How to apply
Applying for study abroad or away is easy when you’re prepared and ready for it. Here is an easy way to learn about the different application process for the different programs available.
Investigate Programs
1. Browse Programs in our searchable online database or interactive map.
2. Attend Study Abroad/Away Info 101 to learn about how to apply, different program types/locations and financial aid. Check the Smith Center Calendar for dates.
3. Attend the Smith Center Study Abroad/Away Fair during the fall semester (usually late October/early November).
4. Make an appointment with a peer or staff advisor for specific questions about selecting a program, general education credits, and financing study abroad/away
5. Talk to the faculty program advisor to learn more about specific programs of interest. The advisors are listed by clicking on each program.
6. If applicable, attend Interest Meetings for selected study abroad programs.
Complete the Smith Center Application
1. Program-specific applications will be available online beginning November 14, 2023. Search the deadline for your program of interest: Some program deadlines are December 4, 2023, while others are February 13, 2022. Make sure you know!
2. Search for and select the program(s) to which you wish to apply and click the “Apply Now” button.
All pieces of the online application must be completed by the deadlines listed online.
Selection of Participants
Semester/Year-Long Programs: On Decision Day (varies by program, see Calendar), you will be notified via email that there has been a change in your application’s status and direct you to login to your applicant homepage within StudioAbroad. There you will be able to view the decision letter and next steps if accepted. Most semester and year programs require a secondary application to the university or program after you are accepted by St. Olaf.
Complete the Secondary Application
The secondary application is an application directly to your program host or overseas university. The Smith Center application is St. Olaf’s approval for you to study abroad and a faculty assessment that you are qualified for your selected program. The secondary application determines if you are accepted by your host.
1. Your Smith Center decision letter will inform you if have a secondary application to complete. Deadlines and process for these applications vary by program.
2. Contact the Smith Center for assistance with your secondary application. We will provide a paper application or online link to your secondary application. We will remind you of the upcoming deadline, but it is your responsibility to complete this application, if required.
3. Treat the secondary application deadline and process as seriously as you did your Smith Center application. If you do not complete the secondary application, you will not study abroad. Fall semester participants will typically do this secondary application during the summer. Stay connected to your St. Olaf email throughout the summer.
Registration
If you are approved to participate on a study abroad program, The Smith Center will officially register you in SIS for your program. Please note that we cannot register you for a study abroad program if there are any holds on your account or if your secondary application is incomplete. This applies to semester, year and Interim programs.
Important Note
Stay connected to your St. Olaf email throughout the process of applying for and preparing for your study abroad program, even during breaks and summer. This is how the Smith Center communicates important details and deadlines.