As of fall 2003, students will find it easier to transfer credit from their local community college than from Oxford University, after GW stops accepting credit from non-affiliated study abroad programs.

The Office of Study Abroad said they will only award credit for GW-affiliated study abroad programs starting in the fall. The University justifies this decision because of its so-called inability to ensure academic quality and integrity of non-affiliated programs, which, as of now, include prestigious schools like Oxford and Cambridge universities in England and the Sorbonne University in France.

This condenses study abroad options to the current 60 affiliated programs, instead of the more than 5,000 non-affiliated programs now available. While GW officials said they will add more affiliated programs to the list, such limits decrease the appeal of studying abroad.

There are various reasons students choose non-affiliated study abroad programs. Some students apply directly to colleges in other countries that are not affiliated with the University to avoid programs filled with American students. They live among locals and are not institutionalized as part of an American envoy of students while applying credit they earn toward graduation at GW.

GW students do not pay University fees (except for a nominal continuing enrollment fee) when studying abroad through non-affiliated programs. Students can save thousands of dollars by spending a semester abroad through non-affiliated programs. Education overseas is often cheaper than staying in D.C. and paying GW tuition, but the cost of affiliated programs is about the same as regular GW tuition.

Eliminating the ability to receive credit for non-affiliated programs limits these opportunities to experience a different culture or save money. It also constricts a student’s ability to apply to a specialty school, such as an art program, abroad.

Most students do not study abroad without receiving college credit. Regardless of whether the amount of affiliated programs is increased, there will still be a set number of “approved” options.

Currently, students who choose any program or school not affiliated with the University must get courses approved by both the Office of Study Abroad and the heads of departments from which they are seeking credit. There is no need to change these procedures. The new policy assumes the role of determining academic quality, a role that should belong to professors who can judge program quality on a case by case basis.

This new policy institutionalizes the study abroad experience. If GW is really concerned with academic integrity of foreign studies, the University could simply tighten academic standards for non-affiliated programs. If a student can prove academic quality of a foreign university to a department head and the Office of Study Abroad, credit should be given despite any rule.