Proposing a study tour 

The Office of International Programs (OIP) offers services to help faculty propose, plan and conduct study tours either as part of a course or as standalone learning opportunities for students. Study tours offer students the opportunity to go aboard for a short period of time (1-6 weeks). Faculty get to define how the study abroad experience will augment their students’ learning outside the classroom. All faculty can lead a study tour, and can even work with other faculty to merge or combine courses on one trip. NEIU requires that a trip be led by two faculty. All participants in an NEIU study tour must be connected to the University as faculty, staff or students. Alumni may also participate if there are extra spaces available, but they will not receive any subsidy. OIP provides an informational presentation each May to explain the process of proposing a tour, how to conduct a study tour and answering faculty’s questions.  

If you are interested in how to propose a study tour, download the forms below and visit the OIP office. Proposes for the next academic year are due around July 1, and the selected tours are announced in early August. In most years, OIP is able to offer a small stipend to offset some of the costs for about six to eight tours. If your trip was not picked, don’t worry, we can still help you execute your trip!  

Please review the following PowerPoint and download the following forms to submit your proposal: 

Once you have completed your proposal, submit one electonic and one paper copy to: Dr. Toffolo, OIP Interim Director, at c-toffolo@neiu.edu or drop them off at LWH 0007. For questions contact her at (773) 442-5493. 

Pre-Tour Preparation 

Once your trip has been announced, you will need to advertise it to the students. We will issue you 20 posters of your trip and send out a Targeted Announcement. You should host one or more meetings to explain the tour to prospective students. During this time, you will start preparing a detailed itinerary and obtaining quotes for the trip expenses. At this time, you will also begin filling out requisitions for flights and hotels, etc. 

We will also set deadlines for students to make payments in installments. Fundraising is a creative way to make it more affordable for students to participate in a study tour. You will meet with OIP, which can help keep you on track and make sure everything is set before you travel.  

OIP will give you a set of forms that students must complete in order to apply to participate in a tour.   

Six weeks before departure, the faculty member must meet with the OIP director to obtain the following forms, and learn about NEIU’s required budget recording-keeping: 

  • Student Activity Travel Authorization Request and Encumbrance (STARE) 

  • List of Travelers 

  • Cash Advance (30 days before travel) 

  • Trip Insurance cards 

  • Medical info. Sheet for each traveler 

You must conduct a mandatory predeparture orientation session for all travelers. We also strongly advise that you set up a WhatsApp group to be able to stay in contact with all travelers, and to notify the U.S. Embassy in the country that you will be there. This allows them to know when U.S. citizens are in the country and to be able to notify them in case of an emergency. For more information and to register your group, Frequently Asked Questions in step.state.gov. 

During and Post Tour 

While you are on the trip, KEEP ALL RECEIPTS of purchases you have made for the study tour. You will be reimbursed only for items for which you have a receipt. We recommend using an Excel sheet and a daily log to enter expenses as they are made. This will save you time when you have to submit the Travel Report after your return. On the last day of the tour, have all students sign the Travelers List Form.  

If a student violates the term of contracts (which is mentioned in the student application) or needs to travel back home, it is important to notify OIP ASAP to help with emergency decision making.  

Please send info and photos while on the trip to the OIP Facebook page: @NEIUOIP. 

After you return, you have 30 days to submit your travel expense report and all receipts. You must make an appointment with our office to review all the documents and fill out any forms needed to close out your trip.