How to apply

Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 23:49 Written by Andrew Lai Thursday, 21 May 2009 06:25

Application process

Choosing a university can be daunting, there are two simultaneous decisions that need to be made, location and program. After this decision has been made the necessary arrangements and paperwork must be done, the steps below will take you through this process:

Step 1: Choose a University and Program

Use the Google Map to help decide on a University and program.

If you need help narrowing down your choices, call IFSA-Butler at 1-800-858-0229 (or + 1 317 940 9336) and ask to speak with a Program Advisor. They can help you decide which university program is the best academic and social fit for you, and can help you work out the courses you might need to take in conjunction with your current degree. Check in with the study abroad office on your home campus. They will provide valuable information about your home institution's study abroad policies, including approved programs, paperwork requirements, credit transfer, financial aid transfer and more.

Step 2: Remember the deadlines

All of our programs operate on a rolling admission basis.

March 15: Australia Semester 2 (Fall), Academic year
November 15: Australia Semester 1(Spring) and Calendar year
Special date for the Australian National University: October 15 for Semester 1 and Calendar year

• Visit the IFSA-Butler main website for more explanation on these dates.

Step 3: Apply to a program

Apply on-line or request an application form.
In addition to our on-line and paper applications, we require additional materials from each student. Our applications and program catalogs detail the materials that students must submit with an application. These additional materials include:

• Program approval form
• Recommendation form. Some programs require two recommendations.
• An official transcript for all college and university work you have completed to date.
• Eight (8) 2"x2" color photographs. The host universities require these photos, and we also use them to make your student I.D. card.
• $40 application fee. Students may pay this fee by credit card (required for our on-line application) or with a check payable to the Institute for Study Abroad. Please note that as of January 1, 2009, the fee for on-line applications will be $30 and the fee for PDF applications will be $50.

Housing and course forms

When we first receive your application, we'll send you a welcome packet with information about housing, course selection for your first-choice university and financial aid. You'll need to complete and return all required forms to us within 10 days so that we can arrange your housing and inform your host university of the courses you want to take. This packet also includes Preparing to Study Abroad, a booklet of information on living abroad, banking, travel, packing, academics and other predeparture topics.

Submitting your application abroad

Once your application is in order, a program advisor will submit your application to your first-choice university. In many cases, students must choose courses from the host university's course catalog before their application can be sent abroad for an admissions decision.

Step 4: Await your acceptance

Because our programs are fully integrated, we must send your application to the host university for an admissions decision. Except for a few universities, IFSA-Butler cannot make acceptance decisions for English-speaking programs.

Step 5:Accept your place on our program

Once a host university accepts you, IFSA-Butler will send you an acceptance packet. This packet includes an official letter of acceptance from IFSA-Butler, a medical form, a country-specific program fee sheet and a program contract that you must sign and return within ten days, along with your $500 non-refundable deposit.
If your first-choice university does not accept you, a program advisor will call you to let you know. At that time you can choose to apply to another university or defer your application to a later semester.