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STUDY ABROAD PROCESSCHOOSE A STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM Visit the Office of International Education (OIE) and attend one of the Information Sessions. Review the Study Abroad Handbook research study abroad information in the study abroad library or on-line. Once you have made a program selection schedule a meeting with the OIE Director, prior to filling out your study abroad application. FILL OUT A TAMIU STUDY ABROAD APPLICATION Complete your study abroad application, and obtain supporting documents and signatures. Application deadline for summer programs vary between February and April, depending on program. The preferred deadlines for semester study abroad applications are as follows:
SUBMIT A PROGRAM APPLICATION Concurrently or after approval of your TAMIU application, complete your application to the actual program you selected (exchange school, ISEP or Affiliate Program). Submit copies of your application to an exchange school partner or for ISEP directly to our office. We will mail off the application for you and keep a copy in our file. For Affiliate Programs you can complete the application on-line. SUBMIT A SIGNED ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT FORM This form comes together with your study abroad application. For information concerning the possibility of transferring specific credit, students should contact academic advisors in the departments awarding similar credit at TAMIU. The academic advisement form does not constitute pre-approval of credit transfer. Final approval on credit transfer is determined after materials have been presented for review upon completion of the study abroad program. COMPLETE A STUDY ABROAD BUDGET Once you have applied to your program, the OIE Director will create a study abroad budget for you. This budget will be used to adjust your financial aid package (be sure you have completed your FAFSA application and have a financial aid folder, even if you currently do not qualify for aid), and is also required for TAMIU’s study abroad scholarships. The budget must be signed by the OIE Director and yourself, and upon receipt you take it to your Financial Aid counselor for processing. Be sure to always check with Financial Aid regarding any criteria that you must fulfill in order to qualify for financial aid when studying abroad.
Eligible students can apply for TAMIU’s International Education Scholarship Fee (IEFS) and the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez International Fellows Scholarship (GLM-IFS). There are also nationally competitive scholarships, such as the Benjamin A. Gilman Grant and the National Security Education Program. You may submit your scholarship application as soon as your study application has been received and verified for completion. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS Be certain that you have a valid passport for study abroad. If you do not have a passport, you can inquire with the Office of International Student Services (ISS) in PH 301 about the process and obtain an application. Alternatively you may do this at the post office or other locations in Laredo where they offer passport processing services. If you are planning to study abroad for a semester or longer, it is usually the case that you must obtain a student visa. This typically also means that you will be expected to show in person at the Consulate or Embassy of the country you are going to study abroad in - for most of our students that means a trip to Houston. You cannot apply for your student visa until you have a passport and have received your acceptance letter from the foreign university. For details about the student visa process, you go on-line with the Embassy or Consulate of your host country and search for visa services. There you will find the visa application and procedures. TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS Start looking for airfare and remember to take care of your housing needs. The earlier you do this, the better your chances are for competitive pricing and not being placed on housing waiting lists! SUBMIT THE STUDY ABROAD EMERGENCY AND LIABILITY PACKET All students participating in a TAMIU study abroad program are required to complete and submit the Study Abroad Emergency and Liability Packet before they can be registered for their study abroad program. This packet is due before or on the pre-departure orientation date (see below) ATTEND A REQUIRED PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION Students are required to attend a pre-departure orientation during the last full semester prior to their study abroad. Students sign up for the orientation session by phone at 326.2565 or by clicking on the preferred date and sending us an email. Pre-departure orientation meetings are scheduled as follows:
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