Course Load
In the fall and spring semesters, students are expected to carry a normal academic load of 15 credit hours (5 courses). The normal summer course load is six credits (two courses). A student who wishes to carry a heavier or lighter load must first have written approval from his/her home university and consult with the IAU Center Director. Students carrying a lighter load will still pay full tuition.

Drop/Add
If they have approval from their home institutions, students may change their course selection in consultation with the Center Director by the end of the sixth day of classes in the fall and spring semesters and by the end of the third day of classes in the summer.

Pass/Fail
Students who are taking 15 credit hours on a graded basis may elect to take one course on a pass/fail basis. The choice must be declared no later than the end of the drop/add period and may not be changed after that date. For purposes of pass/fail grading, “pass” is considered a grade of C- or above. Students electing a pass/fail grade must have approval of the Center Director and their home institution.

Withdrawal Pass/Fail
From the end of the drop/add period to the end of the eighth week of classes, (end of the third week in the summer session), a student may withdraw from a course with the consent of the Center Director. Students who withdraw will receive a notation of WP (Withdraw Passing – if they were achieving a grade of at least C-) or WF (Withdrawal Failing) on their transcript. The Center Director may require home institution approval for a withdrawal.

Auditing
A student may audit a class, in addition to his/her normal class load, with the permission of the Center Director, and the Instructor, and on condition that he/she attend the course on a regular basis throughout the semester. No grades may be awarded for audited courses. However, notation of the audit may be entered on the student’s transcript. Such a choice must be declared no later than the drop/add period and may not be changed after that date.

Incompletes
A professor may grant or deny a student's request for an incomplete grade, and must inform the Center Director in writing of his/her decision. The Center Director may approve or refuse the professor's recommendation. The last day for a student to request an incomplete (“I”) grade for a course is no later than the last day of regularly-scheduled classes. Normally, an incomplete (“I”) grade should only be granted for extraordinary extenuating circumstances (such as illness or family emergency). Simple failure to complete assigned work in a timely fashion does not justify the granting of an incomplete (“I”) grade. Course work must be completed satisfactorily within the regular semester immediately following the semester in which the incomplete (“I”) grade was granted, or the course grade will become a permanent grade of “F”.

Grading Policies
Grades are assigned by the instructor of the course. No grade may be changed except for reasons of material or clerical error. If a student with a grade of “D” or “F” in a course enrolls at IAU in a subsequent semester, he/she may retake the course once in order to improve his/her grade and obtain credit for the course. The original grade “D” or “F” remains on the student’s transcript.

Grade Dispute Policy
IAU expects that most grievances regarding grades will be resolved informally between the professor and the student. If such informal discussions do not satisfy the student, the student wishing to dispute a final course grade must write and sign a petition addressed to the Center Director requesting a grade review. If the professor in question is the Center Director, the matter will automatically be referred to the Dean. If the professor in question is the Dean, the matter will automatically be referred to the President of the Institute for American Universities. The student shall have six weeks, calculated from the date of the submission of the final course grade, to initiate this formal procedure. The Center Director (or Dean or President) will ask the professor concerned to review the disputed grade and explain the rationale for his/her judgment. The Center Director (or Dean or President) may request to review the student's work, and, at his/her discretion, can invite other professors with appropriate expertise for advice. The Dean or President makes the final decision.

FINANCIAL POLICIES

Costs
Costs vary by program so we encourage you to visit the respective center websites for the most up-to-date programs costs:

Le Centre d'Aix
The Marchutz School of Art
Le Centre d'Avignon

Payments
Unless a special billing arrangement exists between the student's host institution and IAU, the non-refundable enrollment deposit of $500 is due on acceptance. All other fees are due one month before the semester begins. IAU accepts Visa or MasterCard, personal or bank checks. In addition, application fees and enrollment deposits can also be paid via credit cards using the IAU Credit Card Authorization Form. Checks can be sent to:

