Title 31

SECTION 515.565

515.565 Educational activities.

§ 515.565 Educational activities.

(a) General license for educational activities. (1) Accredited U.S. undergraduate or graduate degree-granting academic institutions, their students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the institution, and their full-time permanent employees, are authorized to engage, under the auspices of the institutions, in transactions, including the travel-related transactions set forth in § 515.560(c), that are directly incident to the following activities:

(i) Participation in a structured educational program in Cuba as part of a course offered at the U.S. institution, provided the program includes a full term, and in no instance includes fewer than 10 weeks, of study in Cuba. An individual planning to engage in such transactions must obtain a letter from the U.S. institution stating that the individual is a student currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the institution, or is a full-time permanent employee of the institution, and that the Cuba-related travel is part of a structured educational program of the U.S. institution that will be no shorter than 10 weeks in duration;

(ii) Noncommercial academic research in Cuba specifically related to Cuba and for the purpose of obtaining a graduate degree. A student planning to engage in such transactions must obtain a letter from the U.S. institution stating that the individual is a student currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at the U.S. institution and that the research in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward that degree;

(iii) Participation in a formal course of study at a Cuban academic institution, provided the formal course of study in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward the student's undergraduate or graduate degree at the U.S. institution and provided that the course of study is no shorter than 10 weeks in duration. An individual planning to engage in such transactions must obtain a letter from the U.S. institution stating that the individual is a student currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the U.S. institution and that the study in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward that degree and will be no shorter than 10 weeks in duration;

(iv) Teaching at a Cuban academic institution by an individual regularly employed in a teaching capacity at the U.S. institution, provided the teaching activities are related to an academic program at the Cuban institution and provided that the duration of the teaching will be no shorter than 10 weeks. An individual planning to engage in such transactions must obtain a letter from the U.S. institution stating that the individual is a full-time permanent employee regularly employed in a teaching capacity at the U.S. institution;

(v) Sponsorship of a Cuban scholar to teach or engage in other scholarly activity at the U.S. institution (in addition to those transactions authorized by the general license contained in § 515.571); and

Note to paragraph (a)(1)(v):

See § 515.571(a) for authorizations related to certain banking transactions and receipt of salary or other compensation by Cuban nationals present in the United States in a non-immigrant status or pursuant to other non-immigrant travel authorization issued by the U.S. government.

(vi) The organization of, and preparation for, the activities described in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (a)(1)(v) of this section by a full-time permanent employee of the U.S. institution. An individual engaging in such transactions must obtain a letter from the U.S. institution stating that the individual is a full-time permanent employee of the U.S. institution.

(2) To the extent not authorized in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction, including U.S. academic institutions and their faculty, staff, and students, are authorized to engage in transactions, including the travel-related transactions set forth in § 515.560(c), that are directly incident to the following activities, provided that any travel-related transactions pursuant to these authorizations take place under the auspices of an organization that is a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction, and further provided that all such travelers be accompanied by a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction who is an employee, paid consultant, agent, or other representative of the sponsoring organization, except in cases where the traveler is an employee, paid consultant, agent, or other representative traveling individually (not as part of a group) and the individual traveler obtains a letter from the sponsoring organization stating that: The individual is traveling to Cuba as an employee, paid consultant, agent, or other representative (including specifying the responsibilities of the individual that make him or her a representative) of the sponsoring organization; the individual is acting for or on behalf of, or otherwise representing, the sponsoring organization; and the individual's travel to Cuba is related to his or her role at the sponsoring organization:

(i) Participation in a structured educational program in Cuba as part of a course offered for credit by a U.S. graduate or undergraduate degree-granting academic institution that is sponsoring the program;

(ii) Noncommercial academic research in Cuba specifically related to Cuba and for the purpose of obtaining an undergraduate or graduate degree;

(iii) Participation in a formal course of study at a Cuban academic institution, provided the formal course of study in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward the student's graduate or undergraduate degree;

(iv) Teaching at a Cuban academic institution related to an academic program at the Cuban institution, provided that the individual is regularly employed by a U.S. or other non-Cuban academic institution;

(v) Sponsorship of a Cuban scholar to teach or engage in other scholarly activity at the sponsoring U.S. academic institution (in addition to those transactions authorized by the general license contained in § 515.571).

