How to Commit

Congratulations on your approval for your study abroad program. Students must decide to commit to or decline their approval by the commitment deadline stated in their approval letter. Also, students must be accepted by their host university or program provider in order to participate on their program. Approval by Penn State is not a guarantee of admittance by the host program. For questions about this, please contact your education abroad adviser. 

Please note that the processes described on this page do not apply to students going abroad on embedded programs.

How to Commit to Your Program

Your first step is to commit to your program which confirms your participation.

  1. Log into your Penn State Application
  2. Read your decision letter for detailed instructions. Your letter will provide a commitment deadline by which all steps must be completed.
  3. Read and sign all three commitment documents (there may be additional requirements depending on your program):
    1. COMMIT – 1. Education Abroad Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
    2. COMMIT – 2. Education Abroad MOA Appendix A: Conditions for Enrollment and Academics
    3. COMMIT – 3. Education Abroad MOA Appendix B: Travel Health and Safety
    4. COMMIT - 4. COVID-19 Acknowledgment, Waiver and Release
    5. COMMIT - 5. COVID-19 Vaccine Attestation
  4. Click the “I Understand” or "Commit" button in your application.

How to Decline Your Approval

If you have decided not to study abroad you can also decline your approval at this time with no penalty.

Deferring Approval

You may not defer your approval to a different semester.  If you are offered a place in a program for which you have applied and you can no longer participate in that particular program/semester, you will need to complete a new application for another semester. You are encouraged to decline your approval if you are no longer able to attend for the semester to which you applied.  If you choose to commit to going on the education abroad program and later want to decline, financial penalties may apply depending on the time of withdrawal.

Withdrawing From Your Program

Sometimes a student’s plans change and it is necessary to withdraw from your study abroad program. There are several factors to consider when making a withdrawal decision.

  1. Log into your Penn State Application
  2. Click the “I Decline” button at the top of your application
  3. Your application will be withdrawn by the Education Abroad office
  • There is no penalty for withdrawal if the withdrawal occurs before the commitment deadline.
  • The approval email sent to students will list the commitment deadline; it will be on average two weeks after approval.
  • Students who withdraw after the commitment deadline may be responsible for a range of fees and should consult the Education Abroad Withdrawal Policy