Choosing a program to study abroad and making it happen. A guide to UNI Students

I am studying abroad in Turkey this spring of 2014. I will be attending Bahcesehir University, which on the European side of Istanbul right on the edge of Bosporus. On this post I will be talking about how I applied for a study abroad program, how I managed to acquire enough funding, and how I completed the visa application and the immigration process. To make it easier for readers to understand, I want to remind that I am an international student at the University of Northern Iowa. So even though the outline might be same for all students, it might be much easier for the prospective students from UNI to follow these steps.

Wait!!!

Once you think about studying abroad, you should think about getting a passport if you do not have one. If you are traveling abroad, you will need this document to enter and exit foreign countries. 

Part I: Finding a program to study

There are various kinds of study abroad program. First you have to know if you want to study abroad through your own university or if you want to go through outside institutions. While bigger universities like UNI have their own study abroad offices, smaller institutions and private colleges might not have that facility and you might need to work with off campus companies. There are both advantages and disadvantages of going through an outside company. I made out a plan on the kind of place and institution I wanted to spend my semester at. I had two main constraints that I kept on my mind:

1.      Finances: I needed to make sure that I would have enough guaranteed funding to cover my expenditure while abroad. I work on campus to provide for some of my expenses so when I go abroad I would need to replace it with some kind of funding; mainly scholarship which I would not need to pay back.

2.      Program of study: I am to graduate in May 2015 which was 3 semesters later. So I needed to make sure that the classes I will be taking would count towards my degree. I have a couple of liberal arts and math classes to be on the right track to finish my degree on time.

Therefore I went to the office of coordinator of global opportunities for College of Business, Ms. Christine Schrage to inquire all the opportunities available. Within an hour or so I decided where I wanted to go. CBA has something called cost neutral study abroad program which means you would not pay extra by studying abroad compared to UNI. After a few hours of research I found the place where I could take some math classes (if offered) that I could bring in to satisfy my degree requirement.

So Bahcesehir University it was, right in one of the most cosmopolitan city in the world. I had decided that if the CBA scholarship goes through I will be able to afford this experience given that I get other smaller financial support.

Part II: The application process

There are many parts to the application process. Each of them has their deadlines. So it is easier to understand them in pieces than as a whole.

Applying to UNI Study Abroad Program

As a UNI student you can apply to semester programs through UNI study abroad program. (Other universities and institutions have similar structure too)The deadline for the application for spring intake is 1^st of October. The application is not difficult but it has many parts to it. You will have to go to the website www.studyabroad.uni.edu and log in to the website using your CAT ID. The website has many resources to help you choose a place I recommend you look through it.You can pick up the program there on the website. Once you start the application through the website, you will have to pay application fee of $65

You will have to complete the learning content once you finish the steps mentioned above. There will be a lot of questionnaires that you need to read and check mark them. Most of them are for your information while other are asking you to give permission to access your information and permission.  It has a lot of important stuff and most of them do not take much time. 

Then you will have to sign some documents digitally. Your signature provides the proof that you know what your duties and responsibilities are. The documents you need to sign are:

• foreign university application and housing
• acquiring health insurance while abroad
• media release
• medical authorization
• uploading passport info
• special needs, and
• waiver

You will also need to get recommendation from your professors to be selected to be a part of the study abroad program. You can request the recommendation directly from the website but I suggest that you meet with them in person and ask them nicely. 

Then begins the paperwork. Since every paperwork is digital you can easily work on a word processor and upload the document. The paperwork here includes things like your statement of purpose, biographical sketch, emergency contacts, UNI Degree questionnaire, information release, original transcripts, and media release.

Then the waiting game begins. Once you have all the requirements in, you will be notified if you have been selected to the program or not. If you are a good student and if not a lot of students have applied for the same program you are interested in, you have a good chance that you will be eligible to participate in the program. Eventually you will receive an email saying that you are accepted and explains the further details like pre departure orientation and other materials. 

If you need additional help along the way, you can contact the staff in the office and they will be available for you.

But wait, what about scholarship.

Study Abroad Office offers Need based and Merit Based Scholarship. They come with commitments that you have to fulfill. They seem like commitments but in reality they are fun work. You can write blogs, volunteer, make presentations, submit pictures, and many more. Information on scholarship can be found on their website. You should choose to apply to either one of them or both, but the chances that you can get both of them is not very likely. Also, there are departmental scholarship available for studying abroad. In addition to each college, Honors Program offers scholarship to the participants of the program. There are numerous scholarship from external sources that can help you make your plan become a reality. 

I apologize that this post is verbose and dull. But I hope that some people might find it resourceful. Look out for the next post where I talk about how to apply for Bahcesehir University.