Let us answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the application process to study abroad. If you need more information or have additional questions, please contact your Program Advisor.
The first step is to register for an Arcadia Abroad Portal. Once you've selected where and when you want to go, you can start working on your Checklist Items. These are all the materials that are required for your application.
You must submit all required materials for both your homeschool and Arcadia Abroad applications by their respective deadlines. Your Arcadia Abroad application requires approval from your homeschool, so please plan accordingly.
Please use the Syllabus Request Form.
In some instances, partners are unable to provide syllabi in advance. We will notify you if syllabi are not available. Otherwise, please allow up to ten days for requests to be fulfilled.
Arcadia Abroad has one of the most extensive need-based scholarship programs available. On average, 70% of students who apply for Arcadia Abroad scholarships receive one. Scholarship amounts range from $250-$2500 depending on the program type and length, and the average award is $1300 for semester programs and $600 for summer programs.
Please refer to the Scholarships & Funding page on our website for more information.
The Study Abroad Approval Form indicates that your homeschool has approved the transfer of credits for your courses from the Arcadia Abroad program.
The form should be completed by the administrator who is in charge of your study abroad approval. Often, this is a study abroad advisor. If you're still unsure who to send the request to, reach out to someone at your homeschool's study abroad office for guidance.
After you've selected your program and term in your Arcadia Abroad Portal, you’ll be able to provide the name and contact information for the person who will complete the form as one of your Checklist Items. We'll send an email directing that person on how to fill out the Study Abroad Approval Form on your behalf. This item will be marked complete in your Checklist Items once we receive the approval from your homeschool.
Your Personal Health and Self Care Form is where you can share information about any disability accommodations you receive or any conditions or medications you have with your Arcadia Abroad Wellness Advisor. Disclosures on your personal health and self care form will not affect your admissions decision.
Wellness advisors can help you understand the different resources available abroad, and help you form a personalized plan to continue your wellness routine while studying abroad.
You can learn more about this form from this FAQ sheet.
Our Health, Safety, and Student Affairs team is here to support you and your family with any questions you may have about your health and safety abroad! Please email studentwellnessabroad@arcadia.edu, and they will connect with you directly.
A wellness advisor is happy to speak with you to understand your specific needs and confirm what care is accessible in our various program locations. Often, the answer is yes—with ample planning in advance, many students can study abroad with this sort of care in place!
Academic accommodations are generally available abroad. Your host institution abroad will determine your academic accommodations in alignment with the local standards. This means that you should not expect your accommodations to be the exact same as what you receive in the US.
Your Wellness Advisor will help you better understand how your needs will be met abroad.
To request disability accommodations from the institution delivering your classes abroad, follow the instructions in the Academic Accommodations Index.
Yes! Your Wellness Advisor is there to help you prepare to manage any health and wellness needs you may have. Meeting with them is always a good idea and doing so will not impact the review of your application or your application status in any way.
If they are requesting to meet with you, it is because you have listed some things on your Personal Health and Self Care form that they would like to discuss with you so you can formulate a plan to continue your current wellness routine with the resources you’ll have abroad
An Official Transcript is sent to us directly (electronically or via mail) from your university registrar's office. Transcripts submitted by a student directly are not considered official, including if you are forwarding an official transcript you received.
The Official Transcript is marked complete manually. Please allow 3–5 business days from when you order your transcript for us to receive and process it.
If it has been over a week and your form is still not marked complete, contact us at auabroad@arcadia.edu.
We need to see your grades and GPA from the semester prior to your application deadline. We cannot issue an admissions decision or submit your Arcadia Abroad application to your host institution overseas until we have an official transcript that includes final grades from the last semester you completed.
If you upload an unofficial transcript, your Official Transcript Checklist Item will not be marked complete, and you will be asked to upload an official transcript later.
Submit your current high school transcript to Arcadia Abroad and list your GPA and/or QPA.
Please do not upload any old passports while you are waiting for your new one. Instead, please provide one of the following:
Your Academic Preferences Form is used to identify the classes you are intending to take, including alternate choices. We expect courses you identify have been approved by your home institution. Final course registration will occur closer to your program's start date.
The Academic Preferences Form is not course registration. It is used to communicate to your program, in advance of course registration, which courses you are requesting.
Much like registration at your home institution, courses cannot be guaranteed. For this reason we require that you include backup courses on your Academic Preferences form.
It is important that you speak with advisors at your homeschool to ensure that all the classes, including backups, you include on your Academic Preferences Form will apply to your degree as you expect them to.
Your Academic Preferences Form will be reviewed by your Program Advisor, and they will contact you for correction if you listed any classes for which you do not meet the prerequisites.
Your letter of reference should be written by someone who has taught you in an academic setting at the university level. Letters need to be on university letterhead and signed.
