Accepted Students

Whether you will be participating on a Plattsburgh program or another SUNY program, you will need to fill out the study away course approval form located in your application.

On it, you will make a list of courses that you want to take at your host institution. Take this list of courses and course descriptions from your host institution’s website to your advisor. Your advisor will indicate on the form how these course will meet your requirements here. Next, the chair of your department must also sign the form. Finally, Student Financial Services and Global Education Office must also sign the form.

Helpful Tip: Have more courses evaluated than you can take. We suggest having a minimum of eight courses evaluated in case you are not able to get into a course or want to drop one and add another. If you are abroad and your final schedule differs in any way from the courses on this form, tell your advisor and department chair immediately. Inform them of the new courses you will be taking and ask that they evaluate them on a new course approval form and then send the form to the Global Education Office for signing. We will then send it to the registrar for you

Some study away programs may utilize a different academic system. Credits and/or grades for these programs will be converted to the equivalent at SUNY Plattsburgh upon receipt of the academic transcript. All study away students must earn the equivalent of a C or above to earn credit. Students participating on a non-Plattsburgh program should contact the administering SUNY campus for conversion information.

In most cases you will be required to choose classes and submit a proposed course of study with your application. Our partner universities attempt to pre-register you whenever possible. All universities have an orientation program for international students. It is the students’ responsibility to learn about the orientation and the registration process, and to arrive in time to get acquainted with the university before classes start. The orientation also helps to establish contact with other international students.

Many universities have a broad range of course offerings, but some have restrictions on certain subjects. For instance, a business, engineering, or pre-med student might not find space available at an overseas university for their particular distribution requirements. Before making a course selection, all students must study the offerings at the host university, and consult with their academic advisor at their home college to assure that they will meet their requirements for credit.

You are responsible for getting an updated passport that is valid until 6 months after you expect to return to the United States. If you need help locating the application form or working through the process, please ask or visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html.

If you do not already have a passport, get one now! You need a passport in hand before you can apply for a visa. In some countries, getting a visa can take many weeks or even months.

For more information about visas and applying for a passport, visit:

Health & Safety Information

One of the biggest non-academic expenses of study abroad is airfare and travel to and from your host country. It is highly likely that you will want to travel around your host region to experience all that it has to offer, so start looking at public transportation options now.

You can also apply for an international student identity card from our office as part of your acceptance — this card will be your key to getting discounted student rates while you are abroad.

• Information about the International Student Identity Card.
• Research your host country — transportation, visa requirements, best things to do and more — on Lonelyplanet.com

• AESU — An agency in Baltimore that specializes in student and educational travel.
• Student Travel Association — STA has a website and offices around the world. They give access to student fares and can help you find tickets with flexible return dates.
• Student Universe — Commercial website specializing in student travel.
• AAA — You must be a member, and they may have a local office close to you in the U.S.
• Carlson Wagonlit Travel — SUNY Plattsburgh uses this travel agency for its employees.

• Let's Go Travel Guides
• Lonely Planet Travel Guides
• Student Travel Association

• Europe on Rail
• Europe by Eurail

Some host universities will offer an airport pick-up, as requested by the student. If airport pick-up is offered at your host university, you must return the information by the stated deadline. If you fail to do so the university may be unable to retrieve you and you will have to find your own way to campus.

Host institutions will provide an orientation to the university and its services as well as to the surrounding area, including topics such as safety and security and how to accomplish common tasks.

Travel is a big part of the study abroad experience. Be sure to save funds for personal travel. Travel expenses are not part of cost estimates. For travel advice, contact your local travel agency.

Many universities abroad also have student travel services and outing clubs for inexpensive trips to points of interest and into the countryside.

“Self-catered” housing means that there is no meal plan. Shared kitchens or reasonably priced restaurants are available. “Catered” housing means that some meals are provided, and “fully-catered” housing means that all meals are included.

“En-suite” indicates that rooms have their own bathroom facilities. “Standard” rooms have shared facilities.

All major credit cards are widely accepted overseas and ATMs are widespread throughout the world. Make sure that you use a card with the symbol of a major credit card (Visa and Mastercard preferred in most countries) as ATM systems vary and the major credit card companies are the most universally recognized. Cards from major companies often have better insurance policies related to fraudulent charges if you were to experience this.

• Be careful to ask your bank what the ATM transaction fees will be as they can be quite expensive.
• Keep a separate list of credit and debit card account numbers and customer service telephone numbers for emergency replacement. Loss or theft of a card abroad can be a huge inconvenience when you are traveling. 

Alert Your Bank

You should alert you bank prior to leaving to let them know you’ll be traveling outside of the country and provide them with your dates of travel. This will ensure that your card will not be shut down or frozen while traveling.

Cash

Please note that even with a credit card, you may encounter businesses that require cash for transactions. Cash withdrawals with a credit or debit card are very easy.

If you are using a cell phone in another country you will likely be changed international fees while using the internet and maybe even calls and texts. We highly recommend you check in with you provider prior to departure to inquire what is included in your plan or if you can add on an international plan.

Some students opt to get a new SIM card/phone number in their host country by purchasing a plan with a well known provider upon arrival.

Additionally, given the difference in voltage and electrical connections you will need an adapter to connect to your charger. Chargers may not function well or at all in other countries, so prepare accordingly. The same may be true for your laptop computer. Electrical systems in foreign countries are not compatible with the system of the United States, so some small appliances (like your hair dryer, iron, electric shaver) need converters. You can purchase the converter ahead of time, or buy the appliances that you need upon arrival.

You should budget for your trip based on money that you have earned prior to your departure and do not rely on earning money while you are abroad — earning wages for work while you are abroad under a student visa is most often prohibited. Your student visa usually authorizes only living and learning in your host country.

For information on voting while abroad, please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website.

Customs and immigration officials are very vigilant. You should receive customs information on your outbound flight. If you do not, please ask a flight attendant or immigration officer for information on U.S. customs regulations so that you can plan for your return. Review this information carefully, both for departure and reentry into the United States. Allow adequate time for checking in at the airport, both while leaving and returning. Security measures can be extensive and time-consuming.

Learn more about returning to the states after studying abroad