Santa Clara University

Preparing for Step 3: APPLY

Congratulations on successfully completing the Step 2: PETITION stage.  All study abroad petitions will be reviewed after Fall 2009 grades are posted on ecampus with decisions rendered via email on Friday, January 8, 2010. While awaiting your clearance to apply, we encourage you to prepare for the next stage by reviewing these various tips. We suggest you bookmark or print this page for future reference. These tips are meant to supplement the program-specific application checklist which is normally found on the provider's website. Review the General Tips which apply to all study abroad candidates, then look for the program-specific tips. These tips are based on frequently asked questions.

GENERAL TIPS

• Apply Early: As soon as you receive your email approval to apply to a program, go ahead and start on the application process. Check on the Step 3: Apply page if the program has an online application or a PDF. We highly recommend completing the online application if there is one. Then collect all the required documents found on the program-specific checklist to submit to the International Programs Office. Do NOT wait until the deadline week as spaces may fill up by students from other universities.
  
  
• Ways to Submit Program-Specific Application Materials: All required supplemental application materials MUST be submitted to the International Programs Office for review, approval, and mailing. You can submit completed application materials (we do NOT accept incomplete applications) by taking it to a Group Apply Session, to the Peer Adviser on duty at the office, or by making a 5-minute appointment with Vid Raatior. We are NOT responsible for application materials left at the office without any staff or peer adviser's knowledge so do NOT drop off your packets without anyone reviewing it with you for completion.
  
• Official Transcripts: All programs require an official transcript to be submitted with the application documents. Be sure to request the transcript from the Registrar's Office and have it sent to your local address as soon as all your Fall grades are due to avoid any delays. With over 500 students petitioning to study abroad, it can take up to a week or two for the Registrar's Office to process a transcript request. Make sure you submit the original transcript in the sealed envelope with the rest of your documents.
  
• Faculty Recommendation Forms: If your program requires a faculty recommendation form to be done, simply print the form from the program's website and give it to the faculty. A letter of recommendation is just as good without the form. Advise the faculty members to give the completed forms back to you in a SEALED envelope so you can submit it with the rest of your application documents to our office for review. Tell them not to send it on to the program as we need to review it.
• Academic Adviser Approval Form: If you haven't already done so, please make sure you make an appointment with your Academic Adviser to complete the Academic Adviser Planning / Approval Form. This form must be submitted as the Cover Sheet for your program-specific application materials.
  
• Essays or Statement of Purpose: Most programs require an essay or Statement of Purpose. Feel free to use the same or a variation of the essay you submitted as part of your SCU Petition to Study Abroad form.
• Passport-size Photos: Most programs require passport-size photos to be submitted with the other documents. Because these photos are often used for official ID and government documentation requirements, make sure you have them done wherever passport photos are done, e.g. Kinko's, Walgreen, or Costco. Make sure you ask for passport-size photos so they can be cut to the appropriate sizes. It will cost you anywhere from $8 - $80 depending on how many photos the program requires you to submit and will take at most 1 hour to get them done. Starting Winter 2010, you may be able to get your required passport size photos taken on the spot at the International Programs Office for a minimal fee. We will let you know by email if we are set up to do this as part of fundraising efforts for international scholarships.
  
• Application Fee: Most programs require an application fee to be submitted along with the documents or online. Be sure to make checks payable to the program as instructed on their application checklist. You can also submit your credit card information on the appropriate forms. Fees range from $15 - $60.
  

ARCADIA - Arcadia University

• Apply Early - Complete their online application form as soon as your petition has been approved. Then, collect all other required documents on their checklist and submit them all to the International Programs Office no later than the first week of February.
• Checklist - Make sure to review their Application Checklist to ensure you have all required documents.
  
• Study Abroad Advisor Form: Fill out the top portion of that form and submit it with the rest of the required documents. We will complete this form once you've been approved. Please complete the top part and submit it with the rest of your application materials.
• Preliminary Course Form: Most students fail to go to the URL (www.arcadia.edu/abroad/forms) as instructed to download the Preliminary Course Form for the particular Arcadia program.
  

TBC - The Beijing Center

• Apply Early - Complete their online application form as soon as your petition has been approved. Then, collect all other required documents on their checklist and submit them all to the International Programs Office no later than the first week of February.
  
• Dean of Students Recommendation Form: Simply complete the top portion and submit it with the rest of your application documents and our office will complete it for you on behalf of the Dean of Students or Office of Student Life.
  
• Academic Dean Recommendation Form: Do NOT take this form to your Dean. Our office is responsible for completing it on behalf of all the Deans. Simply complete the top portion and submit it with the rest of your documents to our office.
  
