How to Get Started

• Attend a Study Abroad Information Session
• Make an appointment with a Study Abroad Advisor
• Research program options
• Discuss plans with your faculty advisor
• Meet Application Deadlines

Attend a Study Abroad Information Session
The first step to studying abroad is to sign up for an Information Session. The sessions are repeated throughout the fall semester and students planning to study abroad in Fall 2008 or Spring 2009 are encouraged to attend a session as early in the semester as possible.

Attendance at one of the following sessions is required in order to apply and interested students should register for the session you will attend by sending an email to studyabroad@pitzer.edu with the session date in the subject line. Sessions last one hour and you must stay for the full session. (Please note that the information session is different from the First Year Seminar presentation.)

Dates, times and locations for the Fall 2007 Information Sessions are as follows:

• Tuesday, Sept. 18 @ 4:15 pm - Avery 201
• Thursday, Sept. 20 @ 11:15 am - Fletcher 106
• Wednesday, Sept. 26 @ 11:15 am - Broad Hall 207
• Monday, Oct. 1 @ 4:15 pm - Broad Hall 214
• Wednesday, Oct. 10 @ 7:15 pm - Broad Hall 210
• Tuesday, Oct. 16 @ 1:15 pm - Scott 230
• Friday, Oct. 26 @ 2:00 pm - Avery 201
• Thursday, Nov. 1 @ 4:15 pm - Avery 201
• Monday, Nov. 5 @ 11:15 am - Scott 230
• Thursday, Nov. 8 @ 11:15 am - Fletcher 106

Make an appointment with a Study Abroad Advisor
You will meet with an advisor in the Office of International Programs to discuss your particular program interests and identify the programs that might best work for your academic needs. You will also receive the Intent to Study Abroad Program Information paperwork. Appointment times are open throughout the week and you can drop by Scott 110 or call 621-8104 during business to arrange an appointment. It is difficult to arrange appointments via email since you are unable to see the available appointment times to choose from, so we prefer that you call or drop by if possible.

Research Program Options
Visit this website to learn more about the approved program options that were identified in your advising session. Check out the courses available, program dates, pre-requisites, and housing arrangements from the web sites so you can complete the corresponding questions on the Intent to Study Abroad form. Especially note any programs with early deadlines and plan to submit your application at least 2 weeks prior to the deadline indicated by the program sponsor. Check with the staff in the Office of External Studies to learn the name of students who have returned from the various programs and talk to them about their experiences. Make another appointment with a Study Abroad Advisor if you have questions that can’t be answered by the website or the program alums. You can also send us an email with your questions studyabroad@pitzer.edu.

Discuss Plans with Your Faculty Advisor
You should have begun discussing your interest in study abroad with your faculty advisor during earlier pre-registration meetings so you could begin planning to complete any required academic preparation for your program. You will also need to meet with your advisor to obtain her/his signature on the Intent to Study Abroad – Course Approval form indicating approval of the courses you plan to take while you are abroad. An optimal time to obtain this signature is when you meet your advisor in November to pre-register for classes in the spring semester. Plan the courses you will take in the semester(s) before you study abroad and make sure that you can complete the prerequisites for your program and that you are on track for meeting graduation requirements.

Meet Applications Deadlines

Monday, December 3, 2007

Submit the Intent to Study Abroad paperwork received at your individual advising appointment.

If applying for an unapproved program the full Pitzer application, including one faculty reference, must be submitted by this deadline. Students who do not meet the deadline will not be considered for the limited program spots allotted for non-Pitzer programs. All applicants for unapproved non-Pitzer programs are required to choose an alternate program from the list of approved programs or the application will not be considered. Application instructions>

Distribute Faculty Reference form(s) and the Language Evaluation form to your chosen professors.
It is helpful to distribute these forms as early as possible, perhaps before you leave for winter break, but no later than January 18, 2008 to allow sufficient time for faculty to complete the references. The academic reference form must be completed by a faculty with whom you have taken at least one course. The other references are optional and may be completed by your faculty advisor, a supervisor, your hall director or resident advisor, coach or employer. Optional references are only advised if your faculty reference does not know you well due to a large lecture class or a limited participation format. Give the language evaluation form to one of your language instructors if your program has a language pre-requisite or if you have completed college courses in the language of the country where you plan to study.

Complete the Application over the Winter Break
You will be less stressed if you start filling out the application forms and begin drafting your application essays over the winter break. Hint: Previous applicants have discovered that the night before the deadline is not the best time to start! Use the resources in the Writing Center to ensure that you have fully addressed the topics in the essay questions and to avoid typos and grammar mistakes. Another hint: Spellcheck does not catch words that are spelled correctly but used incorrectly (eg. to/two/too, “form” instead of “from,” or “emersion” instead of “immersion.”)

Monday, February 4, 2008 by 5:00 PM

Submit the complete application.
A complete application consists of general Pitzer application forms, as well as any supplements and secondary application forms specific to your chosen program. For the Pitzer programs, there are supplements related to health recommendations, home stay questionnaires, independent study proposals etc. For the exchanges, you will also need to complete the forms required by the receiving institution. Students previously approved for applying for a non Pitzer program must submit all the paperwork required by the non Pitzer program. Failure to do so may result in approval for one of the limited spots being revoked and the spot going to the next person on the waiting list. Applications received by this deadline receive priority consideration over any applications received later.

Late applicants may be placed on a waiting list.