Chapman University’s Center for Global Education canceled spring 2021 international study abroad programs Oct. 19. The decision was made in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of State travel advisories and transportation service suspensions due to closed borders and mandatory quarantine restrictions. These challenges to international travel contributed to canceling all study abroad programs for the fall and spring semesters, in addition to many interterm travel courses.

“In the future, in terms of travel, it may be more short-term and there might be measures put in place to keep students as safe as possible,” said Jodi Hicks, the assistant director of Overseas Programs.

The cancellation affected 223 Chapman students that were planning to study abroad next semester, Hicks said. Many of these students were originally supposed to study internationally in the fall of 2020 as well, until those programs were canceled and deferred to spring 2021. Gabriella Brandom, a creative writing major, had planned to study abroad at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland before both of her programs were canceled. She has deferred her international experience a third time to the fall 2021 semester.

“It’s strange when you've been planning on something that's going to happen and then suddenly it's removed from the idea of the future that you have,” Brandom said. “I know it's for the best, and I know it's difficult for everyone to make this kind of decision, but this whole year has been an exercise of what your idea of the future can actually look like.”

Chapman’s International opportunities offer a way for students to obtain their Global Studies general education credit. Hicks said 38% of Chapman undergraduate students partake in these programs during a typical academic year.

Like Brandom, the recent cancellation news encouraged many to defer their study abroad programs to yet another semester, with the hope that the pandemic’s impact subsides by next fall. Students are not required to schedule another academic advising appointment or write new application essays, but they are expected to redo financial authorizations and specific waivers along with potential coursework, Hicks explained. The Center for Global Education continues to offer assistance to students through the deferral process.  

For those who still want to study somewhere outside of Chapman, any student who was supposed to study abroad in the spring can switch to the Washington Semester Program at American University. Because this is a national study abroad program, based in Washington, D.C, has yet to be canceled, it will remain open either in an in-person or remote format until further notice. Despite deferring her program again, Brandom is looking forward to summer international internships and semester programs in fall 2021, offering her and other Chapman students the future chance to experience global education.

“They're pretty hopeful that it will go ahead,” Brandom said. “Of course, no one really knows. It's still up in the air, but we are all hoping for the best.”

The Global Center for Education is working closely with the state department and travel advisories for each country where students travel abroad. Depending on how the countries respond to the pandemic and the rules they have set in place, the center is evaluating each country on a case-by-case basis. Because applications are completed a year in advance, Hicks encourages students to continue to apply for study abroad programs as soon as they have interest.

“The feedback we've gotten from our students is that they still want to go, and these universities want to bring students in too,” she said. “(International travel) will definitely go back to normal.”