Congratulations!
You are officially ready to begin your journey to studying abroad, how exciting!
The drop-down boxes below provides helpful information and resources for preparing for your departure.
This page is intended for ISEP students who have already been accepted into a program and are preparing to depart. See below for preparation steps and helpful resources.
- Read through your Acceptance Package completely and thoroughly
- Read carefully through your pre-departure information found under the “Get Ready to Go” section in your ISEP portal
- Attend the mandatory Outgoing Orientation at CMU.
- Discuss any financial aid or scholarship concerns with the Financial Aid Office
- Read through your Country Handbook
- Read through the pages on ISEP:
- Share the Information for Parents with your family
- Once you are accepted, and have received and signed your acceptance package, begin working on obtaining a visa immediately (if necessary). This can be a lengthy process, so make sure that you are aware of what is required to study in the abroad destination. Your Acceptance package and Country Handbook provide information on the specific visa or documents needed.
- It is up to the student to obtain a visa and ensure that they have the correct documents necessary to study in their host country. Make sure you fully understand what is needed in order to obtain a visa.
- Important: Some countries have SPECIFIC health insurance requirements. If your destination is list at the ISEP insurance webpage, read through the information carefully. Students have been denied a visa because they did not read and purchase the proper insurance.
- Read through ISEP’s Passport and Visa page for more information
- Make sure you have a valid passport that does not expire until 6 months after the end date of your program
- It is up to the student to arrange travel plans to the host university. This can be completed once the student has signed the Acceptance Package
- Make sure to note the arrival and departure dates listed in the Acceptance Package to ensure that you will be arriving and departing on the correct days
- Be sure you understand your ISEP health insurance. Direct students have the cost of health insurance included in the ISEP program fee. Exchange students pay for this separately.
- Please note that direct or exchange students may need to add overage at the beginning or end of their travel if you will be arriving before or staying after your official program start/end date.
- Some countries have SPECIFIC health insurance requirements. If your destination is list at the ISEP insurance webpage, read through the information carefully. Students have been denied a visa because they did not read and purchase the proper insurance.
- Fill out the Transfer Agreement Form
- Make sure you have already looked at the classes and course descriptions of the courses you are considering taking abroad, and have options for what they may transfer for back at CMU. Do not meet with your advisor if you have not done prior research.
- On the ISEP website, when looking at your host university, under the "Overview" tab, there is often a Course Description section that explains more about the courses offered at the host university. Make sure to read through this and click on the link if provided to find out the classes the university offers.
- Talk to your advisor to sign for classes that are major-related
- Talk to the Registrar’s Office to sign for classes that are not major-related, such as Essential Learning courses
- Courses taken abroad will transfer as general electives if nothing else
- If you would like a designated person(s) to be able to contact us or anyone at the university to discuss your record, study abroad details, or any other information related to you while you are a student at CMU and during your semester(s) abroad, please complete at Release of Information.
- This is found in MAVzone under the “My Accounts” tab on the left.
- Click on the “Student” tab and you will see the “Student Authorized Release of Information” option on the right-hand side of the list
- If you would like a parent or guardian to be able to contact CMU while you are abroad to discuss any financial information on your account, please be sure to give access by designating a person as an Authorized User through ePay.
- More information and instructions here.
- For students going Exchange only: Sign up for direct deposit of refunds if that is something you haven’t already done
- Click on “Refunds” in gray bar once in ePay in MAVzone
- For students going Direct only: If you will be using federal financial aid to pay the ISEP Program Fee, please complete the Financial Aid Deferral Form.
- Complete this form with Sally Schuman from the Financial Aid Office and submit to ISEP.
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Health information for international travel from the U.S. government.
- The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers can provide a directory of English-speaking doctors in 500 cities in 120 countries.
- World Health Organization
- U.S. Department of State
- Entry Requirements/Visas
- Currency Converter
- Exchange Rates
- U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings
- U.S. Department of State Tips for Students Abroad
- Overseas Security and Advisory Council
- U.S. Embassies
- Foreign Consular Offices in the United States
- European Road Signs and Conventions
- Health Information for International Travel (The Yellow Book): Download or order this book published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Crime and Safety Reports: Crime & Safety Reports written by U.S. Regional Security Officers regarding the current environment overseas.
- School for International Training (SIT)'s Health and Safety Information
- CIEE's Health and Safety Information
- The Paperboy Online Newspaper Guide: A guide to online newspapers around the world.
- Travel Health Online
- Travel Safe: AIDS and International Travel
- U.S. Department of State Travel Registration: A free service to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country. Registration allows you to record information about your upcoming trip abroad that the Department of State can use to assist you in case of an emergency. Americans residing abroad can also get routine information from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
- U.S. Department of State "Students Abroad"
- U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories and Country Information Pages: Information including location of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, unusual immigration practices, health conditions, minor political disturbances, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties for every country in the world.