated institutional need for off-campus study. However, students who choose to attend programs more expensive than Grinnell will have to borrow or contribute more than they would if they remained on campus.

Certain conditions apply to OCS that may affect your award:

• Trustee Honor Scholarships and Grinnell International Grants can be used for OCS, but cannot be adjusted upward to reflect increased costs.
• ACM, GLCA and staff tuition remission benefits can only be applied to Grinnell-in-London and Grinnell-in-Washington. No other use of tuition aremission is allowed.
• Students are not permitted to work abroad. Therefore, work-study eligibility may be replaced by loans.
• Aid will not under any circumstance exceed the cost of attendance.
• Students who decide to attend an off-campus study program NOT APPROVED by the OCS Board are not eligible for aid through Grinnell College, nor can Grinnell be responsible for notifying lenders that student have enrolled elsewhere.

All questions pertaining to financial aid should be addressed to the Office of Student Financial Aid.

A student may be granted approval for off-campus study if he or she has:

• Declared a major.
• Shown a commitment to a balanced program of liberal education demonstrated through past and intended college course work in all three major divisions of the College (the Off-Campus Study Board normally interprets this to mean a minimum of three courses in each division-for details, see "Elements of a Liberal Education" in the Grinnell College Catalog and the Off-Campus Study Handbook).
• Attained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 achieved by the end of the fall semester of the academic year the application is submitted.
• Completed the prerequisites for an off-campus study program that is closely integrated with the student's overall educational objectives.
• Received strong faculty support and the approval of the academic adviser(s), program adviser, and off-campus study board.

Students must plan their OCS schedules well in advance-usually one year-to ensure they can complete all program prerequisites before the program begins. For off-campus study programs featured by the College, see the "Courses of Study" section of the Grinnell College Catalog. Students also must complete all requirements for graduation, including those for the major, in a maximum of eight semesters, including the off-campus study semester(s). Specific procedures for academic leave applications are contained in the OCS Handbook.

Achieving minimum standards for approval to study off-campus does not guarantee either that the leave will be granted or that the student will be accepted by the off-campus study program.