COVID-19 Information

At COWA, our number one priority is ensuring the health and safety of our students while abroad –– this is why our team has developed the following protocols in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand that we are living in uncertain times, which is why we strive for clear communication in order to offer assurance to students and families. We continue adapting our COVID protocols and rules to the codes of conduct and protocols established by the Spanish Health Ministry and local Sevillian authorities.  
These protocols will allow students to make the most of their experience abroad, while assuring their health and safety. These measures aim to address fundamental aspects of the abroad experience such as academics, housing, travel, and health, that may be impacted as a result of COVID-19. Our policies and protocols have been developed based upon resources from the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. State Department, and the Spanish Ministry of Health, and we will continuously consult these resources to guarantee our measures remain up to date and in line with expert, scientific guidelines. 
We encourage students and families to further inform themselves using the tools available from the WHO, CDC, U.S. State Department and the Spanish Ministry of Health.
Additional queries regarding COWA’s COVID-19 policies and procedures, can be directed to: contact@cowa.es.

FAQs

Health & Safety

What will students' living situation be while in Seville?
  • Students will live with Spanish families in homestays
  • We continue adapting our COVID protocols and rules to the codes of conduct and protocols established by the Spanish Health Ministry and local Sevillian authorities
What are COWA's quarantine procedures?
  • If a student, faculty member or COWA staff member tests positive for COVID-19, all program members who have had contact with this individual will have to get tested and self-isolate
  • If a student needs to self-isolate due to suspected exposure, known exposure or if they are awaiting test results, they will be confined to their bedroom and bathroom in their homestay
  • While in self-isolation, students will receive all 3 meals to their bedroom. They will also be provided with any technological tools or medications that may be necessary
Will students be provided protective equipment?
  • All students will receive a personal “COVID kit” upon arrival to Spain. This will include a thermometer, 2 reusable masks, and 2 bottles of hand sanitiser
  • The appropriate cleaning supplies will be available in all homestays and COWA facilities
How does COWA maintain clean and safe facilities?
  • All classrooms, offices and study spaces at COWA headquarters use DucFit, a patented air filtering system by CleanAir that eliminates more than 99.9% of viruses and bacteria in the air and on surfaces
  • All classrooms will also contain hand sanitiser and disinfecting materials. They will be disinfected after each class
Will students have access to COVID-19 testing?
  • All students will have access to COVID-19 testing through the local medical centers and hospitals with which COWA collaborates
  • GeoBlue insurance company has announced that they will cover any costs related to COVID-19 testing for their international community
What are COWA's travel and daily life policies in regards to COVID-19?
  • COWA will follow and enforce all local guidelines regarding: social distancing, mask requirements, and local movement restrictions
  • In regards to voluntary international travel, students will be subject to the restrictions set forth by their host university as well as those imposed by the Spanish government and other foreign authorities

Academics & Refunds

Does COWA have an academic contingency plan?
  • Yes, COWA has two academic contingency plans: Plan A, a hybrid model and Plan B, an entirely online teaching environment
  • Plan A will be implemented in the case that in-person classes are suspended for any reason related to COVID-19 (if a student tests positive, if there is a government-instituted lockdown, etc.)
  • Plan B will be activated if students return to the US (by choice or by requirement)
What is academic contingency Plan A?
  • Plan A consists of synchronous online learning
  • All classes will be moved online, in an online lecture style, using video-conferencing technologies such as Zoom or Google Meet
  • Students will attend online class during the normal class time and complete assignments on their own time
What is academic contingency Plan B?
  • Plan B consists of asynchronous learning
  • Due to the time difference, lectures will be either prerecorded or classes will be reading and presentation based
  • Students will complete more written and tangible assignments, thus reducing the need for live student-teacher interaction
  • Professors will have set “office hours” in which they will be available online for questions and assistance
Will I get a refund if the program is suspended or cancelled?
  • If the program is cancelled due to government restrictions, students will be issued a full refund
  • If the program is suspended after the start date because COWA determines that the conditions are unsafe for our students, students will be recommended to return home and COWA will issue recoverable cost refunds only if and when COWA has recovered actual expenses from its vendors and/or host families
  • Tuition is not refundable if students are provided an option to continue pursuing courses online for credit. In cases where COWA is not able to provide an option for students to continue pursuing credit, students may be eligible for a refund of recoverable tuition costs
Will I be eligible to receive a refund if I voluntarily withdraw from the program?
  • Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program less than 14 days before the program’s official arrival date will be eligible for a refund of recoverable costs as determined by COWA at the time of their written withdrawal notice
  • Students voluntarily withdrawing on or after the program’s official arrival date will receive no refund
  • Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program after the program’s arrival date due to a serious illness (not pandemic related), injury or a serious family medical emergency are eligible to receive recoverable cost refunds. All emergency withdrawals must be documented in writing by a physician and approved in advance in consultation with COWA and our partner universities. The amount of any possible recoverable cost refund will be determined on a case-by-case basis in the sole discretion of COWA