RESOURCES
Want to study
abroad for a semester/ summer or year?
Looking
for information on faculty-led travel courses?
Frequently Asked Questions
Study abroad is open to all students. If you have specific
questions or concerns, make an appointment with your campus
study abroad advisor or at the GEO Center. Below are some
information and resources for some specific populations of
the COF community pertaining to study abroad. The GEO Center
also has four printed guides from the Glimpse
Foundation on Race Abroad, American Identity, Gender Roles
Abroad and Studying in a Developing Country. Come visit and
pick up a copy!
Pre-Departure Information
Signed up to study abroad? Check out these resources before
you leave! There is information specific to your country and
lots of general travel information.
Mandatory pre-departure orientations will be held for semester/year
study abroad and for faculty-led travel courses. Watch for
announcements on your campus and on the GEO Center page for
dates and times.
What’s
up with culture?
State
Department Background Notes
Country
Handbooks from the Center for Global Education
Check
passport status
Important information regarding passport applications
Application processing:
- For non-expedited passport applications submitted after
March 15, there is an approximate four month processing
time line.
- For expedited passport applications submitted after March
15, there is an approximate 10-14 week processing
time line.
- Currently, it is probably not possible to retro-actively
expedite a passport, although students should still try
to do so.
Checking Passport Status:
- All students should track the status of their passport applications on the U.S. State Department’s website.
- It is extremely difficult to reach staff at the Passport
Agency by phone to ask questions. One may try to set up
an appointment through the automated system if leaving the
U.S., or schedule a visa appointment within 14 days, but
the system is overloaded.
Passport Status and Suggested Actions
1. A student who has not yet submitted his/her passport application
should:
- Apply immediately and expedite it. It is likely that a
student will have to travel to a regional passport agency
(see #3 below) to try and get an emergency appointment if
he/she has not received a passport within 14 days of a visa
application deadline or 14 days before departure.
2. A student who has applied but has not heard anything
should:
- Check the U.S. State Department’s website for a status
update immediately and continue tracking until he/she
receives a passport.
- Try contacting the U.S. State Department 24 hr passport
hotline. As this line has high call volume, especially during
business hours, one might have a better chance getting through
to someone by calling at night or on weekends.
- Again, if a student has not received a passport within
14 days before departure, the student may have to travel
to a regional passport agency (see #3 below) to try and
get an emergency appointment.
3. A student who is within 14 days of visa appointment or
departing for a program and still does not have a passport
should:
- Make an appointment with the regional passport processing
office. These offices may help students that are applying
for a visa or are leaving for a program within 14 days that
have applied for a passport and not yet received it by issuing
a temporary passport. For a list of these offices, please
see: http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/agencies/agencies_913.html.
- If a student is NOT able to get an appointment at
the regional passport office, the student should plan
to make a personal appearance at the office 48 hours
prior to departure or before their visa application deadline.
Students should arrive VERY EARLY (before opening hours—even
if they have an appointment) to get in line at the passport
office. They should be prepared with two complete passport
applications, including payment, photos, and official
birth certificate. Therefore, it may be advisable for
students to obtain an extra official copy of their birth
certificate now.
- In order to support student’s applications, the COF GEO Center is
prepared to provide a letter, stating that they have
the visa appointment or are leaving the country on XX
date.
- Students may also try contacting their senator’s/congressperson’s
office to see if they can provide any assistance.
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