Institute for American Universities
PO Box 66973141
Chicago, IL 60666-0973

If payment is not received by the due date indicated on the student invoice, a $150 late fee will be applied to the student’s account. If it becomes necessary for the Institute to take collection action against the student, the student will be responsible for all collection costs, interest charges and reasonable attorneys' fees. Furthermore, the Institute will not allow students to register for classes if their accounts show outstanding balances not related to documented financial aid disbursements and reserves the right to prevent students from sitting for final exams if their invoices are not paid in full. Timing for payment to IAU of monies coming from financial aid disbursements needs to be arranged with the IAU Registrar prior to finalization of course registration.  A $35 fee will be added to invoices if a check is returned due to insufficent funds.

All payments must be clearly marked with the student's name and program.

Students who expect to receive financial aid should notify IAU's Registrar immediately and provide disbursement dates and amounts. Those interested in a payment plan may make tuition payments on a monthly basis through the TuitionPay Plan with Sallie Mae.

Refunds
In case of cancellation, the refund policy is as follows:

Refunds may be granted only if email notice of withdrawal, sent by student or sponsoring institution, is received by IAU’s Registrar according to the schedule below:

Fall semester students

• Prior to August 1: full refund of all fees paid (excluding enrollment deposit)
• Between August 1 and the end of the first week of the semester:  20% tuition, 75% of housing
• After the first week of the semester: no tuition or housing refunds
  

Spring semester students

• Prior to December 1: full refund of all fees paid (excluding enrollment deposit)
• Between December 1 and the end of the first week of the semester:  20% tuition, 75% of housing
• After the first week of the semester: no tuition or housing refunds
  

Summer term students

• Prior to May 1: full refund of all fees paid (excluding enrollment deposit)
• Between May 1 and the start of the term: no tuition refund, 50% of housing
• After the start of the term: no tuition or housing refunds
  

Financial Assistance
IAU does not provide direct financial assistance to students. However, many government grants and loans and a number of other sources of financial assistance available to students on their home campuses may be applied to study abroad. For details students should consult with their Financial Assistance Offices.

Also, there are many third-party study abroad scholarships available through reputable organizations including the Gilman International Scholarship Program. We encourage you to use the vast resources of the Internet to help locate additional funding options.

IAU Academic Year Scholarship
IAU offers a $1,000 scholarship to qualified students who enroll at Le Centre d'Avignon or The Marchutz School of Art for a full academic year.  In order to determine eligibility, students must contact the U.S. Office.

Once a student is determined as being qualified, they must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be enrolled for consecutive fall and spring semesters at Le Centre d'Avignon or The Marchutz School of Art
• Be free of behavioral problems during the fall semester
• Achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher during the fall semester

The $1,000 scholarship will be applied against the student’s spring semester invoice.  Depending on the billing arrangement IAU has with the student’s home institution, IAU will either credit the student’s spring semester invoice or provide the student with a check for $1,000 on-site.  

HOMESTAY/HOUSING POLICIES

We have prepared an outline of our homestay policies as well as customs and general manners, the understanding of which may ease your transition into your new host:

1. IAU will do its best to match you with a host based on your homestay preferences as indicated in your application for admission. Any changes in your preferences must be communicated directly with the housing coordinator in Aix or Avignon.

2. Your host will feel responsible for you. Please let them know where you are going and when you expect to return so as to reassure them. Do your best to communicate with them to help eliminate potential worry or misunderstandings.

3. Improper behavior by you can lead to your being expelled from the homestay, and possibly from the program, without refund. In addition, arriving home intoxicated and/or drinking in your room is unacceptable and can also result in dismissal from the program without refund.

4. On occasion, the host-student match, for whatever reason, does not work out. IAU will make every effort to mediate the situation and, if needed, find a more suitable host. Before any of this can happen, you need to talk with the Housing Coordinator who, in conjunction with the Center Director, will oversee the change. Because of the contract nature of the housing agreement, no change can happen unless first approved by IAU.

