Program checklist
Other Programs
Study Abroad Checklist
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*An exemption to attend the all-program session of orientation may be requested IF you have attended a study abroad orientation or participated in study abroad within the last 24 months. You MUST complete an Orientation Exemption Request to be excused from the mandatory session. All students who are excused from the all program orientation will still be required to attend the program-specific orientation session. If you do not attend the mandatory orientation, you will not be permitted to participate in any study abroad program. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Parents and/or spouses are welcome to attend.
ALL LATE PAPERWORK WILL INCUR A $10 FEE PER ITEM PER DAY.
Step 1
Discuss the application process and apply with the faculty program director.
Step 2
You will be REQUIRED to complete the following and return it to the Study Abroad Office:
- MSU Study Abroad Application
- Faculty Reference Release
- Faculty Reference
- MSU Transcript – this must be sent directly to the SA Office from the Registrar’s Office
- Essay
The 2-page maximum, typed essay should address the following: Why did you choose this program? What international travel/study experience have you had? Why is this program useful to your professional or academic goals? What do you expect to gain from your experience on this program? - $100 Non-Refundable Application Fee
- 2x2 Photo
The Study Abroad Office can take your photo digitally when you submit your application. If you choose to submit your own photo, it must be attached to your MSU application and must show your full face without a hat or sunglasses. Please write your name on the back of the photo and DO NOT staple or tape it to your application.
Walgreens provides a 15% discount on passport photos. At the Photo Counter, let them know you are part of MSU Study Abroad and provide our phone number, 809-2277, to receive the discount. - Course Registration
Confirm with your faculty director that s/he will enroll you in the appropriate course for your program. Check your PIN to ensure that you are enrolled in the course well before departure. - Disciplinary History
This form must be taken to the Student Affairs Office, Ordway Hall, for completion and returned directly to the SA Office. You CANNOT deliver this form to the SA Office. - Flight Itinerary
Your detailed flight itinerary must include ALL flight information both traveling TO and FROM your program site: any and all flight numbers, airlines, times and cities. This can be emailed or provided in hard copy. - Handbook Confirmation
You can find the handbook confirmation at the end of the Study Abroad Handbook. This form must be signed and returned to the Study Abroad Office confirming that you have read, understand, and agree to abide by all rules and regulations in the Study Abroad Handbook and any program supplementary material provided by the MSU Study Abroad Office of the Institute for International Studies. - Medical Information Form
All information provided on the Medical Information Form is used in the Study Abroad Office to better serve you in an emergency. Please voluntarily provide complete and accurate medical information so we can better assist you. If you need to request accommodations for a disability, please complete the Accommodations Request Form. Also check the resources in Step 3 for considerations for study abroad. - Passport Signature Page
After you receive your passport, sign the page above your picture page. Make a copy of these pages or bring the passport into the SA Office to have a copy made. Keep a copy for your parents as well. This cannot be faxed! For details on how to apply for a passport, go here
Walgreens provides a 15% discount on passport photos. At the Photo Counter, let them know you are part of MSU Study Abroad and provide our phone number, 809-2277, to receive the discount. - International Student Identity Card (ISIC) or Other Proof of Insurance (as determined by the Study Abroad Office)
Please print the ISIC application and take the completed application to the KIIS Office, 312 Faculty Hall with a photo to receive your card. For details on the benefits offered or if you prefer to complete the online application and order directly through ISIC, you may do so here. If you are permitted to have alternate insurance, you must provide proof that the program provider or university will provide adequate international insurance OR that you have purchased your own insurance for the program. The insurance MUST cover medical evacuation, repatriation, basic medical, and accident insurance. - Release Form
This form must be notarized by a Notary Public. The Institute for International Studies secretary is a notary and is available to notarize this form for you.
See Item Descriptions below to Determine Which of These Items Applies to You:
- Release for Travel Warning.
If you are participating in a program in a country that has a current Department of State Travel Warning, you must sign this release form. - Bio Sheet (Optional)
This brag sheet is sent by MSU to your hometown newspaper so that you can be recognized in your community for what you are doing abroad. Many students submit a photo with the form. - Housing Exemption Form For semester study abroad students only.
If you are living on campus now and will live on campus when you return from your study abroad program, you need to complete a Housing Exemption Form for the semester you will be away. This allows your housing deposit to be held and applied to your future semester. If you do not complete this form, but do plan to live on campus, your housing deposit will be returned to you and you will have to re-apply to the MSU housing office for a space when you return. - MSU Scholarship Deferment Request For semester study abroad students only.
MSU scholarships do not apply to the cost of this program unless they are foundation monies. This means that achievement scholarships and any other MSU funds that are not foundation monies need to be deferred to the semester that you will return to MSU. Therefore, you should write a letter to the University Scholarship Office requesting this deferment. Give this letter to the SA Office for processing on your behalf.
If you receive KEES money, it WILL still apply to the program, but you MUST notify the SA Office that you are receiving this money.
If you receive money from any outside source, it is your responsibility to check with that source to determine if that funding will still apply to this program abroad. - MSU Scholarship Hours Exemption Request For semester study abroad students only.
All students who receive an MSU scholarship that requires semester service hours will not be required to complete these service hours during study abroad IF you complete the exemption request. Turn this into the SA Office for processing on your behalf. - Request for Payment from Financial Aid
If you are receiving financial aid or KEES money, you can have this aid sent directly to your program for payment. The Request for Payment Form requests this action. PAYMENT WILL NOT BE SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR PROGRAM AUTOMATICALLY, you must request it. If you do not complete this form, your aid will be sent to the address you have on file at MSU in the form of a check.
This is a checklist of what you MUST complete for MSU in order to participate in your study abroad program. Failure to complete the required items could result in an inability to gain credit for your program, a lack of availability of your Federal Financial Aid, a lack of housing available at MSU upon your return, or even dismissal from the program.
Step 3
- Attend the mandatory study abroad orientation. See the dates above highlighted in red for the appropriate date and time.
- Resources:
- Program Handbook
- MSU Student Life Handbook & Policies As an MSU student, you are bound to the MSU student life policies in addition to the study abroad and host institution policies.
- OSAC: Overseas Security Advisory Council Find country and region-specific reports on safety and security, terrorism, current travel warnings and warden messages.
- Students Abroad The Department of State's site for students studying abroad. Get info on your passport, travel safety, health and much more.
- Country Specific Information U.S. Department of State online publications by country filled with information you should read prior to departure, including safety, health and embassy information.
- Registration with U.S. Embassy Every participant in a study abroad program is required to register with the U.S. Embassy prior to departure. It is easy and takes only 5 minutes.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) All participants should read the CDC online publication for your host country. This information contains recommended vaccines, health and safety information specific to your host country.
- World Health Organization 2007 Report on Main Health Risks for Travelers
- Kwintessential Cross Cultural Solutions These guides are country-specific and include details on social etiquette, customs, and demographics.
- Considerations for Participants with Disabilities Includes resources for participants with disabilities and what you should consider when travelling internationally.
- Medication Tip Sheet What to consider when travelling abroad with medications.
