The interest form collects information on:

• Your contact details
• Your academic department details
• Proposed program title
• Location(s) of the program
• Proposed courses you'll teach* 
• Which Summer Session you'll teach*

INTEREST FORM

After you've submitted the interest form, or if you have questions about it, reach out to the Education Abroad Staff Contacts. We are happy to talk with you as you sign an MOU and prepare your FLEAP proposal (Step 3). You can also attend an Info Session.

* This information may not be required if this is a non-credit program.

After you have submitted your interest form, we'll send you a Memo of Understanding (MOU) via DocuSign that outlines the responsibilities of the faculty leader and Education Abroad office. Please sign this form in addition to the proposal (Step 3). 

• Sample MOU (Summer 2024)

After you submit an interest form and sign an MOU, you'll submit a FLEAP proposal, up to 18 months before your program departure.

As part of your preparation, email and/or set up exploratory calls with at least two third-party providers (TPPs) listed here and collect at least two bids. Anticipate that you'll be waiting 3-6 weeks for a proposal bid from each provider (maybe longer over the holidays), so plan accordingly.

If this is your first time leading a FLEAP, as a faculty, you are responsible for contacting and selecting a bid from at least one provider and submitting your proposal and your selected TPP's proposal/itinerary by January 15. 

Attach a draft syllabus or syllabi* for your program, too (*this information may not be required if this is a non-credit program).

Faculty-led Education abroad program (FLEAP) proposal Form

• Sample 3-week FLEAP Proposal (English Literature in England)
• Sample 4-week FLEAP Proposal (Computer Science in Japan)
• Sample 5-week FLEAP Proposal (Environmental Sciences in Italy)

You may start to promote your program as soon as you are accepted. Recruit a minimum of 12 student applicants with confirmed deposits by the February 15 deadline (the February before your summer program). Remember that there is a lot of "melt" in applications, so we recommend you speak with at least 50 students to meet this minimum enrollment. 

If you don't have a finalized budget for your program, we recommend you still collect student interest forms. Upon faculty request, the EA office may create an online interest form and collaborate on joint info sessions.

FLEAP Application Info:

• Students need to apply and make a $300 nonrefundable deposit before February 15 for your summer program.
• If there are not at least 12 deposits by the February before your summer program, we may refund the students their $300, and the program is unlikely to run.
• If there are more than 20 deposits, we may employ a waitlist for students based on first-come-first-served.
• We will open the applications on MyUCRAbroad. 
• If the applications aren't open yet, please encourage students to create their MyUCRAbroad profile.

The EA office can assist you in student outreach and recruitment. Request a classroom visit here.

As soon as your program is approved, meet with the EA office and Financial and Administrative Solutions Team (FAST) to create a FLEAP budget (download sample), which finalizes the program cost per student. You will also sign a Faculty Agreement Form. You may have more than one meeting to review budget details, so start this process as soon as possible. 

Complete all FLEAP documents in the summer, including:

• FLEAP proposal (Step 3)
• Third-party provider bid, attached to your FLEAP proposal (Step 3)
• MOU (Step 2)
• FLEAP Budget (Step 4) - sample 

After all FLEAP faculty submit all program documents, we send them to the following offices for review and approval, which may take 2-3 months:

• Vice Provost of International Affairs
• Financial Planning and Analysis Office
• Chancellor's office

Over the Summer, collaborate with the EA office to review and build content on the MyUCRAbroad application portal, website, social media, and flyers. Discuss how you'll promote the program through classroom talks, info sessions, attending the Worldfest study abroad fair, and more. 

Ideal deadline for MyUCRAbroad: Mid-September.

After all FLEAP faculty have their documents approved, we will send you a Faculty Agreement Form via DocuSign that outlines the agreed-upon costs and responsibilities of leading the FLEAP program.

Sample Faculty Agreement Form (2023)

Students can apply when the MyUCRAbroad application portal posts the FLEAP program details in the fall quarter. At least 12 students must also pay a $300 deposit to ensure their applications are considered "submitted." Continue to recruit students through info sessions, classroom talks, and more.

The student application deadline is February 14.

Sometimes, the deadline may be extended to early or mid-March if enrollment is close (e.g., 9 or 10 students) and the third-party provider agrees to the extension.

After your final application deadline, you can review applicants, accept at least 12 students on a first-come-first-served basis, and create waitlists if necessary. If there are fewer than 12 students, the Education Abroad Office may choose to communicate with program participants about options.

The EA office assists by sending acceptance and non-acceptance emails. 

The EA office reviews which FLEAP programs meet the minimum enrollment number of 12 students who have paid the deposits. The EA office then communicates the programs' "go" and "no-go" statuses based on minimum enrollment numbers.

UCR faculty and students prepare for departure, such as:

• Enrollment in courses
• Applying for passports and/or visas
• Buying flights
• Meeting to discuss financial aid and scholarships
• Attending pre-departure meetings and safety orientations

UCR faculty also finalize travel plans, including any airfare or hotel reservations.

UCR faculty and students leave on FLEAP programs.

UCR faculty and students return from their FLEAP programs and document and/or present their experiences.

Faculty also complete their travel reimbursement process.