Pre-Travel Checklist

• Submit your application. These links will take you to the Google site page that hosts the application link: Application for program providers, Faculty-led Program Application, Exchange Program Application 

• Check to see if there are any program-specific applications to complete and note their deadlines

  •  Program Providers (IES, HECUA, CIEE, etc.) will have a program-specific application on their website.

  • ISEP exchange programs will also have a second application on their website

  • Hamline exchanges will have another application; see the GEC for details.

• If you have questions about the applications, check in with the GEC or program-specific advisor

• It's always a good idea to talk about finances, create a budget with the GEC, and connect with the Office of Financial Aid as you prepare

Hamline creates both international and national program opportunities. Please check your program’s application page or program provider application to make sure you know if you need to obtain additional documents to get out of or into another country.

Is your program outside of the US?

• In order to travel abroad, students must hold a valid passport. Make sure it will be valid at least six months after your return date.

• US Citizens should apply for a passport, or renew their passports (as needed) by starting the process at the US Department of State’s website (travel.state.gov) or you can also use the information from the USPS (usps.com) site.

• Please note that the processing times vary and some airlines require a passport number at time of flight bookings. Plan early or be prepared to pay for expedited services.

• Non-US citizens should contact their home country’s consulate for passport renewals.

DACA students and other special groups of students should contact the GEC and/or an immigration lawyer with questions about options of leaving the country for the purpose of study.

Visas are special permissions for an individual to enter/exit a country. Not all study abroad students will need a visa. Short term programs generally don’t need anything beyond a US passport to travel. See your program’s application site or program provider site for more details on if you need to apply for a visa.

The GEC are not visa experts and students should read over program documents regarding visas.

For general requirements on which countries have entry/exit visas, see that county’s page on the International Travel page of the US Department of State’s website (travel.state.gov).

Visit our visa FAQ for more information

Hamline and your program will have different resources to help you prepare for your journey no matter the destination.

These cover topics like packing tips, culture shock, goal setting, and risk reduction strategies. Some are in person, while others have material you can review online at your leisure.

Hamline orientations

• Crossing Borders Pre-Departure Orientation (takes place the semester before your departure)

Program-specific orientations (can include)

• Hamline faculty-led orientation(s) (Planned by the faculty before departure and once in country)

  • Meet your cohort

  • Learn more about the program details and host country   

• Program provider/exchange orientations (online and once you arrive in your host country)

Goal setting

Before you go, and even when looking for the right program, it is good to think about goals you want for your time on your program. Think of the experiences you want to have, skills you want to develop, places you want to visit, things you want to learn, and things you want to try. Take some time to really find those important items you want to accomplish while away.

It is always a good idea to talk to your academic and faculty advisors about the courses you are taking while away or abroad. You can work with them anytime in the process to see if your program’s courses can come back to Hamline as fulfilling a major/minor requirement.

You may want to save coursework or syllabi from abroad as well if you want to have a class count for a specific one here at Hamline.

Registration while away and abroad

Depending on when you go away or abroad, you may need to register for the next semester’s classes while in a different time zone. Make sure to speak with your advisor about any registration times that might be coming up (this will affect fall students the most).

Account holds

You are responsible for keeping all holds off your account before, during, and after your study away or study abroad experience.

Hamline University needs to be able to enroll you in placeholder credits and bill your student account for program fees. If there are holds, we cannot do this. Please work quickly to take care of any holds on your accounts. 

Financial aid

It also doesn’t hurt to stop by the Financial Aid Office before you depart to make sure your awards and cost of attendance are accurately reflected.

If you have not done so, check out the study away scholarship options for your study away or study abroad program.

Make sure to know what items will be billed to your Hamline account and what are your responsibility to pay directly to the program.

If you have questions, ask!

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other regulations prohibit the Global Engagement Center from releasing your educational records unless you agree to release the information. Other than in limited cases, including health or safety emergencies, the Global Engagement Center needs this release to inform your family or emergency contact regarding your participation in this program.

If you wish to grant access to your study away protected information to other parties, please complete the (placeholder study away protected information form (Google Doc) and return it to the GEC.