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Faculty-Led Travel Courses

Faculty-Led trips are group study programs led by Western Carolina University faculty. Programs can be either international or domestic in nature. They usually last 1-4 weeks and are often for-credit! 

Faculty Led Study Abroad Course in Spain

 

After completing a Faculty-Led Travel Course, many students pursue a study abroad exchange. Faculty-Led Travel Courses are different from Study Abroad.

Costs and course requirements vary between programs, but all students must be in good academic standing in order to be accepted. Program details and requirements will be clearly outlined in each trip within the the WCU ViaTRM portal. 

Not sure if you qualify? Email the listed trip leaders for more information. This information will be listed in Find a Trip and WCU ViaTRM program listings.

Frequently Asked Questions for Students

  1. Follow the ViaTRM program link for your course. You will either receive this from a professor or follow the link under Find a Trip
  2. Click Apply in the program's upper right hand corner or Apply Now under "Term Information"
  3. Log-in to ViaTRM (abroad.wcu.edu) with your WCU log-in information by clicking "Go to Portal".
    • WCU employees attending in a student capacity must use their catamount email
    • Approved non-WCU participants should click "sign up" to create an account
  4. Complete the application form
  5. Complete My Profile and fill out information not imported from Banner.
  6. Add messages@via-trm.com to your contact list. Important application information and program updates will come from this address. 

In Review
We have received your application and will notify the program leaders that you applied.
If the program requires an interview or other processes to be approved for participation, leaders will reach out to you during this stage of the application.

Conditionally Approved
Congratulations! The program leaders have approved you for participation in this course.
You can now pay the deposit and complete required legal forms. All of this is completed through ViaTRM (abroad.wcu.edu).  Login and click on the appropriate course in My Programs.

Accepted
You have paid the deposit! ViaTRM will now ask you to commit to this trip. 
By committing to this trip you affirm that you will attend this trip and complete all requirements as indicated by program leaders and WCU Global. You understand that WCU Global will register you for this course when registration is available.

Committed
You have committed to this trip!
Stay tuned for updates about the program. Questions? Don't hesitate to reach out to program leaders for assistance.

Not Accepted
1. The program was full and couldn't accept any more students.
2. You did not meet one of more of the program admission requirements.
3. You application was not approved for another reason. Reach out to the program leader with questions.

Waitlisted
The program has currently approved the maximum number of applicants.
If approved participants drop the program, waitlisted applicants are eligible for consideration to take their place in the program. Questions? Don't hesitate to reach out to program leaders for assistance.

This deposit is required to reserve your place in a program and is non-refundable following the deadline. Your program's deposit deadline will be clearly listed in ViaTRM (abroad.wcu.edu) and should also be communicated by the program leaders. You cannot be registered for a course without this payment. This is not an additional fee. The $500 deposit will be credited to your student account when WCU trip charges are posted. 

In the rare instance that your program requires a deposit be paid directly to an approved third-party organization, that payment is in addition to the $500 despoit required by WCU. 

Once your application is Conditionally Approved, forms will be made available on ViaTRM under your course in My Programs.  You may receive a message from messages@via-trm.com about this.  Click the form entitled Faculty-Led Deposit to get started.

Pay with a Credit Card
In the Faculty-Led Deposit for, Click "Make a Payment" to visit the faculty-led payment portal. Select your program and follow payment instructions. The quoted price includes a 3% processing fee.

Pay with Cash, Check, or Money Order

PAYING IN PERSON
Bring payment in cash, check, and money order to 109 Cordelia Camp Building. Bring a piece of paper with the following information when you make the payment:

Your name + 920# + catamount email address + faculty-led program for which you are depositing

MAILING PAYMENT
Mail payment to the address below. It is vital that you thoroughly read and follow all instuctions. Never put cash in the mail.

WCU Global - Faculty Led
109 Cordelia Camp
69 E Univeristy Way
Cullowhee, NC 2872

  • We strongly advise that money orders be mailed with tracking. Western Carolina University is not responsible for payment that is lost in the mail or does not arrive at its intended destination. Always retain your money order receipt and proof of payment, until we confirm that payment arrived.
  • Make checks and money orders out to "Western Carolina University". Payment should never be made out to our office or an individual person.
  • Checks and money orders must be drawn on a United States bank. We recommend that money orders be made at a USPS Postal Office location.
  • Include a piece of paper with the following information in your envelope:

Your name + 920# + catamount email address + faculty-led program for which you are depositing

Contact facultyledtravel@wcu.edu regarding payment questions or issues.

Final charges are generally added to your student account by WCU during normal semester billing dates. See below for an approximate billing schedule. 

FALL
Billed Mid-July
SPRING 
Billed Late November (prior year)
SUMMER
Billed Mid-April

In order to participate, your student account must be $0 at 12:00am on the first day of your program.

Payment will be made via MyWCU, like you would for any other WCU charge. Reach out to Student Accounts (Killian Annex) for guidance if you need assistance with this.

Eligible financial aid awards must be memo-ed or applied to your student account in order for WCU Global to consider it as valid payment. Reach out to facultyledtravel@wcu.edu with questions about this. Include your 920# and information release code with the request.

You must be registered in the program/course in order for charges to appear on your account. See [How do I Register for My Program?] for more information.

In order to be registered in a program/course, you must have applied, been accepted, paid the depost, and committed to attend in ViaTRM. Following the deposit deadline, WCU Global will meet with program leaders. After program leaders confirm that a course will run, WCU Global works with the Registrar’s Office to register you in Banner. You are not able to register for this course/program by yourself.

Before withdrawing from a faculty-led program, make sure you are aware of all potential associated financial penalties. Read [What is the Refund Policy?] for more related information.

You are personally responsible for withdrawing from the program in ViaTRM. Our office and your program leader will not do this on your behalf.

Step 1: Consider your timeline

  • Participants who paid the WCU Deposit and withdraw prior to the deposit deadline, will receive their WCU deposit back in full minus any indicated processing fees.
  • Participants who withdraw from the course following thier program's deposit deadline are not guaranteed a refund (in part or in full).

Step 2: Talk to the program leaders

  • Tell them you want to drop the course
  • Discuss your concerns about the program. Perhaps they can address your concerns.

Step 3: Withdraw your application

  • Log-in to ViaTRM (abroad.wcu.edu)
  • Click My Programs and select the course from which you wish to withdraw
  • Underneath the header image and program dates find where it asks "No longer going?". 
  • Click Withdraw. Select withdrawal reason(s) in the new pop-up, and then Withdraw Application.
  • This program will continue to appear under My Programs, but will now show as withdrawn.

    If you are Accepted or Committed status - Your request will require secondary approval in ViaTRM from WCU Global.

Questions about this process? Contact our office at facultyledtravels@wcu.edu

Refunds following the program deposit deadline are not guaranteed.

Participants who paid the WCU Deposit and withdraw prior to the deposit deadline, will receive their WCU deposit back in full minus any indicated processing fees.

Participants who withdraw from the course following the program's deposit deadline are not guaranteed a refund (in part or in full).  

Programs cancelled by program leaders due to underenrollment, following the program's deposit deadline, will generally result in a full refund of the deposit. 

The university cannot and will not refund money paid directly by program participants to a third-party organization. Program fees billed by WCU Student Accounts, and payments made directly to your WCU student account, are the only fees which may be eligible for a partial refund.

The potential for a participant’s refund is directly affected by program related expenses already paid on the student’s behalf and the related refund policies of associated services. Non-recouperable funds already spent on the student’s behalf and WCU administrative fees are non-refundable. 

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