Where to Start - Home University

A student’s home university is an integral partner for the student’s study abroad journey, and often the process begins with them. Many home universities have their own application process a student must go through in order to gain approval to study abroad, and USAC requires the home university’s endorsement before we will approve a student’s application for their selected program.

It’s also extremely important for students to discuss with their university academic advisor the classes they plan to take abroad so those credits can transfer back towards their degree. The home university has the final say in how USAC academics are applied to the student’s transcript so having those conversations early in the process make for a smooth return.

Some USAC study abroad programs may be directly billed to the home university rather than the student. It’s possible the student will only pay certain fees to USAC such as optional tours, housing, courses with added fees (such as cooking, surfing, etc.), and such.

If the student’s home university has a study abroad office on campus, they are the first place a student should go to begin discussing the process and be guided through next steps.