Education Abroad Application Guide
On this page, you'll find a summary of what students can expect for submitting a Penn State education abroad application.
On this page
Step 1: Start an Application
Once you've selected your education abroad program, click the "Apply Now" button listed on the Penn State program brochure page to open your application.
Step 1: Start an Application
Once you've selected your education abroad program, click the "Apply Now" button listed on the Penn State program brochure page to open your application.
Step 2: Log into Your LionsABROAD Portal
Log into the Penn State LionsABROAD application portal using your Penn State access ID and password.
Step 2: Log into Your LionsABROAD Portal
Log into the Penn State LionsABROAD application portal using your Penn State access ID and password.
Step 3: Select Your Desired Term of Study
Select the academic term you are applying to (i.e., fall, spring, summer, academic year) and click "Continue".
Step 3: Select Your Desired Term of Study
Select the academic term you are applying to (i.e., fall, spring, summer, academic year) and click "Continue".
Step 4: Review the List of Requirements
Once you have started an application, you will see a list of required materials that you must submit in order for your application to be considered complete. Examples of requirements for most applications include:
- Penn State Education Abroad Application Questionnaire (reflection questions & reviewing eligibility requirements)
- The Education Abroad Application Questionnaire is designed for our office to get a sense of why you have chosen your particular program, what your goals are for your education abroad experience, and what makes you a good fit for an education abroad program through Penn State, among other considerations. We are looking to see that students have carefully considered their program of choice and have a clear vision for what they want to gain from their time abroad, as well as what they might potentially contribute to their program as a representative of Penn State.
- The questions are not meant to be intimidating or intensive! We just ask that you put time and thought into your responses so that we can get a good sense of your candidacy for your selected education abroad program.
- Academic Recommendation (see the "Request an Academic Recommendation" step on this page for details)
- Additional documents students must read and electronically sign to acknowledge their understanding of our policies and procedures
Step 4: Review the List of Requirements
Once you have started an application, you will see a list of required materials that you must submit in order for your application to be considered complete. Examples of requirements for most applications include:
- Penn State Education Abroad Application Questionnaire (reflection questions & reviewing eligibility requirements)
- The Education Abroad Application Questionnaire is designed for our office to get a sense of why you have chosen your particular program, what your goals are for your education abroad experience, and what makes you a good fit for an education abroad program through Penn State, among other considerations. We are looking to see that students have carefully considered their program of choice and have a clear vision for what they want to gain from their time abroad, as well as what they might potentially contribute to their program as a representative of Penn State.
- The questions are not meant to be intimidating or intensive! We just ask that you put time and thought into your responses so that we can get a good sense of your candidacy for your selected education abroad program.
- Academic Recommendation (see the "Request an Academic Recommendation" step on this page for details)
- Additional documents students must read and electronically sign to acknowledge their understanding of our policies and procedures
Step 5: Request an Academic Recommendation
An academic recommendation is a requirement for the Penn State education abroad application. Recommendations are an important part of the selection process because they reflect how a member of the Penn State academic community perceives your preparedness to study abroad. The recommendation is completed electronically and must be submitted by the application deadline.
Recommendation Guidelines
- The recommendation is not a formal letter; rather, it is a form that your selected recommender will fill out within our system
- The academic recommendation must be from a professor or graduate teaching assistant (TA) who has had you in class or from your academic adviser at Penn State.
- All academic recommendations must be submitted by someone who can assess your academic preparedness for the program. Your recommender should know your academic capabilities and your interest in studying abroad.
- If you are applying to a faculty-led program, you should not request the recommendation from the Penn State faculty member, staff member, or teaching assistant who will be leading the program.
- Recommendations cannot be copied across semesters or reused for another application.
Recommendation Instructions
- Meet with your recommender to discuss your education abroad plans well in advance of the application deadline.
- Plan ahead! Allow up to four weeks for a recommender to complete the online form.
- Ask if this person is willing to complete your electronic recommendation. It can be helpful to let them know that the recommendation form typically takes about ten minutes to complete, so it should not take up too much of their time.
- In your LionsABROAD application, select the “Academic Recommendation Required" requirement.
- Enter your recommender's Penn State email address or full name and click "search."
- Select the correct recommender.
- List any coursework taken with your recommender, if applicable. If you selected an academic adviser, please indicate that in the text field provided.
- Answer the question concerning waiving your right to read or obtain copies of the recommendation and click "Send Request."
- Your recommender will receive an email notification with a link to log in and complete your recommendation.
- Before the application deadline, verify that the recommendation was received in your Penn State application portal. If it has not been received, send a brief, polite reminder email to your recommender requesting they submit their recommendation by the deadline.
- Once the recommendation is complete, it is good practice to send a thank you note to the professor, instructor, or academic adviser who completed the recommendation. Also, if you are ultimately accepted to the program, don’t forget to share the good news!
Note: If your academic recommendation is not submitted by the Penn State application deadline, your application will be considered incomplete.
Step 5: Request an Academic Recommendation
An academic recommendation is a requirement for the Penn State education abroad application. Recommendations are an important part of the selection process because they reflect how a member of the Penn State academic community perceives your preparedness to study abroad. The recommendation is completed electronically and must be submitted by the application deadline.
Recommendation Guidelines
- The recommendation is not a formal letter; rather, it is a form that your selected recommender will fill out within our system
- The academic recommendation must be from a professor or graduate teaching assistant (TA) who has had you in class or from your academic adviser at Penn State.
