"How To" Study Away

Make sure to follow these steps to study away! 

1. Obtain or Renew your Passport. Begin this process immediately when considering applying to your program(s) abroad. If your passport expires before, during, or less than six months after the end date of your program, it must be renewed. If it is a youth passport, you must reapply for an adult passport.

2. Research Program Options. You can now search and filter through options on Terra Dotta by term, location, academic area of study, housing options, etc. 

3. OPTIONAL: Schedule an Advising Meeting with Our Office 
Please use the following links below to schedule a meeting on Google Meet with our office. Make sure to include in your appointment request the reason for your meeting (questions you have, issues you wish to discuss etc.)!

• Schedule an appointment with Isabel if you have general study away questions relating to topics such as the application process, locations/program options, requirements, financial aid, credits abroad, etc.
• Schedule an appointment with Tina if you have a unique circumstance relating to study away such as submitting a new program approval petition, planning to study away some time other than your junior year, etc.

4. Begin Applying! It is a two-step application process to study away. You will need to apply through Williams on this site (Terra Dotta) and also apply to your program(s) of choice on their websites directly.

• ***To locate the Williams application on Terra Dotta, you will need to first choose a specific program to base your application on. Once you narrow down which program you would like to apply to, go to "Program Options" on the homepage and search for your program. You will then need to scroll down on your program's brochure, and hit the "Apply Now" button at the bottom of the page. This will direct you to the application that you need to complete for our office on Terra Dotta and prompt you to login. 
• Login to Terra Dotta using the “Campus Login” option. This should allow you to login directly through your single sign on Google credentials.
• The Williams application deadline is March 1st for anyone planning to study away in the following academic year (fall, spring, or academic year).
• Each program will have their own individual application deadlines that will vary. Make sure to keep an eye on these and apply by the program's listed deadline which may be different from our deadline. 
• You only need to submit one application on Terra Dotta based on your top choice program at the time even if you plan to apply to multiple programs
• The exception to this is if you plan to study away for a full year on two different programs (one for each semester). You will therefore need to submit an application for fall AND for spring.
• If you end up committing to a different program than the one you based on your original application, you will let us know in the Confirmation of Acceptance form later on in the post-decision materials in your portal.

5. Once you submit your application for Williams on Terra Dotta (here), you will receive an email and alert once it is “approved”. Once it is approved, you should begin applying to your program(s) of choice on their website(s) directly if you have not done so already. 

• Many program applications require our office to complete a “Home School Approval” form for you. We are happy to complete this for you, but will need you to have submitted an application for our office first. 

6. Once you have been accepted and decide to commit to a program, log back into Terra Dotta and complete your post decision materials (Confirmation of Acceptance form, Pre-Departure Quizzes, etc.). Your Confirmation of Acceptance form should be submitted ASAP once you commit to a program. The rest of the materials in your portal will be due on May 1st if you are studying away in the fall/academic year or December 1st if you are studying away in the spring. 

7. Reach out to your financial aid advisor in the Office of Financial Aid, and complete the necessary forms for them. More information regarding study away and financial aid can be found here. 

8. Remember to register your travel with International SOS.