Policies & Standards

Updated October 2020

We promote academic and cross-cultural learning through our worldwide network of higher education institutions.

ISEP facilitates academic mobility through innovative and affordable programs to achieve authentic global learning. We enhance institutional infrastructures and foster campus internationalization.

Member and Affiliate Institutions Can Expect ISEP Global to:

Member Relations

• Continuously assess member needs and interests, review policies and fee structures, and develop programs to serve members

• Carefully review new member applications

• Provide stewardship of resources to achieve optimum balance between quality and cost

• Monitor and update membership standards to maintain quality and consistency in implementation

• Mediate in case of disputes between member institutions regarding benefits or balances

• Provide training of new coordinators

• Provide professional development opportunities for coordinators

• Organize ISEP conferences and member meetings (in consultation with the Council of Advisors)

• Maintain personal contact with coordinators and institutional leaders through site visits and participation in conferences

Communication and Information

• Provide access to information about programs based on information supplied by member institutions

• Use terminology in providing program information that reflects the global nature of the ISEP membership and is transparent to all members

• Enable coordinators to recruit and inform students by developing and distributing promotional materials through print and electronic media

• Respond to coordinator inquiries in a timely manner

• Advise coordinators about programs available, supplementing published information

Before, During and After Placement

• Review applications in a timely manner and provide information about placement progress

• Fairly consider all applicants for placement

• Maintain transparency about the placement process with member institutions

• Facilitate J-1 program

• Provide 24-hour assistance when participants experience problems; and support in emergency situations

• Distribute transcripts received from host institutions and provide assistance with problems

Health Insurance and Financial Services

• Offer a quality health insurance program and facilitate student enrollment

• Maintain contact with insurance providers in medical emergencies

• Send invoices and record payments in a timely and accurate manner

What ISEP Expects from Member and Affiliate Institutions

The Member Institution will:

• Designate an ISEP Coordinator

• Communicate to ISEP in a timely manner when staff changes occur

• For Exchange Members: Commit to an appropriate number of reciprocal exchanges annually as agreed with ISEP, taking into account institutional resources available.

• For Affiliates: Commit to sending a significant number of students on Direct programs annually as agreed with ISEP, taking into account institutional resources available.

Responsibilities Towards Inbound Students

The ISEP Member Institution will:

• Communicate and coordinate with ISEP when implementing policies to recall or restrict student mobility

• Assist incoming students to enroll in a full-time course (typically 15 to 18 U.S. hours) of study.

• Provide housing from Official Date of Arrival through Last Day of Benefits, inclusive of:

  • Orientation
  • Exams
  • All in-semester and winter breaks

• Provide 19 to 21 meals per week (or equivalent), inclusive of all in-semester vacations, from the Official Date of Arrival through Last Day of Benefits.

• Ensure that housing is comfortable, safe and clean and meals are sufficient to meet the conditions of the membership agreement; housing and meal levels are rarely equivalent in cost to those of the sending school but instead should be equivalent to the service provided in the host country

• Ensure that any initial stipends are issued at the earliest possible date to prevent the incoming student from having to self-fund the beginning of their semester longer than is necessary

• Host inbound exchange students without charging them any mandatory fees. All mandatory fees must be paid by the outbound exchange student. The only acceptable additional fees are those that are optional or not required of all students (such as excursions or lab or special course fees), government-mandated student health insurance and refundable housing deposits.

• Provide an onsite orientation (included in ISEP benefits) and general assistance with integration into the host institution and course registration. During the onsite orientation students must be provided with contact information for local emergency health responders and local police. Coordinators are encouraged to reference the Onsite Orientation Guide when designing their onsite orientation. U.S. hosting institutions must comply with all relevant U.S. J-1 regulations in their orientation, including recording the participation of ISEP students.

• Provide opportunities for cross-cultural engagement, such as organized cultural activities on campus and/or opportunities for students to share traditions from their own culture.

• Respond to student inquiries after confirmation in a timely manner

• Adapt standard information materials sent to visiting students to reflect ISEP conditions (e.g. with regard to payment of rent, tuition, etc.)

• Provide transparent information about academic programs, noting language of instruction and limitations on access, where relevant

• Allow participants to take those courses for which they have the appropriate prerequisites unless exceptions are stated clearly in information provided to ISEP

• Provide students with the first copy of their academic transcripts free of charge

• Issue transcripts by the date stated in the Program Information and forward transcripts to ISEP Global. Transcripts should be received by ISEP within six weeks of the end of exams.

• Host Institutions must guarantee or have provisions in place to guarantee academic continuity in the event of unexpected program interruption caused by, but not limited to, natural disasters and political unrest

Responsibilities towards Outbound ISEP Participants

ISEP Member Institutions and Affiliates will:

• Be familiar with ISEP programs, policies and services and ensure that students understand the contents of ISEP placement materials

• Provide a comprehensive pre-departure orientation. For students planning to study in the United States, coordinators should follow relevant U.S. J-1 regulations when designing their pre-departure orientation.

• Promote ISEP programs within the institution in collaboration with the ISEP Global Office

• Guide students through the application process, providing them with accurate information and imparting realistic expectations

• Facilitate the integration of returnees into the home institution including credit transfer

Responsibilities towards ISEP Global

ISEP Member Institutions and Affiliates will:

• Provide 24-hour emergency contact information for the ISEP Coordinator

• Remain familiar with ISEPs Emergency Protocol (see “Emergency Response” in the Coordinator’s section of the ISEP website)

• Ensure that coordinator or other designated advisor is available at appointed times and in emergencies and designate a substitute during absences from the office

• Notify ISEP Global of student emergencies or other major emergencies such as strikes or natural disasters

• Remain familiar with ISEP Cooperative Agreement and Terms of Participation. Seek concurrence of ISEP Global regarding changes, such as reduction in access to courses.

• Respond to questions from ISEP Global in a timely manner

• Monitor ISEP-L and other communications, on-line status reports and review information sent by ISEP

• Notify ISEP Global when administrative problems occur (e.g. with stipend payments or housing)

• Update description for your institution’s directory page on the ISEP website annually to reflect actual conditions by the ISEP Global deadline

• Complete the Program Information by the ISEP Global deadline, providing accurate information

• Return placement confirmations by the deadline, clearly indicating any special conditions

• Facilitate the payment of invoices by due date

• Communicate and coordinate with ISEP to provide academic alternatives within two weeks of program pause/interruption

Relations with Other Member Institutions

• The ISEP Coordinator and/or other institutional representatives will endeavor to participate regularly in ISEP conferences and member meetings

• Refrain from establishing new bilateral and direct enroll program agreements with other ISEP members to prioritize ISEP membership and make a good-faith effort to explore channeling student mobility through ISEP.