Student Planning Calendar
& To-Do List
NEXT STEPS: Now that you’ve been accepted to your Exploration Seminar, complete this checklist of things you can and need to do to get ready for your study abroad program. You are responsible for knowing this information, and for meeting these deadlines. Please review carefully!!
- Turn in your payment contract to the International Programs Office (459 Schmitz Hall) within two weeks of receiving it. Your contract reserves your spot on the trip and you’re at risk of losing your spot if you don’t sign and return it. Contact the Program Director of the program you’ve been accepted to if you need to request an extension.
- Apply for Scholarships. Check out the Financial Aid & Scholarships page on the Exploration Seminar website for more information.
- All participating students eligible for financial aid who submit a Revision Request for Additional Funding and a Program Budget Sheet to the UW Financial Aid Office are automatically eligible for the need-based Exploration Seminar Scholarships.
- Talk to your academic advisor to learn about any departmental scholarships.
- Visit the Undergraduate Scholarship Office in 120 Mary Gates Hall on the Seattle campus.
- Contact the Graduate School’s Fellowships & Assistantships Division or check out their website for additional funding ideas.
- Purchase Plane Tickets. Check with your Program Director about purchasing plane tickets and once you get the okay, start searching! Most programs will not have group flights, so you’re free to purchase your ticket however you see fit. You may want to contact a local travel agent (STA Travel or Council Travel on University Ave., for example) for more flexible, refundable ticket options.
- Apply for your Passport (and Visa where applicable). In many countries, you are required to have a passport that is valid for up to six months beyond the end of your stay in the country. Please check your passport and individual country requirements to make sure your pass port will be valid.
- For information on applying for or renewing your passport, please visit the US State Department website. The State Dept is currently estimating 4-6 weeks from the time of receipt for processing passport applications, so start planning now!
- You can apply for a passport at your local US Post Office. For more information, please visit the USPS website.
- DUE MAY 1: Pay your Non-Refundable $350 Program Deposit. As outlined on your payment contract, this deposit will appear on your MyUW account and can be paid like any other tuition/fees. If this charge posts to your account on or after May 1, it will be due two weeks later.
- If you want to apply for additional financial aid funding, submit both your Revision Request for Additional Expenses form and your program's Budget Sheet to the UW Financial Aid Office in 105 Schmitz Hall. Check out the Financial Aid & Scholarships page on this website for more information.
- DUE JUNE 5: Pay your $500 Program Payment. As outlined on your payment contract, this payment will appear on your MyUW account and can be paid like any other tuition/fees. If this charge posts to your account on or after June 5, it will be due two weeks later.
- Before Travel : Complete the mandatory Online Pre-Departure Orientation. This orientation will cover information you need to know about earning credits, finances, health & safety issues, insurance, etc. Completing this orientation is a necessary step to registering and earning credits during your Exploration Seminar.
- Health Preparations: We strongly recommend several steps to prepare for your own helath while abroad:
- Visit your doctor to find out how to best prepare for your travels, depending on your own needs and your intended travel destinations. Matriculated Seattle campus students can use their one free quarterly visit to Hall Health for a pre-travel health screening – make sure they know you’re studying abroad and need a "health screening."
- Complete a health self-disclosure form and provide this to your program director to inform them of any health conditions, needs or concerns you have.
- Vaccinations may be required or recommended for travel to your program destination. Please talk to your healthcare provider about your specific travel plans. Some vaccinations take several weeks to complete, so start early! (The CDC website and Hall Health Travel Clinic are good resources for information about vaccinations.)
Once your program begins:
- If you want to register for Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory grading for your Exploration Seminar course, you need do this by the end of week one of your program. More information on the UW Grading System is available on the UW website.
When you return to UW:
- Don’t forget to pay the remainder of your program fee by the deadline on October 9, 2009.
- Complete the Exploration Seminars Program Evaluation. Your feedback is essential in our effort to offer meaningful and fulfilling study abroad programs for UW students. Look for an email invitation from us once you are back.
- Visit our "ExpoSem Returnee" resources full of ideas about how you can share and build on your experience!
- Join the Exploration Seminar Facebook group, and continue to get updates from us via Twitter!
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