Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Today marks three weeks out from my departure for my program, Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Oxford through the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Department of English through ASU! I have spent the past few weeks preparing for this journey. The preparations for study abroad span many months, but the last month has been crunch time. Let's back up for a moment to the first steps one must undergo leading up to the one month countdown.
First I had to apply for the program. This took place back in November, so seven months ago. I remember the excitement when I received the email that his program was even available. I immediately read it to my husband and his response before I even asked the question was, "You should apply and go!", this felt like I was supposed to do this.
In my former life, closer to twenty years ago, I went on study abroad trips and mission trips and traveled as much as possible. I dreamt as I got older that another opportunity would arise, and some did but they never seemed right. They never seemed perfect for me, so I never went. I had studied theater, history, and English in my past and even earned bachelor degrees in two if them. I went on to open a non-profit theater and became a teacher and eventually an adjunct English professor. I always hoped that one day I would either be studying in or teaching a program that offered me another opportunity. Gratefully, now I have found one! So that is really the first thing, find a program that really works for what you want to study or are passionate about.
The application processes was next. For this, as a ASU student, I clicked the “Apply Now” button on the program I selected. Next, I signed the Acknowledgment of Application and was charged a $50 Application Fee. Please note, this $50 Application Fee is non-refundable so even if I change my mind they keep my money. However, if I did not get accepted into the program, this money would be refunded. There are further things to do so my application was saved on My Study Abroad Login Home Page. These items included: My tasks, signature documents, online forms, quizzes, and reviewing resources.
Next was the waiting game. Luckily I only had to wait one month until I was accepted. Once you have been accepted you must commit. So here is the important thing, you have to commit to the program and its entire cost before you secure funding, unless you are independently wealthy or know someone who can personally fund your trip. That's right..... you will not know if you get financial aid and you will certainly not know about any grants of scholarships yet. You also cannot back out of the program once you have committed to it. This means that if your dreams of financial aid, scholarships, and grants do not come through, you still need to pay. There are some extenuating circumstances that will let you withdraw, but you would still be responsible for the costs occurred by the Study Broad Office on your behalf up to that point. You will want to look at the cost sheet associated with your program to know what you will be paying out of pocket and what the Study Abroad office will cover on your behalf. Please also review the Study Abroad Payment and Withdrawal Policies before you commit.
You will not be paying tuition to ASU but you will need to sign up for the classes once you have been directed to do so. Instead, you will be paying your study abroad Program Fee, which includes ASU tuition for the number of credits offered in the program you have been accepted to, your accommodations while abroad only for the program, ASU overhead expenses, your study abroad insurance, and and study abroad program excursions.
If you have determined, like I did that you can afford this journey, then click commit, it may be one of the best decisions of your entire life!
In my former life, closer to twenty years ago, I went on study abroad trips and mission trips and traveled as much as possible. I dreamt as I got older that another opportunity would arise, and some did but they never seemed right. They never seemed perfect for me, so I never went. I had studied theater, history, and English in my past and even earned bachelor degrees in two if them. I went on to open a non-profit theater and became a teacher and eventually an adjunct English professor. I always hoped that one day I would either be studying in or teaching a program that offered me another opportunity. Gratefully, now I have found one! So that is really the first thing, find a program that really works for what you want to study or are passionate about.
The application processes was next. For this, as a ASU student, I clicked the “Apply Now” button on the program I selected. Next, I signed the Acknowledgment of Application and was charged a $50 Application Fee. Please note, this $50 Application Fee is non-refundable so even if I change my mind they keep my money. However, if I did not get accepted into the program, this money would be refunded. There are further things to do so my application was saved on My Study Abroad Login Home Page. These items included: My tasks, signature documents, online forms, quizzes, and reviewing resources.
Next was the waiting game. Luckily I only had to wait one month until I was accepted. Once you have been accepted you must commit. So here is the important thing, you have to commit to the program and its entire cost before you secure funding, unless you are independently wealthy or know someone who can personally fund your trip. That's right..... you will not know if you get financial aid and you will certainly not know about any grants of scholarships yet. You also cannot back out of the program once you have committed to it. This means that if your dreams of financial aid, scholarships, and grants do not come through, you still need to pay. There are some extenuating circumstances that will let you withdraw, but you would still be responsible for the costs occurred by the Study Broad Office on your behalf up to that point. You will want to look at the cost sheet associated with your program to know what you will be paying out of pocket and what the Study Abroad office will cover on your behalf. Please also review the Study Abroad Payment and Withdrawal Policies before you commit.
You will not be paying tuition to ASU but you will need to sign up for the classes once you have been directed to do so. Instead, you will be paying your study abroad Program Fee, which includes ASU tuition for the number of credits offered in the program you have been accepted to, your accommodations while abroad only for the program, ASU overhead expenses, your study abroad insurance, and and study abroad program excursions.
If you have determined, like I did that you can afford this journey, then click commit, it may be one of the best decisions of your entire life!
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