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For Accepted Students

Is study abroad only for juniors?
While most students choose to study abroad during their junior year, some students decide it makes sense to spend a semester abroad during their sophomore or senior year. Students should determine when study abroad makes sense for their overall program through consultation with their class dean and their major advisor.

How many credits do students usually earn doing study abroad? What is the maximum number of credits I can transfer back?
Students who study abroad enroll in a full load of courses at the host institution and may normally earn four Wellesley units per semester. Courses for general requirements are subject to approval by the Director of International Studies, and courses for major, minor or distribution credit need to be approved by the relevant department chair.

Do I need to do a program that is related to my major?
While most students select a program that is related to their major, some students see study abroad as an opportunity to study something altogether different. What is essential is that the program you select makes sense in your overall four-year degree plan and that what you do off campus complements what you do on campus.

I am thinking of taking a course to fill a distribution requirement while I am abroad.  Will it be difficult to get this approved when I return?
Send an e-mail to the relevant department once you know the courses you'd like to take to fulfill any distribution requirements.  Once you have an electronic approval (which you should, of course, save), you won't have any trouble having the credit applied properly when you return.

Can I take 300-level classes abroad and have them count towards one of the four 300-level classes I need to graduate?
Yes you can if you get a department to sign off on the course description as a 300-level course.  There's a form in the Registar's office for this.

I am taking a class and want credit, but it's not for my major or for a distribution requirement.  Do I need to have anyone in particular approve it?
The Director of International Studies, Jennifer Thomas-Starck, will need to approve all of your courses.  She will ask for a list of your courses before you confirm them so that she can verify that you are enrolled in a full load of courses that will transfer back to Wellesley.  Her approval means they will count toward the 32 courses you will need for graduation.

I have heard that students who study abroad will pay regular Wellesley tuition for any study abroad program. Is that true?
Yes. Students who study abroad will pay Wellesley College tuition for all study abroad programs. Non-tuition costs will vary by program.

Can students get financial aid for study abroad?
Yes. Students who study abroad on an approved program will be able to apply their existing financial aid packages to their semester or year abroad.

I have heard that there are scholarships for study abroad offered by the government and other organizations. How can I get more information about these?
You can find out more about some of these programs by visiting this link or coming into the Office of International Studies. Be advised that the deadline for many of these is more than a year in advance, so inform yourself early of the scholarship programs for which you may be eligible.

If I receive an outside scholarship for college and the scholarship is paid to Wellesley, how is this applied to non-Wellesley study abroad? (Or is it applied at all?) Can the scholarship organization pay Wellesley, and Wellesley pay the abroad program?  Or is it treated more like financial aid, in that it is non-transferable and may be determined by the scholarship?
Outside scholarships are normally transferable to study abroad, unless the scholarship donor specifically prohibits this.  The funds have to be deposited into your Wellesley student account, but Student Financial Services will transfer these monies to your study abroad program/institution so long as you complete the Cost Verification Form.

Will I be automatically billed for Wellesley College insurance if I am studying abroad?  What should I do if I am billed and wish to use my own insurance isntead of the college insurance?
Wellesley requires that all students have some kind of insurance, whether they stay at Wellesley or go abroad.  Therefore, you will automatically be billed for Wellesley insurance, just as if you were studying at Wellesley.  As usual, you do have the choice to waive the college insurance and use your own.  You would follow the same procedures for waiving the college insurance as you would if you were staying at Wellesley. More information is available, here.

I read in the Study Abroad information packet that students on a Leave of Absence are automatically registered for emergency medical insurance.  Is this only for students on the college insurance, or does it cover everyone?
The insurance is a supplemental emergency medical assistance and evacuation/repatriation insurance.  Wellesley subscribes to this plan for all study abroad students and all students on CWS programs.  It doesn't replace your regular health insurance and doesn't offer coverage for routine care.  This coverage is also extended to students studying abroad on Wellesley grants over the summer. More information is available here.

 

What if I want to do a program that is not on Wellesley's approved program list?
Wellesley's list of approved programs aims to meet the academic and personal needs of students with varied interests and backgrounds. Students whose needs are not met by these programs are able to request special permission from the International Study Committee to apply to a non-approved program. Petition forms are available by clicking here.

What if I want to attend another U.S. college or university for a semester or year? Is the process the same?
You must apply through the OIS by February 14 to do one of Wellesley's domestic exchanges (12 College, Spellman) or Sea Semester.  More information is available here.

