Application
Your ISEP Coordinator will give you the ISEP application form,
which includes a set of instructions, or you can download it from the
ISEP Web site. You do not apply directly to ISEP, but submit your application
to the ISEP Coordinator at your institution, who will forward the application
to ISEP.
ISEP reviews all nominations and matches students with appropriate study
sites. Your home institution ISEP Coordinator receives regular reports
and will keep you informed during the placement process. Always check
with your ISEP Coordinator or study abroad advisor to find out about
your placement status; do not contact the ISEP office directly. The
high volume of calls and e-mails to the ISEP office makes it difficult
for us to get back to you quickly. Your ISEP Coordinator can contact
us on your behalf.
Placement
If your complete application is received by the priority deadline, ISEP
will place you at a potential host institution within three to four
weeks, or contact your Coordinator if there are issues that might delay
or prevent placement at the sites you listed. ISEP cannot guarantee
an offer of placement, and if your academic preparation or language
proficiency is not sufficient for the sites you have requested, ISEP
may be unable to place you or ask you to defer to a later date to give
you a chance to improve your skills.
For most ISEP-Direct programs, there are no limits on the number of
openings. For ISEP-Exchanges, the number of students that each site
can receive depends on the number of places created there by departing
students. You may or may not be placed at your first-choice study site,
but ISEP will make every effort to place you at a site that will meet
your academic needs and interests.
Confirmation
After placing you, ISEP forwards a copy of your application packet to
the proposed study site. The host institution decides whether or not
to confirm the placement. Many institutions will want to send your application
to the specific departments to ensure that the academic program you
have requested is appropriate. More than 90 percent of all students
placed are confirmed. If an institution does not confirm, it is most
often because the courses requested are not available or because the
student does not have the course pre-requisites or language skills for
the proposed study program.
It usually takes three to four weeks for the host institution to review
your application. ISEP follows up on outstanding confirmations and notifies
your Coordinator as soon as possible.
Offer and Acceptance
As soon as the host Coordinator confirms your placement, ISEP sends
information and an offer of placement (known as a PPAF packet) to you
through your home ISEP Coordinator. The process is complete when you
make a commitment to the program by returning the participant placement
acceptance form (PPAF) and enrolling in the ISEP Student Health Insurance
Program.
This packet will include an IIS (Institutional Information Sheet) about
the host institution where you have been placed. It is very important
to read all the details on this sheet about housing, meals, deposits,
and special conditions. The contact information for your host
ISEP Coordinator will also be listed.
You should receive your placement packet within eight weeks from the
day your application arrives at ISEP. Sometimes the process takes longer
because of issues to be resolved or because the host institution needs
additional time to review your application.
After your Confirmation and Acceptance
Your host institution will send you a letter of admission and acceptance
packet with information. You will need the university's official acceptance
letter in order to apply for your visa. (Please see your host country
handbook for further information on visas). Additional documents
needed by your host institution such as housing and registration forms
or an internal university application may also be included in this packet.
It is very important to complete these forms in a timely manner.
If you do not receive a letter of admission and acceptance packet from
your host institution, contact your host university's ISEP Coordinator
immediately. If you do not receive a response from the host Coordinator,
please contact the ISEP office.
SM1 students studying outside the USA should be aware that many universities
abroad close for the summer or employees take extended vacations, so
host Coordinators may not be available by email during July and August.
Please try to contact your host Coordinator with any questions before
the end of June.