- All academic recommendations must be submitted by someone who can assess your academic preparedness for the program. Your recommender should know your academic capabilities and your interest in studying abroad.
- If you are applying to a faculty-led program, you should not request the recommendation from the Penn State faculty member, staff member, or teaching assistant who will be leading the program.
- Recommendations cannot be copied across semesters or reused for another application.
Recommendation Instructions
- Meet with your recommender to discuss your education abroad plans well in advance of the application deadline.
- Plan ahead! Allow up to four weeks for a recommender to complete the online form.
- Ask if this person is willing to complete your electronic recommendation. It can be helpful to let them know that the recommendation form typically takes about ten minutes to complete, so it should not take up too much of their time.
- In your LionsABROAD application, select the “Academic Recommendation Required" requirement.
- Enter your recommender's Penn State email address or full name and click "search."
- Select the correct recommender.
- List any coursework taken with your recommender, if applicable. If you selected an academic adviser, please indicate that in the text field provided.
- Answer the question concerning waiving your right to read or obtain copies of the recommendation and click "Send Request."
- Your recommender will receive an email notification with a link to log in and complete your recommendation.
- Before the application deadline, verify that the recommendation was received in your Penn State application portal. If it has not been received, send a brief, polite reminder email to your recommender requesting they submit their recommendation by the deadline.
- Once the recommendation is complete, it is good practice to send a thank you note to the professor, instructor, or academic adviser who completed the recommendation. Also, if you are ultimately accepted to the program, don’t forget to share the good news!
Note: If your academic recommendation is not submitted by the Penn State application deadline, your application will be considered incomplete.
Step 6: Submit Your Application!
Submit the Penn State application by the deadline listed in the application portal.
- Your responses will automatically save so you can return to them and make edits at any time before the application deadline. Do not click “Submit” on an individual requirement until you have filled in answers for each question in a requirement.
- If you do accidentally submit a requirement before you have completed it, please reach out to EducationAbroad@psu.edu so we can reopen that requirement for you.
- You do not need to complete the requirements in the order they appear, nor do you need to complete all requirements at once. Please invest sufficient time into creating a strong application.
- Once you have completed at least one requirement, a progress circle will appear near the top of the page, tracking your progress toward completion. Your application is complete when the progress circle is fully closed.
- After all application requirements are complete, and the progress circle has been fully closed, a "Submit your application" button will appear at the top of the page. Clicking this button will finalize the submission of your application.
- Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed after the application deadline. More information about deadlines and other important dates is available on the Application Process and Timeline page of this website.
Step 6: Submit Your Application!
Submit the Penn State application by the deadline listed in the application portal.
- Your responses will automatically save so you can return to them and make edits at any time before the application deadline. Do not click “Submit” on an individual requirement until you have filled in answers for each question in a requirement.
- If you do accidentally submit a requirement before you have completed it, please reach out to EducationAbroad@psu.edu so we can reopen that requirement for you.
- You do not need to complete the requirements in the order they appear, nor do you need to complete all requirements at once. Please invest sufficient time into creating a strong application.
- Once you have completed at least one requirement, a progress circle will appear near the top of the page, tracking your progress toward completion. Your application is complete when the progress circle is fully closed.
- After all application requirements are complete, and the progress circle has been fully closed, a "Submit your application" button will appear at the top of the page. Clicking this button will finalize the submission of your application.
- Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed after the application deadline. More information about deadlines and other important dates is available on the Application Process and Timeline page of this website.
Step 7: Await Your Decision
The Education Abroad office does not review applications on a rolling basis; application decisions are released to students according to the timeline listed on the Application Process and Timeline page. We kindly ask that you remain patient until the application decision date. Education abroad advisers cannot provide status updates on individual student application reviews.
For more information on what happens after you are approved for an education abroad program, please review the "I'm Approved... What's Next?" page on this site.
Step 7: Await Your Decision
The Education Abroad office does not review applications on a rolling basis; application decisions are released to students according to the timeline listed on the Application Process and Timeline page. We kindly ask that you remain patient until the application decision date. Education abroad advisers cannot provide status updates on individual student application reviews.
For more information on what happens after you are approved for an education abroad program, please review the "I'm Approved... What's Next?" page on this site.
Step 8: Host Institution Application (if applicable)
Students applying to an education abroad program in partnership with a host institution abroad (e.g., exchanges, direct enrollments, and third-party provider programs) will also be required to submit an application directly with that host institution. Students should consider the Penn State application as "step 1" in the process and the host institution application as "step 2."
The LionsABROAD portal will include further instructions for students applying to these types of programs. Please follow those instructions to complete the host institution application. Note that host institution application deadlines will vary, so you may need to complete this step earlier in the overall application process. For questions about the host institution application, please contact the host institution directly.
If you are unsure whether your program requires a host institution application, please connect with your education abroad adviser.
Step 8: Host Institution Application (if applicable)
Students applying to an education abroad program in partnership with a host institution abroad (e.g., exchanges, direct enrollments, and third-party provider programs) will also be required to submit an application directly with that host institution. Students should consider the Penn State application as "step 1" in the process and the host institution application as "step 2."
The LionsABROAD portal will include further instructions for students applying to these types of programs. Please follow those instructions to complete the host institution application. Note that host institution application deadlines will vary, so you may need to complete this step earlier in the overall application process. For questions about the host institution application, please contact the host institution directly.
If you are unsure whether your program requires a host institution application, please connect with your education abroad adviser.
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