What is the process of authorizing provider programs?

A detailed walk-through of the authorization process, including examples

An authorized program, one of the two different kinds of programs in Via Global, is a program brochure created by one organization and authorized into another organization’s Via Global account.

All authorized programs and terms are housed in the Program Dashboard, specifically in the following views:

• Authorized – all programs that’ve been authorized; available for Travelers to see
• Unauthorized – all programs that have not been but can be authorized; not available for Travelers to see
• Authorized terms – all terms that are associated with programs that’ve been authorized

In the example below, we will use Via University as our home campus and Go Global as our provider organization. Here’s the authorized program process in Via:

1. Go Global creates and publishes a program with a future term & authorization by other institutions = allowed
2. Via University authorizes the program (this program is now visible to Travelers in the Via University account)
3. Via University creates a suitcase, which includes their application, pre-departure forms, deadlines, etc
4. Via University assigns the suitcase to the future term of the Go Global program
5. Via University Traveler applies to the Go Global program, filling out their home campus’ application
6. Via University Admin reviews & accepts home campus application
7. Via University Traveler commits to their home campus application within Via
8. Via University traveler fills out all home campus pre-departure forms within Via

Go Global creates a program

Any organization with a Via Global account can create program brochures that can be authorized by other organizations. When an organization creates a program to be authorized by another organization, they must:

• Fill out all required program content
• Add one or more future terms
• Assign a program contact
• Turn authorization by other institutions on

There are over 150 organizations or providers and counting that have free Via Global accounts, that have built program brochures for other organizations. 

As terms pass, providers must add new future terms to their program brochures. Creating new future terms ensures that there are no negative implications on partners’ historic data and that their partners’ students can successfully apply to those programs. Program brochures created in one Via Global account cannot be edited in another.

To see which providers have created programs to authorize…

1. Click Programs in the main navigation menu
2. Click Unauthorized in the sub navigation menu
3. Under the organization name filter, click the dropdown to view all providers

If an organization works with a provider that is not visible in this list, the organization can contact support@via-trm.com to set up the provider’s freemium Via Global account.

Via University authorizes the program

Once a provider creates/publishes/adds future term/s and allows authorization of their program/s, other organizations can authorize them. If an organization notices that a provider they work with does not have all programs listed they wish to authorize, we recommend contacting the provider to ask that those programs be created with future terms added.

After Via University authorizes a program into their account, admins can see the following in the program dashboard:

• The program in the authorized view
• All authorized program terms from that program in the Authorized Terms view

Via University creates a suitcase

An organization that is authorizing third-party programs must create a suitcase in order to associate their home campus application workflow with the third-party/authorized programs.

It’s up to the organization to decide what makes sense for its needs by choosing between the following:

• 1 suitcase – only 1 suitcase is created & assigned to all future authorized program terms
• Multiple suitcases – multiple suitcases are created to accommodate different workflows for different terms

Using only 1 suitcase

An Admin that creates only one suitcase likes to keep it simple! You are okay having 1 set of term details for all authorized programs. If you choose this option, we highly recommend that you do not add an application deadline or form deadlines. This means that your provider applications will always be 'open' and it also means that you will not need to continually update the application (and/or form) deadlines each term. If you do add application and form deadlines, keep in mind that they will need to be updated with each application cycle. In addition, any student past, present or future that has applied to a provider program in your account will see a fluctuating deadline as you modify it.

In this approach, Admins have 1 suitcase that can be assigned to authorized program terms. Admins can assign this suitcase to some or all future authorized program terms. This means that, when an Admin assigns that suitcase to authorized program terms, all travelers, when applying to authorized programs, will have a copy of the same application template, copies of the same form template/s, and deadlines. 

Food for thought when opting to use only 1 suitcase for all authorized program terms:

• Do you want application and/or form deadlines?
• If so, how often do you want to change deadlines to the future and make a decision for frequency, is it once a semester? Once a year? 
• Do you want to be able to filter applications by Term Name? If so, 1 suitcase is not for you!
• How far out would you like Travelers to be able to start applications? This will determine how many authorized program terms you assign the suitcase to. Only authorized terms with suitcases will have an application attached.
• Create a term name that is general enough to accommodate any time frame, example: Affiliate Term, Provider Term, etc
• Create a suitcase that utilizes that term name, the desired application template and form templates, deadlines (if desired), etc
• Assign that suitcase to desired authorized program terms
• Leave remaining authorized program terms without an assigned suitcase

Using multiple suitcases

You’d prefer having multiple sets of term details for authorized programs specific to any of the following:

• Provider organization
• Program dates
• Program length
• Program type
• Location
• Program contact
• etc

It makes the most sense with your organization’s process to keep templates and deadlines separate. This method is for you if you want to create suitcase with templates and deadlines that are specific to a term or any of the above. 

In this process, Admins create multiple suitcases that can be assigned to various authorized program terms. Admins can assign these suitcases to some or all future authorized program terms. This means that, when an Admin assigns those suitcases to authorized program terms, all Travelers, when applying to authorized programs, might not have a copy of the same application template, copies of the same form template/s, or deadlines. 

Food for thought when opting to use multiple suitcases for your authorized program terms:

• Think about how many different subsets of authorized programs you have in your portfolio,
• Make a decision how you would like to group those programs, this will determine how many suitcases you create – examples:
• • Fall 2022
  • Provider Name 2023
  • Summer
  • etc
• Think about if you care about preserving deadlines in historic data, example: you’d prefer that fall 2022 applicants had a deadline of March 15, 2022, whereas fall 2023 applicants had a deadline of March 15, 2023, this will determine if you’ll need to create multiple suitcases for each subset – examples:
  • Example 1
    • Suitcase A – application deadline = March 15, 2022, term name = Fall
    • Suitcase B – application deadline = March 15, 2023, term name = Fall
  • Example 2
    • Suitcase A – application deadline = March 15, 2022, term name = Fall 2022
    • Suitcase B – application deadline = March 15, 2023, term name = Fall 2023
• Think about whether you’d like to further distinguish each program set by year, that will determine how you create term names – examples:
  • “Fall” vs. “Fall 2022”
  • “Spring” vs. “Spring 2024”
  • etc
• Think about how far out you’d like travelers to be able to start applications, this will determine how many suitcases you create – examples:
  • Applications can be started for terms up to year 2023, terms in 2024 and beyond will not be opened
  • Applications can be started for terms up to year 2024, terms in 2025 and beyond will not be opened
  • etc
• After you’ve had a good think and you’ve made decisions, create term names
• Create suitcases to reflect your multiple terms
• Assign those suitcases to desired authorized program terms
• Leave remaining authorized program terms without an assigned suitcase

Via University assigns the suitcase

Once an organization creates one or more suitcases, they can assign them to authorized program terms. After a suitcase has been assigned to an authorized program term, Travelers will be able to apply to that program & term!