Deadlines

Observing deadlines and planning ahead in order to successfully meet those deadlines is a critical factor in study abroad.  Missing a deadline may carry with it serious consequences that will negatively impact your ability to study abroad, and may result in your dismissal from the program.  We have listed on this website information about a number of important deadlines common among study abroad programs at the University of Oklahoma.  You will also need to observe deadlines separately communicated to you by other individuals such as your study abroad adviser, academic adviser, financial aid officer, faculty leader, host university official or study abroad program coordinator.

There are two primary sets of deadlines for semester, year and summer study abroad programs administered by the Office of Education Abroad. 

The application deadline for spring semester and calendar year programs takes place in late September.  For spring 2012 and calendar year 2012 programs the application deadline is September 23, 2011.  All required application materials must be submitted online by this date, including the faculty recommendation or faculty recommendations, e-signatures, questionnaire items and the personal essay. 

NOTE: there are a few exceptions to this deadline for certain programs.  For example, some spring 2012 programs require participants to apply a full cycle early.  The program brochure on our website will always list the correct deadline.  For a link to application deadline exceptions, please click here.

The application deadline for fall, academic year and Education Abroad summer programs occurs in late February.  For summer 2012, fall 2012 and academic year 2012-2013 study abroad programs the application deadline is February 24, 2012.  All required application materials must be submitted online by this date, including the faculty recommendation or faculty recommendations, e-signatures, questionnaire items and the personal essay.

Note: there may be exceptions to this deadline for certain programs.  All Education Abroad programs on our website will list the correct deadline on the actual program brochure.  Summer study abroad programs organized by your college may have different deadlines.  Please contact your college directly to inform yourself of application deadlines for your college program.

It is extremely important to observe all deadlines communicated to you to you by the Office of Financial Aid Services.  For more information on financial aid deadlines and scholarship deadlines - including the Presidential International Travel Fellowship application deadlines - please visit the funding study abroad portion of our website.

All Education Abroad program applications require one or two academic references.  Most summer programs and international education organization programs require only one academic reference.  Most reciprocal exchange and direct enrollment semester or year programs require two academic references.  Usually the second academic reference should be from an instructor or professor who is in a position to evaluate your non-English language skills if these skills are required to successfully participate in the program.

It is important to exercise good judgment when requesting a recommendation from an instructor or faculty member.  You are not entitled to an academic recommendation from anyone.  Instructors and faculty members will usually be happy to write a recommendation letter for you if you have performed well in the class and you give them enough lead time to submit the recommendation. 

You should never assume that a professor will write a recommendation for you on a tight deadline.  It is best for you to ask your instructor or faculty member in advance what his or her policies might be with regards to writing letters of recommendation.  Remember that your recommendation will tend to be as good as your performance in the professor's course.

Plan ahead!  If you know that your program application deadline is in late September, you should ask for a letter of reference early in the month. Three weeks notice is generally considered adequate lead time when asking for a recommendation.

Academic recommendation forms for Education Abroad programs are available online as part of your program application.  After you have started an online program application, you will be given a link to search for your instructor or faculty member's name in a directory.  Select his or her name, and then you will submit your formal request electronically.  You will know when your academic reference has been completed online as a check-mark will show up in the box next to the name of the instructor or faculty member from whom you requested the reference.