HOW TO STUDY ABROAD BY JUSTIN GREEN

DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO STUDY Coba Study Tour- France and Italy Photography Field Trip-South Africa Agriculture- Ethiopia Engineering and Technology- England Wildlife Management- South Africa Communications- Ireland Internship- South Africa English- Ireland Nursing- London British Studies- United Kingdom Spanish- Costa Rica Political Science/ History- Scotland Spanish- Spain Other than teacher lead trips, you can also take an independent study abroad trip by yourself. These trips are tailored to what class you want to take and where you want to go.

TALK TO YOUR ADVISOR Once you have found a trip you would like to take, the next step is to talk to your advisor. It could work out where the study abroad class you want to take can substitute for a class you haven’t taken yet, or it might not fit. Don’t take the risk- talk to your advisor.

GET A PASSPORT In order to go out of the country, you MUST have a passport. You can apply for one at most post offices. To get one, you must- Fill out a Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport Have two types of I.D. with a copy of each Birth Certificate Naturalization Certificate Certificate of Citizenship Valid Driver’s License Current Government I.D. Current Military I.D.

GET A PASSPORT (CONT.) One Passport Photo Color Taken in the last 6 months 2”x2” Full-face, front view A plain white or off-white background(Post offices can take this picture) Pay for fees It should take your passport 4-6 weeks to be made. As soon as you know you are going on the trip, you should get your passport made.

SIGN UP/ FILL OUT FORMS The next step is to sign up for the program. The quicker you sign up for the program, the quicker you can make payments and reserve a spot. Soon after you sign up for your trip, you need to fill out forms- All students must fill out- Required Insurance Financial Aid (If needed) The forms you need to fill out for FACULTY-LED PROGRAMS are- Faculty-Led Scholarship Application

SIGN UP/ FILL OUT FORMS (CONT.) The forms for INDEPENDENT PROGRAMS are- General Application Study Abroad Course Verification to transfer non-Tarleton credit Independent Program Scholarship The forms for SEMESTER EXCHANGES are- General Application Application for Semester/Year Exchange Programs Independent Program Scholarship Transient Admission form to Tarleton State University

ATTEND ORIENTATION- All students going on a study abroad program MUST attend orientation. The topics that are covered in the meeting are- Health matters and Insurance Culture & Social Norms Appropriate Behavior Safety & Emergency Contacts

PREPARE/ PACK- One of the biggest things before the class is the preparation stage. Communication with home- If you choose to take your cell phone overseas with you, it will cost you more than your normal monthly bill. A free solution to this is Skype.com. Skype is a free webcam that you can use while overseas. Debit/ Credit cards- Some banks have a security system on cards that if used in an unusual place, they will not work. Contact your bank to let them know you will be out of the country so they don’t suspect it has been stolen. ***Note- Most banks will have a withdrawal fee when you take money out of ATMs. Watch carefully what ATM you use. Medication- If you have a prescription for medication, leave your medicine in a bottle/case with the prescription on it. If you will run out while you are on the trip, consult your doctor and explain the trip, after that, fill the prescription. Packing- With airlines charging extra for luggage, keeping to the minimum amount of bags is beneficial. A good rule to follow is how often can I wear this piece of clothing (Ex- a shirt that could be worn with multiple pairs of pants)