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Dear Colleagues - Apologies for taking up your time. A Working Group of UCL Fees Committee has been established to review procedures relating to financial aspects of the year abroad where this year is a compulsory element of an undergraduate degree programme. As Secretary to this Working Group I have been asked to conduct a brief survey of the practice of other HEIs and write to ask if you could spare a little time to complete and return to me the questionnaire (6 questions) provided below. To place this request within a context I should explain that, in the majority of cases, UCL covers the full cost of tuition fees paid abroad (a) by direct payment to the institution abroad or (b) by reimbursing the student where fees are paid direct to the institution by the individual. In either instance the students must have received the express and prior written approval of their (Academic) departmental Year-Abroad Tutor for the course(s)/institution(s)to be attended. In 1998-99, tuition fees paid abroad ranged from £0 to £1,890. If the fee for a particular placement exceeds £500, however, the Departmental or Year-Abroad Tutor is expected to obtain the prior approval of the Senior Tutor, and to attest to the academic merit of the particular course/institution concerned. The only exceptions to this rule occur where there is a formal agreement in place. Your co-operation in assisting me with this survey would be much appreciated. Please respond direct to my e-mail address and I will forward a summary of all responses received to admin_student. ************************************************************* 1. COSTS Is there a limit on the fees you will meet for students taking a year abroad? Yes/No If yes, please give brief details: If you do not impose a limit on year-abroad tuition fees are you considering imposing one in the future? Yes/No If you have answered yes, please give brief details: ************************************************************* 2. OTHER STUDENT SUPPORT If you do not pay year-abroad tuition fees in full do you have internal funds (other than Access) to which students may apply for assistance? Yes/No If you have answered yes, please provide brief details: Do you have any centralised arrangements (either at Departmental level or centrally) for providing insurance cover for students on their year abroad? Yes/No If you have answered yes, please give brief details: *********************************************************** 3. PUBLICITY Given the long lead time between students applying for a degree programme and embarking on their year abroad, how do you publicise any financial contribution which students might be asked to make? Please give brief details below. ********************************************************** 4. ADMINISTRATION At UCL, there is one member of staff part of whose duties are to co-ordinate virtually all aspects of year-abroad placements and to provide support for departmental Year-Abroad Tutors and approximately 280 Single Subject and Combined Studies students (380 separate placements approx.) prior to, during and on return from their year abroad. There is also one member of staff in the Student Finance Department whose duties include payment of authorised refunds and one member of staff in the International Office responsible for monitoring SOCRATES exchanges and allocating relevant funding. Please summarise the arrangements in place at your institution providing, if possible, an FTE indication of the total level of support provided by either clerical or administrative staff: ********************************************************* 5. SOCRATES PLACEMENTS. Currently, UCL SOCRATES exchange agreements (and placements) are determined at Departmental level and subsequently centrally administered by the International Office. We are however exploring ways of centrally allocating places. Please summarise below any arrangements you have in place for allocating placements to such students. ********************************************************** 6. FURTHER COMMENTS/OBSERVATIONS Please include below any other comments or observations on the above about which you have particular views: ********************************************************* With thanks. MIKE SMITH Principal Executive Officer Fees Section Student Finance University College London Tel 0171 504 2024 email [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%