Our office is here to help you enjoy a successful international experience.
We not only help students, but we also offer information and support services to families, faculty, and staff. Students are required to attend at least one advising session to ensure they have the information needed to get started on their application. If students are attending a Drake faculty-led program, their advising questions can be directed to the faculty member, as well as to our office. We also require students to attend a Pre-Departure Orientation before they depart for their journey, to further cover concepts about culture, academic expectations, health, and safety abroad.
One of the key advising areas we assist students through is the application process. All students traveling internationally on a Drake, Exchange, Affiliate, or Experiential program must apply online through the application system. Students must also be approved by Drake University in order to receive academic credit, and to be able to use Drake scholarships and financial aid towards a study abroad experience.
We recommend that all students start the application process by watching Education Abroad 101. For students who want to schedule an appointment with our office, students must watch this video first, as it addresses many common pre-application questions.
Once students are ready to start an application, do so through the application management system.
The J-term programs for the upcoming year are not revealed until the J-term Fair in March. On the day of the J-term Fair, our office opens the application cycle for J-term programs abroad. Students must apply through the application management system, and cannot sign up for J-term courses abroad through MyDusis or any other system. As some J-term programs fill very quickly (sometimes on the first day they are open), students can apply to more than one program, and rank their programs of interest.
Students traveling abroad for a semester or academic year are required to attend an information session or meet one-on-one with Drake's Education Abroad Advisor before they can be approved for a study abroad program. The Education Abroad Advisor can review program options for your major, and personal and professional goals. They also review the application process, general financial aid questions, study abroad scholarships, credit transfer, and more.
Be aware that the application is a two-step process for semester and academic year programs. You must first apply and be approved for a study abroad experience by Drake University. Then you must also apply and be approved by the Exchange or Affiliate Partner.
To be eligible for an education abroad experience, students must meet Drake University requirements, as well as any program specific requirements. For example, some programs may require that you have a certain major, be a junior or senior, or have a higher GPA requirement.
Most Drake Programs abroad are offered during J-Term (programs typically travel for one to three weeks, and depart in late December or early January), as well as some program offerings during the summer.
Two semesters in advance:
Two semesters (or more) in advance:
Visit our Study Abroad Program Search to narrow down your options. You can search by location, term, area of study and program type to help you find the best fit for you!