5. Your host has agreed to provide you with 6 evening meals and 7 breakfasts per week. If you have plans for the evening and will miss dinner, please let your host know well in advance so that they can plan their meals accordingly.  Also, consider that ‘breakfast’ in France is typically of the continental variety.  Do not expect nor ask for a hearty American-style breakfast.

6. If you are a vegetarian or if you have any other special diet, we will do our best in matching you with your host. But you need to remember that in France, such special diets aren't as common as they are in the States.

7. Before and after dinner, offer to help with the dishes. Remember, you are not just a guest but a part of the home.

8. Keep your room neat. You will be expected to make up your own bed. Do not scatter your personal belongings throughout either your room or the house. Your host will provide one load of laundry per week for you.

9. Keep in mind that utilities are very expensive in France. Your host’s phone should only be used in case of emergencies.  Please always be aware of the time difference between France and your home country.

10. Your host may not wish you to invite friends home with you, particularly when they are not at home. They may feel especially reluctant for you to entertain members of the opposite sex in their home. Please find out how they feel about additional guests.

11. We have done our best to place you in a home where you may converse in English and/or French (dependent on your level of French). However, regardless of the efforts that are made to place you properly, problems may arise or there may be challenges in communicating with your host. If this is the case, or if there are other problems associated with your homestay, we encourage you to speak with the Housing Coordinator. All of our staff speaks English and French and can be of immediate assistance.

12. A few suggestions for your departure preparations: since your host will be curious about your life back home, it might be nice if you have photographs of your family and home on hand to share with them.  And, if your home city or state is famous for a certain product or craft, it would be nice for you to bring a sample for your host. They do not expect any gifts from you but would certainly enjoy a small souvenir with which to remember you by.

13. Once you return home at the completion of your program at IAU, we recommend writing a nice letter of appreciation to your host. Afterall, they were kind enough to open their home to you and you were kind enough to share many things with them during the term. So why not let them know of your appreciation and the fact that you retruned home safely?

DAMAGE POLICIES

Students are financially responsible for any damage they cause to Institute property or that of their host. Invoices for damage will be mailed to the student's permanent address on record. The Institute retains the right to withold a student's transcript in the event of an unpaid damage invoice.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND BEHAVIOR CODE POLICIES

Academic and Behavior Honor Code

Registration at IAU requires adherence to the Institute’s standards of academic integrity and behavior. Students are expected to approach their academic work with dedication and integrity, understanding that they are responsible for enhancing their own learning through personal effort. They also agree to be fully prepared for each class session and not to engage in any of the Prohibited Academic Actions listed below. Students should note that this list is not exhaustive and merely represents a sampling of unacceptable offenses. Violation of these or any other acts that are deemed unsuitable and which reflect poorly on a student, classmates, and/or the IAU, is grounds for dismissal from the program without refund.

Prohibited Academic Actions

Plagiarism
Submitting material that in part or whole is not entirely one's own work without attributing those same portions to their correct source.
Cheating: Using unauthorized notes, study aids, or information on an examination; altering a graded work after it has been returned, then submitting the work for re-grading; allowing another person to do one's work and submitting that work under one's own name; submitting identical or similar papers (or major parts of papers) for credit in more than one course (or more than once in a single course) without prior permission from the course instructors. Persons who assist cheating by sharing their work are also guilty of cheating.

Fabrication
Falsifying or inventing any information, data, or citation; presenting data that were not gathered in accordance with standard guidelines defining the appropriate methods for collecting or generating data, and failing to include an accurate account of the method by which the data were gathered or collected.

Obtaining an unfair advantage
(a) Stealing, reproducing, circulating, or otherwise gaining access to examination materials prior to the time authorized by the instructor; (b) stealing, destroying, defacing, or concealing library materials with the purpose of depriving others of their use; (c) collaborating in an unauthorized manner on an academic assignment; (d) retaining, possessing, using or circulating previously given examination materials, where those materials clearly indicate that they are to be returned to the instructor at the conclusion of the examination; (e) intentionally obstructing or interfering with another student's academic work; (f) otherwise undertaking activity with the purpose of creating or obtaining an unfair academic advantage over other students.

