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Syracuse University has suspended all SU Abroad center programs for spring 2021 due to the coronavirus, an SU official confirmed Monday. The suspended programs include those in London and Madrid, as well as in Florence, Italy; Santiago, Chile; and Strasbourg, France. 

Most of the university’s world partner programs have also been canceled, but SU will continue to assess those that remain open, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, in a statement to The Daily Orange. World partner programs in South Korea and Japan may remain open and serve some international students, she said. 

“Although we have made every effort to offer our students a robust study abroad experience next semester,” said Erika Wilkens, assistant provost and executive director of the SU Abroad office, in a release, “Much to our disappointment, we are unable to guarantee the quality global learning experience you expect from Syracuse Abroad programs.”

Students can defer their spring 2021 SU Abroad application and receive priority placement for summer 2021 or fall 2021 programs without reapplying. Summer 2021 programs and certain seminars are still available at most Syracuse Abroad centers, Wilkens said. 

Students who would face challenges completing their degree if they were to study abroad next fall can also petition to complete courses online from SU’s Main Campus, she said. 

SU will reimburse students’ application fee and other deposits if they decide not to defer either summer or fall terms. 

“We all at Syracuse University are committed to helping you as you now pursue alternative plans for the spring semester, and hopefully for a future semester abroad,” Wilkens said.

Published on November 23, 2020 at 1:55 pm

Contact Abby: akweiss@syr.edu | @abbyweiss_21