1. Complete the Study Abroad Advising Form
Prior to meeting with a study abroad advisor (step 2), you are required to complete an Advising Form, found here. This step will provide you with a lot of useful information needed for studying abroad and will also help you plan out your own goals.
2. Meet with a Study Abroad Advisor.
Call 336.758.5938 or stop by the Center for Global Programs and Studies in 116 Reynolda Hall to schedule a meeting. Meetings are scheduled Monday-Thursday and typically last 30 minutes. You can learn more about the advising team here. During your meeting, you will have the chance to discuss your options in greater detail. In preparation for this meeting, please read the Study Abroad Getting Started Handbook, and research programs.
You can search by destination or by courses of study in the menu bar. Consider the following questions as you research programs:
- When do you want to study abroad?
- How long do you want to be abroad? A summer, semester, year?
- Do you want courses in English or another language?
- Do you need specific classes for your major or minor?
3. Create a Wake Abroad Application for each program you are interested in.
Once you have selected a program, follow the link to apply online. All students must submit an application via the Wake Forest online system. Follow the instructions to create your personal homepage. Wake Forest students will need their WIN username and password. Non-Wake Forest students must complete the online form before gaining access to the application system. Be sure to complete all the steps as outlined on your homepage.
Affiliate program providers require a separate application in addition to the one required by the Center for Global Programs and Studies. You must submit a signature document to the Center for Global Programs and Studies confirming you have sent your application to the appropriate provider. Be sure to follow the instructions on your homepage. Note that Affiliate programs may also have additional application fees.
4. Confirm participation.
After you have completed the application, check your homepage and Wake Forest email regularly. You will receive acceptance notification via email. Reminder notices will also be posted or emailed to you. Once accepted, you must confirm your participation within the specified time frame. Login to your homepage and follow the instructions to confirm. Students who do not commit within the time frame are subject to automatic withdrawal. If your program requires a deposit, money is due upon confirmation.
5. Complete acceptance materials and course approvals.
Once you are accepted/confirmed, you must submit all post-acceptance materials. This includes submitting course approvals in the Global Transfer Credit System found in WIN (for affiliate programs), health forms, liability forms, etc. Required post-acceptance materials will be listed on your personal homepage. Study abroad participation is contingent upon submission of these materials.
6. Attend pre-departure orientation.
Attendance at one of the pre-departure meetings is mandatory. You will be notified of orientation dates and times after your application is approved and accepted.
7. Engage in your World Class Experience!
Eligibility
Academic Requirements
- All Wake Forest undergraduate students are eligible to participate in any study abroad program for which they meet the prerequisite course and GPA requirements.
- Students must have a GPA of 2.0 to earn credit on affiliate programs.
- Most Affiliate programs require a GPA of at least 2.5, many require a higher GPA.
Language Requirements
- Students studying in a non-English speaking country are required to take one course in the country’s native language.
- Some Wake Forest programs require students to have completed specific language courses to be eligible for consideration.
- In general, if students have taken four to five semesters of language and feel comfortable, it is possible to take all courses in the native language.
University Probation
- Students on suspension or social or academic probation during the Study Abroad application process, as well as anytime leading up to departure, may not be able to participate in a study abroad program and have coursework transferred to Wake Forest for credit.
- It is important that students in these situations speak to their abroad advisor as soon as possible.
Deadlines
Many study abroad programs offer rolling admissions, meaning that they will accept students before the posted deadline. For this reason the Center for Global Programs and Studies strongly recommends applying for your program as soon as possible.
- Wake Forest Semester Programs: students applying to a WFU house program typically apply a year in advance, students applying to a WFU semester program not based at a house have deadlines that are typically a semester in advance. Individual program deadlines can be found the program pages on our website.
- Affiliate Semester Programs: individual program deadlines can be found on the program website. For students interested in studying abroad for a Fall semester most deadlines are in early March and for students interested in studying abroad for Spring semester most deadlines are in early October.
- Wake Forest Summer Programs: individual program deadlines can be found on the program pages our website. Typically deadlines are in mid-February but many programs will accept students as early as the November before the program start-date.