• Faculty Recommendation Form: Have a faculty member complete this form and return it to you in a sealed envelope so you can submit it to our office with the rest of your documents.
  

BU - Boston University

• Apply Early - Complete their online application form as soon as your petition has been approved. Then, collect all other required documents on their checklist and submit them all to the International Programs Office no later than the first week of February.
  
• Approval of Student Participation Form: Complete your portion of this form and submit it with the rest of your documents for review. We will complete the rest of it once you've been approved.
• Faculty Recommendation: This form must be completed by a professor who has either taught you or knows your work well. Advise the faculty to return the form to you in a sealed envelope so you can submit it with the rest of your documents to our office.
• Individual Program Instructions: Be sure to review the checklist for specific BU program locations. This is found on page 2 of their application checklist.
  

C.I.E.E. - Council for International Educational Exchanges

• Apply Early - Complete their online application form as soon as your petition has been approved. Then, collect all other required documents on their checklist and submit them all to the International Programs Office no later than the first week of February.
  
• Home School Nomination Form: Complete the top section entitled "For the Applicant to Complete" and turn in the form to our office with the rest of your documents. We will complete it once you have been approved.
  
• Online Checklist: Your CIEE online account has a checklist for you to follow. Be sure everything on that checklist is done.
  
• School of Record Nomination Form: SCU accepts CIEE transcripts so we do not need a School of Record form completed.
• Recommendation Forms / Letters: Advise the faculty who will be writing your recommendation letter to give it back to you in a SEALED envelope so you can submit it with the rest of your documents to our office.
• Personal Statement (Language-specific): Be sure to look at page 2 of the CIEE application checklist before writing your Personal Statement in English as some of the specific program locations require that you write it in the local language.
  

DIS - Danish Institute for Study Abroad

• Direct Admit: DIS has granted permission to Santa Clara to admit SCU students directly into the DIS program. You will receive your Acceptance Letter (email) from the International Programs Office soon after submitting your preliminary DIS application for Santa Clara. Once accepted you will be given the security access code to complete the DIS online application.
• Transcript: Submit an official transcript
• No Application Fee Required: As we directly admit you into their program, Santa Clara students do not need to pay the $50 application fee.
  

I.E.S - Institute for International Education of Students

• Apply Early - Complete their online application form as soon as your petition has been approved. Then, collect all other required documents on their checklist and submit them all to the International Programs Office no later than the first week of February.
  
• Application Fee: SCU students do NOT pay an application fee to IES so don't fill out the credit card form
  
• School of Record: SCU does accept credit directly through IES.
• Authorization and Evaluation Form: Be sure to download this form, complete the top portion, and submit it with the rest of your documents to our office.
• Recommendation Letter: No recommendation letter is required unless you have less than 3.0 cumulative GPA.
  

LOYOLA - The Rome Center

• Apply Early - Complete their application form as soon as your petition has been approved. Then, collect all other required documents on their checklist and submit them all to the International Programs Office no later than the first week of February.
  
• Academic Advisor / Dean Recommendation Form:
  Complete the top portion of the document and submit it to our office. We will complete it on behalf the academic adviser and Deans.
  
• Judicial Life Recommendation Form:  Simply complete the top portion and submit it with the rest of your application documents and our office will complete it for you on behalf of the Dean of Students, Office of Student Life.
• Study Abroad Office Recommendation Form: Complete the top portion and submit it with the rest of your application documents for review. We will complete it for you.

SFS - School for Field Studies

• Apply Early - Complete their online application form as soon as your petition has been approved. Then, collect all other required documents on their checklist and submit them all to the International Programs Office no later than the first week of February.
  
• Participation Approval Form: Complete the top portion and submit it with the rest of your documents to our office. Once approved we will complete it for you and send it to SFS.
• Reference Forms: You will need 2 references to complete the recommendation forms on your behalf. Be sure to have them return the completed forms to you in a sealed envelope so you can turn them in to our office for review.
  

SYRACUSE - Syracuse University

• Apply Early - Complete their online application form as soon as your petition has been approved. Then, collect all other required documents on their checklist and submit them all to the International Programs Office no later than the first week of February...earlier if possible.
  
• Study Abroad Advisor Form: Download this form, complete the top portion, and submit it with the rest of your application documents. We will complete it for you and send it to Syracuse when you have been approved.
• Faculty Recommendation: Advise the faculty who will be writing your recommendation letter to give it back to you in a SEALED envelope so you can submit it with the rest of your documents to our office.
  

Any Questions?