Global Learning Application FAQs

Application Preparation

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What are the phases for Global Learning participation?

The Global Learning application process is a two-step process, and participation is contingent upon approval by Santa Clara University.

• Phase 1: Students must apply to the Global Learning application process and be “Nominated” by Santa Clara University.
• Phase 2: Students whose applications have been “Nominated” and have “Committed” to participate must then submit their program-specific application to the overseas university and/or program provider and be approved in order to participate in their program.

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When is the Application Filing Period for Phase 1?

Summer 2026, Fall 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027 Programs
Applications Open	Monday, November 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM PT
Applications Close	Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT

 

Academic Year Oxford Program 2026-27*
This program is only open to Honors students.
Applications Open	Monday, November 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM PT
Applications Close	Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT

*Applications for the Academic Year Oxford program are nominated based on application materials and an interview process. It is not reviewed on a rolling basis. As this program sits outside the regular application review process, an application for this program does not count as one of the three applications students are allowed to submit for the regular Global Learning program for Fall, Winter, and Spring. 

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How are applications reviewed?

The application filing period for the following academic year abroad runs from mid-November to early December. Applications may be submitted at any time during this filing period. Applications receive a time stamp with the date and time of submission, placing them in numerical order. Once the filing period closes, applications are reviewed. This review takes place from December through late January, and program nominations are made based on the time stamp of submission after applications have been evaluated to determine applicants meet program requirements. Following evaluation, students are notified of their application status by early February.

Individual Program Capacity

Programs are subject to enrollment caps that differ based on the program. Students will receive an email confirmation when their application is submitted, but they will not hear back from Global Learning until the Application Review process is complete. If Global Learning is not able to offer a student a nomination, they may be placed on a waitlist. If an applicant is not able to be moved from the waitlist, they will have priority nomination the following application cycle.

NOTE: There are no limitations on allotted placements for the Summer Study Abroad Program.

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Am I eligible to apply?

Students from all majors are eligible and encouraged to apply to approved Global Learning programs.

Eligibility for all programs and terms:

• Students must be matriculated, degree-seeking undergraduate students at Santa Clara University at the time of application and during their term abroad.
• Students may not apply while on leave from the University.
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.
• Meet the cumulative GPA requirement of their specific program, if higher than Santa Clara University’s cumulative GPA requirement.
• Students may not apply for or participate in study abroad while on disciplinary probation, interim suspension, deferred suspension, suspension, or expelled.
• Participation is contingent upon satisfactory completion of all program prerequisites and related courses, as well as maintaining eligibility requirements each and every term up until departure.
• Complete the mandatory pre-departure orientation.

AND

Fall/Winter/Spring applicants:

• must have completed 88 units by the start of the program abroad
• must declare their major with the Office of the Registrar before submitting their application.

Summer applicants:

• must have 44 units by the start of the program abroad; students may apply as early as their first year for summer programs abroad

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How long will an application take?

Successful global experiences begin with early preparation. Students who begin this process in October and early November are better prepared to make informed decisions and submit a strong application on time. 

Before the Application Filing Period opens, it’s essential to review your degree requirements, estimate your budget, consider housing preferences, and compare program options. This will take time, and may require you to meet with your SCU Faculty Advisor as well as Study Abroad Peer Advisors on multiple occasions. Additionally, if you need essay support, you should make a first draft of your essays early enough that you have time to meet with the Hub Writing Center. 

Avoid unnecessary stress by giving yourself the time to explore, reflect, and choose the programs that fit both your academic goals and personal needs.

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What can I expect if I receive a nomination?

If a student receives a nomination to a global program, they will have two weeks to commit to the program that they are nominated for in the SCU Global Learning Portal. After they commit to a program, the student is responsible for a minimum of $500 if they later decide to withdraw, per the SCU Global Learning Withdrawal Policy.

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Can I withdraw my application after receiving a nomination? 

Students can withdraw an application in the SCU Global Learning Portal without any financial penalty until they officially commit to a program post-nomination.

Students who voluntarily withdraw from their program after receiving a nomination and committing to participate should contact Global Learning (GlobalLearning@scu.edu) and complete the Request to Withdraw form as soon as possible. 

Their student account will be charged a $500 withdrawal fee, as well as all unrecoverable program costs incurred on the student’s behalf. Some unrecoverable costs include (but are not limited to): program deposits, housing deposits, program tuition, and fees. 

Students will not be able to register for classes on campus during their assigned registration appointment until their withdrawal is fully recorded by the Office of the Registrar.

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Where do I go to receive Advising Support?

The courses a student still needs to stay on track to degree will inform their global program selection. For this reason, it’s important that students learn how the process works.

First, students should enroll in the Global Learning Camino Module. Their next step is to attend Study Abroad Peer Advising Hours and Application Info Sessions. 

These opportunities will help students complete their application, including the Proposed Academic Plan, which is an important application requirement.

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How many programs can I apply for?

Academic Year

Students may apply for up to three programs during the regular academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring).

Summer Study Abroad

Students may apply for one Summer Study Abroad program. There are no limitations on allotted placements for summer. As long as a student meets the eligibility requirements and submits a complete application by the deadline, they will be nominated by SCU to participate. 

However, nominated SCU students also need to submit a Phase 2 application directly to their program, which may accept applications from students from around the U.S. and the world. This means the individual program may have enrollment caps even though SCU does not.

It’s important for all SCU students, regardless of their participation term, to submit their Phase 2 applications as early as possible.

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Can I start on my application before the Application Filing Period for Phase 1 opens?

Students will not be able to officially start or submit a Phase 1 application in the SCU Global Learning Portal until the Application Filing Period opens. 

Students should begin their planning in October, which includes attending an Application Info Session, comparing programs, and preparing their application materials. 

