IMPORTANT UPDATES

APPLICATION PROCESS

TIMELINE & DEADLINES

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT

 

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.

If you are getting started with the process but 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 before proceeding with the process outlined below.

FALL 2021 - applicants should be preparing to study off campus and direct any questions to their OCS Advisor.

SPRING 2022 - applicants who completed Steps 1-3 by the May 1 deadline and have an active application in the F&M OCS portal should complete Steps 4 & 5 below over the summer and direct any questions to their OCS Advisor.

SUMMER and FALL 2022 - the advising and application cycle will open in September.

2021-2022 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 or Fall 2022 term, you will complete initial OCS ADVISING materials in our portal (a "Start OCS ADVISING Materials" button will appear below in September when the application cycles open). Once you complete all the initial OCS ADVISING materials in the portal, you may proceed to Step 3.

    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 2022, we encourage you to drop into our virtual open advising hours to ask general questions before proceeding with the process.

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

    DEADLINE: Dec 1 (Summer/Fall/AY), May 1 (Spring)

  • Step 3: Meet with an OCS Advisor

    OCS ADVISING WINDOW:

    We will begin advising for SUMMER and FALL 2022 in September.

     

    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 1 (Summer/Fall/AY), May 1 (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)

2022-2023 OCS Application Process 

Please note Summer and Semester application processes function on two distinct timelines and have different requirements. Click below to start Summer 2022 or Fall 2022 application materials. Students who intend to study off campus in both Summer 2022 and Fall 2022 will be required to complete both application proceses.

Get Started - SUMMER 2022
Get Started - FALL 2022

OCS Timeline & Deadlines

You should begin the off-campus study process at least two semesters in advance of the term you intend to study off campus. 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.

2021 summer/fall/ay

timeline & Deadlines
Advising Cycle Open: Sept 15 - Dec 1
Steps 2 & 3 Deadline: Dec 1
Steps 4 & 5 Deadline: Jan 15
Recommender Submission Deadline: Feb 1
IOCS Faculty Committee will review semester OCS APPROVAL materials and notify students of approval decisions by Feb 15

 

2022 Spring

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

 

Ways To Connect 

  • Virtual Advising

    During the open advising cycle (September 15 - December 1, 2021), virtual drop-in advising will be offered every Tuesday and Wednesday! These drop-in virtual advising hours are intended to address general planning questions for students considering their options. Semester applicants will be required to participate in more formal individual advising as part of  the OCS application process outlined on this page.
    Click here to register for Tuesday advising during uncommon hour (11:30am-12:30pm).
    Click here to register for Wednesday 9-10am advising.
    Click here to register for Wednesday 6:30-7:30pm advising.
    Be prepared to wait in the Zoom waiting room.

  • Newsletter Archive

    Miss one of the weekly OCS e-Newsletters? Check out the Newsletters Archive webpage to ensure you have the important OCS information you need, including:

    • Getting Started & Application Process
    • Timeline/Deadlines
    • Webinars
    • Drop-in Advising
    • Other videos and resources

  • Events & Info Sessions

    Check out our OCS Virtual Fair to learn more about the various F&M program partners. 

    Come to a Dips Abroad News Hour! Throughout the semester, our office will be offering virtual info sessions and workshops on a variety of topics related to Off-Campus Study. Please visit our Presence page to see upcoming virtual events.

    The weekly Off-Campus Study eNewsletter will also announce the News Hours coming up each week, so be sure to pay attention each Sunday evening when you receive the newsletter in your F&M inbox!

     

  • Student Stories

    Animal Behavior majors conducting field research in Tanzania. Government majors interning in British Parliament.  Public Health majors interning with the CDC in Kenya. Check out our "Student Stories" website to read about F&M students off-campus, where they went, what they studied, and how it impacted their studies.

  • Social Media

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