Emily Zider, Coordinator of Education Abroad at USM, announced in an email on Monday that due to continuing concerns over COVID-19, USM will not be offering study abroad for the fall semester.
The decision comes from the University of Maine system, as it was officially posted on their website, stating “Due to continued concerns regarding COVID-19 throughout the world, current U.S. Department of State and CDC travel advisories, and lack of key infrastructure and resources world-wide due to the pandemic, there will be no outbound fall study abroad programming with a travel start date before December 18, 2020.”
Study abroad students in the Spring semester had their programs abruptly end due to COVID-19, being sent home in the middle of the semester. International students studying abroad at USM were also sent home, with some having to find living off campus until their scheduled travel home.
The Office of International Programs will continue to keep all application items on file with the possibility of having study abroad in the 2021 Spring semester.