- Affiliate Summer Programs: individual program deadlines can be found on the program website. Typically deadlines are in mid-February/early March.
Academic Credit
Wake Forest Programs
If you participate in a Wake Forest program, you will receive course credit that will apply to your GPA. Divisional credit is given if you participate in a Wake Forest program and a divisional course is being taught.
Affiliate Programs
Your study abroad grades of a “C” or better will count as transfer credit and do not apply to your GPA. Divisional credit must be approved by the department chair for Affiliate programs. Note that all grades for which you earn transfer credit will appear on your official Wake Forest transcript. You will work with your abroad advisor to ensure that the courses you plan to take abroad are approved for credit at Wake Forest.
Transfer Hours
You may transfer a maximum of 60 hours to Wake Forest. All attempted courses and earned grades while abroad will appear on your transcript, even if the courses were not approved. Non-approved courses will be designated with an “N” beside the grade.
ABO 100While students are abroad with Affiliate programs they are registered in the course ABO 100 to verify their full-time student status. This course is worth 12 hours during a semester. This course will appear on your grade report and on your WIN degree audit. As soon as your transcript is received from the study abroad institution, the ABO 100 course will be removed from your record and your actual courses and credits will be reported. If you have earned the equivalent of 15 Wake Forest hours abroad, your degree audit will be updated at this time.
Enrolling in Alternate Courses
Sometimes a pre-approved course is no longer offered when you register for courses abroad. This is why we recommend having backup courses selected in your ‘My Courses’ list in the Global Transfer Credit System. In the event this happens, you can either select another pre-approved course or submit additional courses for review. We recommend students submit new courses for review as soon as possible, as some departments may take longer to review your course for credit.
For Wake Forest programs, the Center for Global Programs and Studies reviews course offerings and seeks approval for any new courses that may be available. It is advised that students contact their study abroad advisor if they have questions about this process.
Course Overloading
If you want to take more than the equivalent of 17 hours/semester while abroad, you must have permission from the Office of Academic Advising (OAA) before you leave campus. The Registrar’s Office can only award a maximum of 17 hours without OAA permission.
Transcripts
Some study abroad programs will only send transcripts to home institutions by request; others automatically send a copy once your grades have been processed. Know your program’s policy. It is your responsibility to have your transcript sent to the Registrar’s Office. Transcripts should be sent to:
Wake Forest University
Registrar’s Office
P.O. Box 7207
Winston-Salem NC 27109-7207
Once an official transcript has been received by the Registrar’s Office, your Wake Forest record will be updated and you will be notified via email to check your records. The email will also list any courses that were not pre-approved and provide instructions for seeking a post approval. If you have not heard from the Registrar’s Office, chances are your transcript has not arrived. Contact the Registrar’s Office if you have questions. If your transcript has not arrived within three (3) months after your return, contact your study abroad program and specifically request your transcript.
Information for Non-WFU Students
To apply, create an account from the application page of your selected program. Follow the instructions for “New non-Wake Forest applicants.” In addition to applying for the abroad program you will also need to complete the visiting student application. Please contact Jessica Francis, francija@wfu.edu, (semester) or Sean McGlynn, mcglynsd@wfu.edu, (summer) for the details of this process.
Non-WFU students who plan to apply to the WFU/Cambridge: INSTEP or WFU/London: INSTEP programs do not need to complete the visiting student application and should apply directly through the program page. Please contact Steve Seaworth (steve@instep-programs.net) with questions about the INSTEP application.
Once accepted into a program, you will be registered at Wake Forest as a non-degree student and will receive grades and credit as if the courses were taken at Wake Forest. Upon successful completion of the program, grades and credit will be posted and an official Wake Forest transcript will be sent to the address you provided on your Transcript Request Form.
You are responsible for finding out how your college or university will post Wake Forest credits. The number of credits you can earn depends on the program you choose.
Non-Wake Forest students are not eligible for financial aid through Wake Forest. Contact your university’s financial aid office about transferring your financial aid to a Wake Forest program.