What is the Proposal for Study Away?
This three-page form is a work sheet used to plan out your degree. You must list the courses you have taken for your general requirements and also list the program(s) to which you plan to apply.  Once submitted the form will be reviewed by the Director of International Study and your Class Dean.  They will contact you if there are any problems with your proposal, otherwise once it is approved it will be returned to you via campus mail. This form is due by December 1 for study abroad anytime during the next academic year and you can submit it on line by clicking here

 

Where can I get a major declaration form?
You should get this form from the Registrar's Office or the academic department directly and complete it with your major advisor. This needs to be done by December 1 for study abroad during the next academic year. The form is also available here.

Should I apply to more than one study abroad program?
The OIS asks that you apply to one program at a time.  Most Wellesley students who meet the minimum criteria of their program and apply by the OIS' deadlines are accepted to their first choice. However, if you do not meet the program's criteria, are applying late, or if the program is very competitive as is the case with the Oxbridge programs, you should speak with the Director of International Study regarding applying to a second program. For more information on the Study Abroad Application process, please click here.

How do I get a transcript to include with my application?
Beginning with applications for the 2008-09 academic year you do not need to request a transcript, instead make sure to sign the OIS application cover sheet, which will allow the OIS to request a transcript on your behalf.

As part of my application, I have been asked to write a program proposal for an independent study project. How detailed should that be?
In your application, you want to be as specific as possible, to show that you have given your study abroad experience adequate thought and that you have a sufficient background to define an appropriate topic. However, practically all students refine or completely change their topics once they have arrived on site, have begun taking classes and talking to faculty members.

Can I take the MCAT abroad?
It is possible to take the MCAT in many cities around the world. Check the following website for details. http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/

What if I am interested in studying abroad during the summer?
There is no official list of Wellesley summer study abroad approved programs as there is during the academic year. However, many of the institutions on the academic year Approved Program List also sponsor summer programs, a list of suggested Summer Study Abroad programs is available here. Students may study abroad in the summer for credit or for enrichment. Students who wish to earn credit must have their program pre-approved by the Office of International Study and by the relevant department in the case of courses that will be used to fill major, minor or distribution requirements. The deadline for summer proposals is May 1.

*If you have additional questions, please click here

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I have been accepted to a study abroad program. Now what do I do?
Your next step will be to complete a Leave of Absence Form, available here.  This form needs to be returned electronically to the OIS by April 1 for fall and November 1 for spring.

 

How do I make sure classes I take will count toward my major (minor or distribution) requirements?
Students who wish to have courses taken abroad fulfill major, minor or distribution requirements will need to submit a completed "Transfer of Credit Form" for each course. To complete this, you will need to show a course description and, in some instances, a syllabus, to the relevant department chair in order to obtain his/her signature.

Do I need to get a visa study abroad?
This depends on the country you are visiting, the amount of time you will be there and your country of origin. You will need to contact the Embassy of the country in which you plan to study (and/or consult their web site) to determine whether you will need a visa. If you do, it is essential that you begin the process very early because this can take some time, particularly for students traveling to Spain and Italy!

I have to request an FBI record request to get my visa and to do so I need to get a full set of fingerprints. Where can I get my fingerprints taken?
Campus Police will give you a background check that does not include finger printing, and will probably take several weeks.  If a background check if sufficient, then Campus Police would be a good option.  However, if you need fingerprints, contact your local police station.

What is an ISIC card? Do I need one?
This is an International Student Identity Card that is recognized in practically every country. It serves as a supplement to the identification card that your program may issue and offers a wide range of student discounts abroad and in the U.S. as well as health, accident and emergency insurance. For $22 it is a great value. You can get these through STA travel.

Where can I get passport photos in the Village?
CVS, the post office, and the photo shops on Central and Linden Streets all do them. CVS is the least expensive at $7.99.

Do I need to purchase health insurance for study abroad?
Yes. You will either need to subscribe to the Wellesley student health insurance or something that is comparable or better. Please check with your current provider to see if the policy would cover you for overseas study and travel. Wellesley provides all students with emergency assistance and evacuation insurance through International SOS, but this does not cover routine or emergency medical care. The ISIC card provides a fair amount of health coverage, but this is really intended to supplement a regular policy.

Do I need to get special immunizations for study abroad? When do I need to get these?
All students must complete a health information form (available here) for Wellesley College Health Services in advance of the mandatory pre-departure meeting. Health services uses these forms to provide advising on destination-specific health issues and immunization requirements.

Where should I store all my stuff while I am away?
There is no on-campus storage available to students who study abroad. In the past, students have joined together to rent storage space at nearby storage facilities in Natick and Framingham. There is more information available on the Study Abroad Conference in the FAQ section.


*If you have additional questions, please click here

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  • Created by Mireille McLaughlin
  • Date Created: June 25, 2007
  • Last Modified: January 17, 2008
  • Expires: June 25, 2008