Franklin & Marshall - OCS Application Process

OCS Application Process

IMPORTANT UPDATES

In order to study off campus, you must work through our office to make sure both financial aid and credit transfer, and to receive other important information and services that will help you have a successful experience. The process and timeline are outlined below.

If you are not yet sure of the term you intend to be off-campus or you are a first-year student, we encourage you to drop into our virtual open advising hours to ask general questions.

ADVISING FOR SPRING 2021 HAS NOW CLOSED. Students should have all F&M and program applications completed.

WE ARE CURRENTLY ADVISING FOR SUMMER AND FALL 2021. See Application Process and Virtual Classroom below.

OCS Application Process

Step 1: Watch Starting Points video series

This 15-minute video series will discuss basic policies regarding eligibility, credit transfer, cost & financial aid, scholarships, the timeline you should expect for the process, how to get started working with our office, and much more! Watching this video series is the very first step you must take to begin the process of Off-Campus Study.

Starting Points video series
Step 2: Complete initial OCS ADVISING materials in the F&M OCS portal

To begin working with our office to study off campus for the Summer 2021 or Fall 2021 terms, you will complete initial OCS ADVISING materials in our portal for your intended term. Once you complete all the initial OCS ADVISING materials in the portal, you may proceed to Step 3 below.

If you are not yet sure of the term you intend to be off-campus or you are planning to study off campus in a term beyond Fall 2021, you should not begin the OCS ADVISING materials at this time. We encourage you to drop into our virtual open advising hours to ask general questions.

To preview OCS ADVISING materials that you will be required to complete, visit this webpage.

DEADLINE: Dec 15 (Summer/Fall/AY), May 15 (Spring)

Start OCS ADVISING materials
Step 3: Make an appointment with an OCS Advisor
OCS ADVISING WINDOW:

We are currently advising for Summer 2021 and Fall 2021.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT:

Login at offcampus.fandm.edu and click into your OCS ADVISING materials. Locate the instructions in "Off-Campus Study Advising Appointment" to make your appointment.

BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS:

All students interested in studying off-campus must meet with an off-campus study advisor at least once. In that meeting, you'll talk about:

Your academic and long-range career goals

Your goals for off-campus study

Ways each off-campus study program offers unique cultural learning opportunities that can help you reach these goals

Academic requirements and credit transfer policy

Cost and financial policy

Program application timelines and procedures

What your next steps should be

DEADLINE: Dec 15 (Summer/Fall/AY), May 15 (Spring)
Step 4: Choose Program, Complete additional OCS APPROVAL materials in the F&M OCS portal

After meeting with an OCS Advisor and submitting your initial OCS ADVISING materials, email your top program choice to your OCS Advisor so that you can complete additional program-specific OCS APPROVAL materials within the F&M OCS portal.

These additional materials will be used by the F&M International & Off-Campus Study (IOCS) faculty committee when deciding whether or not to approve your application to your intended program/term.

To preview OCS APPROVAL materials you will be required to complete for Semester/Academic Year programs, visit this webpage.

To preview OCS APPROVAL materials you will be required to complete for Non-F&M Summer programs, visit this webpage.

DEADLINE: Jan 15 (Summer/Fall/AY), Aug 15 (Spring)
Step 5: Complete PROGRAM APPLICATION on program's website

Complete an official PROGRAM APPLICATION on the external program's website (Arcadia, ASE, BU, CET, DIS, IES, IFSA, IAU, SFS, SIT, SU, etc.)

You may work on this step while simultaneously completing the additional OCS APPROVAL materials in the F&M OCS portal (Step 4.)

DEADLINE: Jan 15 (Summer/Fall/AY), Aug 15 (Spring)

Welcome to the F&M OCS Virtual Classroom!

Click on hyperlinked images to help you navigate the OCS Application Process.

OCS Timeline & Deadlines

You should begin the off-campus study process at least two semesters in advance. For science majors, you may begin your research and discussions with advisors as early as your freshman year. Refer to this timeline checklist as often as you need to as a reminder of when you should be working on certain tasks.

Which term should you study off-campus? Consult the Choosing your Term page for important advice.

summer/fall/ay timeline & Deadlines
Advising Cycle Open: Sept 1 - Dec 15
Step 2 & 3 Deadline: Dec 15
Step 4 & 5 Deadline: Jan 15
Faculty Recommendation Deadline: Feb 1
IOCS Faculty Committee will review semester OCS APPROVAL materials and notify students of approval decisions by Feb 15

Spring timeline & DeadLINES
Advising Cycle Open: Feb 1 - May 15
Step 2 & 3 Deadline: May 15
Step 4 & 5 Deadline: Aug 15
Faculty Recommendation Deadline: Sept 1
IOCS Faculty Committee will review semester OCS APPROVAL materials and notify students of approval decisions by Sept 15

Other Ways to Connect

You can view the 1 00+ pre-approved programs and use the simple and advanced search functions to find what you’re looking for.

You can get exposure to more information by talking to the OCS ambassadors and other OCS alumni, attending our OCS Fall Fair, and reading stories from other students who have studied off-campus.

Come to a Dips Abroad News Hour! Throughout the semester, our office will be offering info sessions and workshops on a variety of topics related to Off-Campus Study. They will take place virtually on Wednesdays during the 20-21 Academic Year. Please watch for regular emails with Zoom links to upcoming news hours.

EVERY Wednesday 10-11am: INDIVIDUAL drop-in advising for sophomores & juniors
EVERY Wednesday 11am-noon: GROUP drop-in advising for freshmen, sophomores, juniors
Wednesday, October 14, 3-4pm: 2021 Summer Travel Awards webinar

And be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Off-Campus Study Student Stories

Animal Behavior majors conducting field research in the Australian rainforest. Government majors interning in Scottish Parliament. Art majors taking studio classes in Florence. Classics students walking to class through the streets of Rome. Read about F&M students off-campus, where they went, what they studied, and how it impacted their studies.

Browse Our Stories