Application Checklist

Exchange and direct programs will require you to upload or send in your most current official academic transcript. Once you are ready to begin applying to a specific program, you can request an electronic transcript through the Registrar’s Office which will be emailed directly to you for a cost of $11 and then upload it to your application.

If applying to ISEP, when ordering your electronic transcripts, you can choose to have them sent directly to ISEP via email at transcripts@isep.org.

Note: If you choose the route of getting free paper transcripts, this can be a slow process! We strongly recommend that students order electronic transcripts for uploading to their provider application.

The Study Abroad Office requires a copy of the picture page of your passport to be on file here. If you do not have a passport for international travel, apply to receive one as soon as possible – even if you pay an additional $60 for “expedited processing” it can take up to 8 weeks (or even longer) to get your passport in hand.

You can email a copy to studyabroad@truman.edu or bring your passport to our office and have us scan it. Even if you are considering going abroad in a year or two, apply for your passport now so you won’t have to scramble to get it later.

Please note that Passport Cards are not the same as Passport Books. The passport card is only acceptable for land or sea crossings from a very limited number of countries that border the USA.

All semester programs will require one or two recommendations from your professors for their own applications. Some faculty-led programs may require recommendations. If your program does, the Study Abroad Office will reach out to you after you apply. Start talking to your professors early on about your plans to study abroad and give them plenty of notice when you ask them to complete one for you. At least one recommendations should normally come from a professor in your major. Students planning to study in a foreign language should also have at least one of their recommenders speak to their language proficiency. Your study abroad advisor will let you know how your recommenders will be contacted and what forms they will need to complete, as this varies from program to program.

If you are hoping to have credit from your study abroad experience count towards your major, minor, or Liberal Studies Program (LSP) requirements, you will need to develop a plan with your academic advisor or department chair. The availability of course materials varies from program to program, but we encourage you to gather as much information about courses you intend to take as possible before meeting with your academic advisor: preferably syllabi, but at least course names and descriptions. We encourage students to discuss alternate courses, as well, as classes abroad sometimes change or are cancelled. We highly advise you to get a plan down in writing by pre-filling a Substitution Form in order to establish clear expectations with your advisor and avoid any surprises upon return. Once you return from your program and have your grades submitted from the host university, you must complete (if you have not done so) and submit a Substitution Form to the Registrar in order to make course equivalencies official on your DegreeWorks.

Students with majors or minors in the Classical and Modern Languages department should use the Pre-Approval Course Forms below when planning substitutions.

• Substitution Form
• Pre-Approval Course Equivalency Forms:
  • Romance Language
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German

Visa requirements vary significantly based on location and length of stay. General visa information can be found through the State Department’s Website. However, since many programs have their own way of guiding students to apply for visas, you should consult with the director of your particular study abroad program who will give you instructions on the steps you need to take. Though Truman’s Study Abroad Office can try to help students navigate the visa application process generally, applying for visas is not a service that our office provides. Please allow sufficient time for your visa to be processed so you can arrive to your program on time. Students studying abroad to Spain, France, and Italy often have to make a trip to a consulate’s office in the United States and (in consultation with their program) may want to schedule a visa appointment as soon as they have applied for their program.

Our Study Abroad Office can assist you in getting an estimate of your program expenses, but we also encourage you to have a conversation with the Financial Aid Office  in McClain Hall in order to get a clear understanding of how your financial aid and scholarships will apply to those study abroad costs. This can help you to develop a budget for both your Truman Bill and your out-of-pocket expenses for study abroad.

• All students who want their Truman Scholarships to apply to their Study Abroad charges must complete and return a Study Abroad Scholarship Renewal Form.
• All students who want FAFSA Grants and Loans or the Cultural Loan to apply to their Study Abroad charges must complete and return a Study Abroad Funding Sheet.
• Students receiving the Pershing Scholarship to Study Abroad must complete this form.
• Students applying for the Cultural Loan must complete the full loan application found here.

Truman students need to complete their registration agreement on TruView for the semester they will be abroad. The student will not register for classes for the semester abroad at Truman State. Students traveling abroad are responsible, though, for registering for their classes through the host institution. Our office will register each student that is studying abroad in a “place holder” class that will be replaced with your courses and grades once we receive your transcript from your host institution after the completion of your program.

All students who study abroad are required to attend a pre-departure orientation. For the time being, confirmed participants will be notified of the date and location via email after your application has been approved.