Falsification of records and official documents
Altering documents affecting academic records; forging signatures of authorization or falsifying information on an official academic document, grade, report, letter of permission, petition, drop/add form, ID card, or any other official Institute document.
Unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems: Viewing or altering computer records, modifying computer programs or systems, releasing or dispensing information gained via unauthorized access, or interfering with the use or availability of computer systems or information.

Acceptable Standards of Behavior

Students agree to follow these Acceptable Standards of Behavior:

General: Students enrolled at IAU are expected to act in a respectful and courteous manner towards classmates, host families, IAU faculty members and staff, community members, and local authorities. Because it is very important to stay safe in a study abroad experience, students must be active participants in the matter of their own safety and health. Behavior that risks one’s own welfare or the welfare of others will not be tolerated. Any questions about proper conduct while in France may be addressed to IAU staff. IAU reserves the right to dismiss students without refund because of acts which violate these principles.

Classroom Conduct:
Attendance: Regular class attendance is expected of all students. Class attendance is a factor in the final assessment of a student’s academic performance. A student with what the instructor, Center Director, or Dean considers excessive absences may be dismissed from the Institute. IAU professors are empowered to impose academic sanctions (including a lowered grade or even failure) upon students for unexcused absences, frequent tardiness, work submitted late, etc.

Alcohol and Drug Policy: Binge drinking and drinking to get drunk are generally considered culturally inappropriate in Europe. Alcohol may be consumed, within reasonable limits, by students who are of legal age in France. Students who choose to consume alcohol do so with the knowledge that they remain responsible for their actions at all times and are expected to drink responsibly. Excessive and irresponsible drinking, leading to intoxication and behavior that interferes with the program or the rights of others, is subject to immediate disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the program without refund or credit.

Students are prohibited from selling, using, or possessing any drug considered by host country law to be illicit or illegal. Students are cautioned that the possession of drugs is often dealt with harshly by host country law enforcement. NOTE: Any drug infraction will be considered a grave violation of IAU policy and will result in immediate disciplinary action, including possible dismissal from the program without refund or credit.

Misconduct Review Procedure

The policy of the Institute regarding academic misconduct is one of zero tolerance. In a case of suspected misconduct, the following procedure applies:

If the case comes to light before the end of the semester, the Center Director and the professor will convene the student to ask him/her to explain the incident. If the student has already returned to the U.S. when the suspected misconduct is discovered, the Center Director will contact the student by telephone or e-mail to request an explanation and will confer with the professor about the information offered by the student. The Director and the professor will rule on the guilt or innocence of the student and establish the penalty in case of guilt. Depending upon the seriousness of the offense, penalties may cover the following range: re-doing the given assignment or test for a new grade; a grade of "F" on the given assignment or test; a grade of "F" for the course; or expulsion from the Institute. Within two weeks, the Dean of Academic Affairs will inform the student in writing of the decision and any applicable penalties, with a copy to the President of the Institute. In case of a guilty ruling, the student is also informed of the following appeals procedure:

A student may appeal a ruling by written request to the President within two weeks of notice of that decision. In case of appeal, the President will appoint an appeals panel composed of one administrative representative (not the Dean of Academic Affairs), one faculty member (not the professor of the course) and, if possible, one student. The panel will gather evidence and rule as to the guilt/innocence and as to any applicable penalties within a reasonable period of time. The panel will inform the student of its ruling in writing, with a copy to the President and to the student’s home institution.

Within two weeks of written notification of the appeals panel’s ruling, the student may appeal by written request to the President. The President will inform the student and the student’s home institution in writing of the ruling. The President's ruling is final.

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