Note to paragraph (a)(2)(v):

(vi) Educational exchanges sponsored by Cuban or U.S. secondary schools involving secondary school students' participation in a formal course of study or in a structured educational program offered by a secondary school or other academic institution and led by a teacher or other secondary school official. This includes participation by a reasonable number of adult chaperones to accompany the secondary school students to Cuba;

(vii) Sponsorship or co-sponsorship of non-commercial academic seminars, conferences, symposia, and workshops related to Cuba or global issues involving Cuba and attendance at such events by faculty, staff, and students of a participating U.S. academic institution;

(viii) Establishment of academic exchanges and joint non-commercial academic research projects with universities or academic institutions in Cuba;

(ix) Provision of standardized testing services, including professional certificate examinations, university entrance examinations, and language examinations, and related preparatory services for such exams, to Cuban nationals, wherever located;

(x) Provision of Internet-based courses, including distance learning and Massive Open Online Courses, to Cuban nationals, wherever located, provided that the course content is at the undergraduate level or below;

(xi) The organization of, and preparation for, activities described in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) through (a)(2)(x) of this section by an employee, paid consultant, agent, or other representative of the sponsoring organization that is a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction; and

(xii) Facilitation by an organization that is a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction, or a member of the staff of such an organization, of licensed educational activities in Cuba on behalf of U.S. academic institutions or secondary schools, provided that:

(A) The organization is directly affiliated with one or more U.S. academic institutions or secondary schools; and

(B) The organization facilitates educational activities that meet the requirements of one or more of the general licenses set forth in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (iii), (a)(2)(i) through (iii), and (a)(2)(vi) of this section.

Note to paragraph (a)(2):

The authorizations in this paragraph extend to adjunct faculty and part-time staff of U.S. academic institutions. A student enrolled in a U.S. academic institution is authorized pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section to participate in the academic activities in Cuba described through any sponsoring U.S. academic institution.

Example to paragraph (a)(2):An individual undergraduate student serves as a research assistant at his or her U.S. undergraduate degree-granting academic institution. This individual may travel to Cuba to engage in noncommercial academic research specifically related to Cuba for the purpose of obtaining an undergraduate degree pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section if the student is either accompanied by an employee, paid consultant, agent, or other representative of the academic institution (either individually or as part of a group), or has obtained a letter from the institution stating that the student is an employee, paid consultant, agent, or other representative (including specifying the responsibilities that make him or her a representative) of the academic institution, that the student is acting for or on behalf of or otherwise representing the academic institution, and that the student's travel to Cuba is related to his or her role at the academic institution. Note 1 to paragraph (a):

See § 515.560(c)(6) for an authorization for individuals to open and maintain accounts at Cuban financial institutions; see § 515.573 for an authorization for entities conducting educational activities authorized by § 515.565(a) to establish a physical presence in Cuba, including an authorization to open and maintain accounts at Cuban financial institutions.

Note 2 to paragraph (a):

The export or reexport to Cuba of goods (including software) or technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR parts 730 through 774) may require separate authorization from the Department of Commerce.

Note 3 to paragraph (a):

See § 515.590(a) for an authorization for the provision of educational grants, scholarships, or awards to a Cuban national or in which Cuba or a Cuban national otherwise has an interest.

Note 4 to paragraph (a):

Each person relying on the general authorization in this paragraph must retain specific records related to the authorized travel transactions. See §§ 501.601 and 501.602 of this chapter for applicable recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

(b) General license for certain people-to-people travel and related transactions where certain transactions were completed prior to June 5, 2019. Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are authorized to engage in people-to-people travel and related transactions for a trip consistent with paragraph (b) of this section as those provisions existed on April 17, 2019, provided the traveler completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation) for that particular trip prior to June 5, 2019.

(c) Certain direct financial transactions restricted. Nothing in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section authorizes a direct financial transaction prohibited by § 515.209.

(d) General license for certain educational travel and related transactions where certain transactions were completed prior to November 9, 2017. Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are authorized to engage in educational travel and related transactions for a trip consistent with paragraph (a) of this section as those provisions existed on June 16, 2017, provided the traveler completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation) for that particular trip prior to November 9, 2017 and further provided any new travel-related transactions initiated on or after November 9, 2017 do not involve a direct financial transaction prohibited by § 515.209.

(e) General license for certain people-to-people travel and related transactions where certain transactions were completed prior to June 16, 2017. Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are authorized to engage in people-to-people travel and related transactions for a trip consistent with paragraphs (b)(1)-(3) of this section as those provisions existed on June 16, 2017, provided the traveler completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation) for that particular trip prior to June 16, 2017, and further provided any new travel-related transactions initiated on or after November 9, 2017 do not involve a direct financial transaction prohibited by § 515.209.

(f) Certain travel-related transactions restricted. Nothing in paragraph (a), (b), (d), or (e) of this section authorizes the lodging, paying for lodging, or making any reservation for or on behalf of a third party to lodge, at any property on the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List to the extent prohibited by § 515.210.

(g) Transactions related to activities that are primarily tourist-oriented are not authorized pursuant to this section.

(h) Specific licenses. Specific licenses may be issued on a case-by-case basis authorizing the travel-related transactions set forth in § 515.560(c) and such other transactions as are related to educational activities that do not qualify for the general license under paragraph (a) of this section.

[82 FR 52000, Nov. 9, 2017, as amended at 84 FR 25992, June 5, 2019; 85 FR 60071, Sept. 24, 2020]