If you are still unsure about who to ask for a letter of reference, speak with your Program Advisor.
Provide the name and email for the person who will be writing your letter through your Checklist Items. An auto-generated email outlining what we need from your reference with a link to a form will be sent to the email address you provided.
If you need to send your reference a reminder, or send the email to someone else, you can do that through the Checklist Items in your Arcadia Abroad Portal.
Letters of Reference will be marked as complete in your Checklist Items once we receive the letter.
Advising calls are private, individualized advising sessions to answer any questions you may have about your Arcadia Abroad application or program. All advising calls are held virtually via Zoom.
To make an appointment, log into your Arcadia Abroad Portal to schedule a call with your Program Advisor.
Unless otherwise instructed by your Program Advisor, everything required for your specific program will be included in your Checklist Items.
Keep in mind that your Checklist will populate with everything you'll need for your entire journey with Arcadia Abroad, from initial application to return home at the end of your program.
It can take up to 2 business days for any form to be reviewed and marked as complete in your Arcadia Abroad Portal.
If it has been over a week and your form is still not marked complete, please contact your Program Advisor or auabroad@arcadia.edu.
Contact your Program Advisor to request that your application be withdrawn. They will inform you of any next steps you may need to take and will confirm your withdrawal. Additionally, you must notify your homeschool as they may also have processes and policies you need to follow.
You can also review our Refund and Withdrawal Policies on our website.
Congratulations! Continue to check your Arcadia Abroad Portal for any additional steps and required Checklist Items.
Once you have been accepted into your program, your Enrollment Agreement will become available for you to sign as a Checklist Item in your Arcadia Abroad Portal.
After you've signed your Enrollment Agreement, you'll be able to pay your deposit, unless Arcadia Abroad has an arrangement with your home institution to pay the deposit on your behalf. You can submit your deposit by mailing a check or online through our payment system, CASHNet, which is located on the Fees & Payments page tab of your Arcadia Abroad Portal.
Please note that both a signed Enrollment Agreement and deposit are required to confirm your participation in your program.
When you sign your Enrollment Agreement in your Arcadia Abroad Portal, the form includes a section for you to indicate how your deposit will be paid. Select "Being sent by my home school."
Your homeschool will confirm your deposit once you have completed all application materials through both your study abroad office and your Arcadia Abroad Portal. It is your responsibility to complete these materials.
Deposits are processed and marked complete manually. Please allow for 3–5 business days for your deposit to be processed.
If it has been over two weeks since you submitted your deposit and it is still not marked complete, contact TCGSbilling@arcadia.edu.
Many students pay their homeschool directly. For students paying Arcadia Abroad directly, the full payment due dates for semester programs are as follows:
The full payment due dates for academic year programs are as follows:
Please refer to the Payment Due Dates page on our website for more information.
Please email TCGSbilling@arcadia.edu.
Include your full name and information about the supplemental fee you are asking about in your message so our Billing team can best advise you.
For most programs, the classes you include on your Academic Preferences Form are used as placeholders, and your final course registration will occur closer to your program's start date.
As this process varies by program, the registration process and timeline will be shared with you by your Program Advisor.
Notification of your housing depends on where you're studying abroad, your program, and which housing type you listed on your Housing Form.
Due to privacy reasons, Arcadia Abroad staff cannot share roommate information with you. You can join our ZeeMee community and chat with other people who will be on your program to get to know fellow participants and begin building your community before you go.
You will be assigned a Flight Form as Checklist Item after you've confirmed your acceptance to your program. Once your Flight Form is available, you may book your flights.Your Flight Form is due 4–6 weeks before the start date of your program.
Email auabroad@arcadia.edu to request that your Flight Form be reopened. Please include the following information:
Name:
Old Flight Date/Time:
New Flight Date/Time:
Reason why you need to change your flight:
Once the change has been reviewed and approved, we will reopen your Flight Form Checklist Item allowing you to make the update.
We will send you an email when it’s time for you to apply for your visa. This is typically some time between mid-March and early May for Fall students and between early October and early December for Spring students.
If you have questions in the meantime, you can reach out to your Program Advisor or our Visa Coordinator.
The Pre Departure Orientation item will be marked complete manually by your Program Advisor. Please allow at least 5 business days for the status to update before contacting your Program Advisor.
Yes! Feel free to share our resources for families.
To be eligible to register for excursions, all of your required Checklist Items must be submitted by the excursion registration date.
The Co-curricular Learning Certificate (CLC) is an opportunity for you to engage with your host community and take full advantage of your study abroad experience. You will choose an activity and dedicate at least 15 hours to doing it. You will then submit a reflective essay, video, blog, or photo journal illustrating the learning and development you experienced while participating in your activity. This is a great way to boost your study abroad experience on your resume. Because it is not for credit, no formal course registration is required.