Students can attend scheduled Study Abroad Peer Advisor Hours as often as they need to for support. An appointment is not needed.

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Submitting Your Phase 1 Application

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How do I submit an application?

To apply, students need to press the blue "apply now" button located on the program's digital brochure in the SCU Global Learning Portal for each program for which they wish to apply. 

As applications receive a time stamp with the date and time of submission, placing them in numerical order, students should prioritize their application submissions accordingly.

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I have already started my application. How do I log back in?

Applications are housed in the Global Learning Portal. You can log back in using this link.

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Should I submit my application early?

Yes. Once the filing period for Phase 1 closes, applications are reviewed. This review takes place from December through late January, and program nominations are made based on the time stamp of submission after applications have been evaluated to determine applicants meet program requirements. Following evaluation, students are notified of their application status by early February.

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Is the Application Filing Period for Phase 1 close date flexible?

No. Applications will officially close at the end of the Filing Period on Thursday, December 4 at 11:59 pm PT. Applications must be complete at the time of submission or they will not be eligible for placement. Extensions will not be granted for class, work, travel, event conflict, student error, or undocumented technical administrative issues.

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I’m attempting to login but the portal won’t let me in. Why won’t it let me start my application? 

When logging into the Global Learning Portal, please be sure to sign in with your SCU credentials by using the “SCU Students, Faculty and Staff” button. 

Do not use the “Visiting Student Applicants” button, as this will prevent you from successfully starting and submitting an application. 

If you experience technical difficulties, please screenshot and email the Global Learning team at globallearning@scu.edu so that the Global Learning team has a timestamp of your outreach. Physically coming into Global Engagement is not recommended as this can delay our ability to more quickly support you and ultimately delay the submission of your application.

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I submitted the wrong application first. Can I switch the submission times for my applications?

No, you cannot switch the submission times for your applications. 

You have the option to withdraw the application you wish to change and resubmit it with a later timestamp. To do so, students must email globallearning@scu.edu to submit this request. Be aware that these requests are handled in the order in which they are received and are not automatic. Be sure to carefully submit your applications in your desired order the first time as resubmission requests can delay a student's submission timestamp.

Please be aware that the Global Learning team works with over 500 students with their applications, so there may be a delay in processing your request.

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I need to change something, what can I do?

To proceed with a request to edit your application, we will need to un-submit it. Please note that applications are reviewed numerically in order in which they are received, so unsubmitting your application will reset its submission timestamp. You will receive a new timestamp when you resubmit your application. This change will affect your numerical order, which may impact your nomination. 

Please be aware that the Global Learning team works with over 500 students with their applications, so there may be a delay in processing your request.

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I submitted essays for the wrong program. Can I resubmit these without altering my submission timestamp?

No, you cannot resubmit just your essays without altering your submission timestamp.

For instructions on how to proceed, see the answer to “I need to change something, what can I do?” FAQ above.

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How will I know if I submitted my application? 

Once you submit your application, you will receive an automatic email verifying that you have successfully submitted your application.

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Why was I logged out of the Global Learning Portal? 

The Global Learning Portal sessions timeout after 60 minutes on each page. When a page is about to expire, a warning modal will appear with a countdown and a button to renew the session. If the user doesn't renew the session, they will be logged out and returned to the home page. Students should open their application and submit their applications in one sitting. If you need to work on your application later, just log out and log back in when you’re ready. It is important to note that being logged out during submission is not considered an administrative or technical error. 

Tip: Students are not encouraged to write their essays directly in the essay prompts, but rather have them prepared to copy and paste into the questionnaire as this leads to delays in submissions.

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What if I experience a technical administrative error, beyond my control?

If you experience a technical administrative error, you will need to document the error by taking a screenshot with a timestamp and email GlobalLearning@scu.edu. 

Note: User errors such as timed-out logout or personal internet connection issues will not be accepted as technical administrative errors.

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Application Review

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How are applications reviewed?

Applications are reviewed by trained Study Abroad Application Reviewers to ensure eligibility criteria and program requirements. Reviewers include Global Engagement and staff and faculty across campus. 

Program nominations are made based on the time stamp of submission after applications have been evaluated to determine applicants meet program requirements

If Global Engagement is not able to offer a student a nomination, they may be placed on a waitlist. Students will receive an email confirmation when their application is submitted, but they will not hear back from Global Learning until the Application Review process is complete. If Global Engagement is unable to offer a student nomination, they will have priority nomination the following application cycle.

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I submitted more than 3 applications, can I be considered for all of them?

Only the first three applications submitted will be reviewed. This means that any additional applications beyond the first three will not be considered in the review process.

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Will there be a waitlist?

Students are placed in one program based on the order in which applications were received, until enrollment capacity for Global Learning is reached.

If Global Learning is not able to offer a student a nomination, they may be placed on a waitlist. If an applicant is not able to be moved from the waitlist they will have priority nomination the next application cycle the following year

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When is the last day I can withdraw without owing any fees?

If you receive a nomination to a global program, you will have two weeks to commit to the program that you are nominated for in the Global Learning Portal.

You would need to deny your nomination during this time to avoid any potential fees. After you commit to a program, you are responsible for a minimum of $500 if you later decide to withdraw, per the SCU Withdrawal Policy.

Depending on when you decided to withdraw and your program’s specific withdrawal/refund policy, you could also owe additional, unrecoverable costs that could amount to the full program cost. 

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Submitting Your Phase 2 Application

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After being nominated by SCU and committing to my program, how do I submit my Phase 2 application?

Students who have been nominated by SCU and who have committed to their program will be provided instructions on how to submit their Phase 2 Application with their specific program provider/host institution several weeks after the commitment deadline has passed in late February. 

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