Off-Campus Programs Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

When can I study off-campus?

Anytime during your sophomore, junior, or senior year(s). As long as it fits into your program of study, then you can do it!

Can I do more than one off-campus program?

Yes! As long as the programs fit into your schedule and make sense for you academically, then you can participate in more than one program.

When should I start planning for my off-campus program experience?

As early as possible! Ideally, you would start looking into it as early as your first year of college. However, whenever you start planning, the main point is that you figure out the best time to fit it into your program, so that you don't delay your degree progression. The earlier you start planning, the more flexibility you have to fit the program in.

Credit Questions

What are the minimum number of units that I have to take to be considered full-time?

15 units for a term-length program (12 weeks or shorter); 21 units for a semester-length program (longer than 12 weeks).

Do I need to be a full-time student on a study abroad program? Or, can I do a part-time program?

You need to be full-time. Not only does the university require it but falling under full-time status can negatively impact your financial aid.

What types of general education requirements do off-campus programs fulfill?

That depends on the program. But generally speaking, here are some guidelines to help you:

• "D" diversity courses cannot be fulfilled abroad
• "G" diversity courses CAN be fulfilled abroad by enrolling in one of our affiliated programs designated with a "G" on the program page. These are often non-Western programs. It is possible that a course on a "Western" program may fulfill the "G" diversity requirement if it examines a topic related to global diversity. These courses should be cleared with faculty before assuming they will apply.
• "W" and "S" requirements must be taken by Lawrence faculty. The London Centre and Senegal are currently the only programs that may fulfill these requirements.
• "Q" requirements are rarely fulfilled abroad, but can be. Ask an OCP Advisor or your Faculty Advisor if a certain course/program might apply.

If I take a subject matter course (e.g., Psychology) in a target language (e.g., German), will it count on my Lawrence transcript as a subject matter or language course? In this example, a Psychology class or a German class?

That depends. Here are some guidelines:

• Courses from language programs that are taught by the third-party program provider (i.e., IES, ISA, CET, etc.) will be applied to your Lawrence academic record based on the subject listed on the program's final transcript.
• Courses taken directly from a foreign university through an affiliated language program will be applied to your Lawrence academic record as courses within the language disciplinary area.
• Courses taught in English directly through a foreign university will be applied to your Lawrence academic record under the most appropriate Lawrence department.

Please note, that 1) in all of these cases, Lawrence must have a corresponding department on campus under which the courses can apply, and 2) there is a petitioning process you can follow if you feel a course was applied incorrectly on your transcript.

Can I take courses S/U while on an off-campus program?

Yes, you can take one course per term as S/U, however you need to let the Registrar know within the first week of classes. London and Senegal students can switch a course to S/U online via Voyager. All affiliated program students need to email/call the Registrar and request the change.

Will courses I take off-campus apply to my major or minor credit requirements?

You will need to check with the pertinent department on campus to determine if off-campus programs courses will apply to major/minor requirements. Always have this discussion before you leave the Appleton campus for a program. Never assume that a class will count without discussing it with the appropriate faculty first.

Language Questions

Do I need to know a language before going on a language program?

Most language programs require that you have through the 202 level (or equivalent) of the respective language. Notably, German, Spanish, and French programs, all require through 202 level. Other language programs may require a more basic level pre-requisite or none at all. Refer to the program you are interested in for their requirements.

Housing Questions

Can I go off-campus as a senior? What about residency requirements?

All affiliated off-campus programs, as well as Lawrence programs, count toward residency requirements.

Billing and Financial Aid Questions

Will programs bill me directly for the cost of the program?

Most programs will require you to directly pay a confirmation deposit once you have decided to participate. This will confirm your place in their program and is typically around $500. All other costs will be billed through your Lawrence student account. Invoices typically go out in mid summer.

How does an off-campus program's cost compare to my tuition and program fees at Lawrence?

When you are considering your options for studying abroad, you are encouraged to request a cost estimate for your intended program from Financial Aid. You can do this by emailing Financial.Aid@lawrence.edu, telling them the name of the program, and which semester or term you plan to study off-campus. If, after receiving your estimate (which will compare off-campus costs with on-campus costs), you still have questions, then you are invited to reach out to Financial Aid for clarification.

If I receive a scholarship, can I use that for pre-program costs, such as airline ticket, visa fees, etc.?

Scholarships are applied directly to your student account, so they are not available for pre-program costs. Ten days before the start of the corresponding Lawrence term, any scholarship amount left over after your program costs have been paid, can be requested as a refund. You must contact Student Accounts or Financial Aid to request this refund. If you do not request a refund, then that money will be refunded to you approximately three weeks after the start of the Lawrence term.

Can you suggest scholarships for studying abroad?

Definitely!  The Off-Campus Programs Funding page has information about scholarships and funding for study abroad.  When the Off-Campus Programs office learns of a new funding source, it's posted to this page.  This is a good place to start your search.

Application Questions

 

Can I apply for multiple programs at one time? There are a few programs I am interested in so I would like to apply to all of them and see how things pan out.

Only apply to the one program you intend to participate in. Our system only allows one application at time per student per term. (If your intention is to participate in more than one program in different terms, e.g., Paris in Fall Semester and then London in Winter Term, you can do this by submitting separate applications for the different terms.)

Do I need to complete the application to my program in addition to the Lawrence Off-Campus Programs application?

Yes. Affiliated program providers require separate application materials for their review process. Most applications are now available online. You will need to submit both the Lawrence Off-Campus Programs application contained in the Off-Campus Programs application system and the affiliated program's application before you can be accepted to your program. The Lawrence application will be due well ahead of the program providers' application deadlines, so students typically have no problem completing both applications in a timely fashion.

Students applying to Lawrence-sponsored programs (London Centre and Francophone Seminar in Dakar, Senegal) only complete one application as Lawrence makes the final admission decisions for these programs. 

What do I enter in the affiliated application requirement called "Non-LU Program Application Materials" area?

Anything that the Off-Campus Programs office would need to send to your program provider for their application on your behalf. For example any approval forms, credit checks, etc. (Transcripts do not need to be listed, as we will send these to your program provider automatically.) Please note that very few programs actually require this type of material submission, so do not be surprised if you feel you do not have anything to list. If in doubt, ask us in Off-Campus Programs. We will be happy to clarify.

Is the application deadline for the London Centre and Senegal programs truly later than the other programs? My friends are all saying their applications are due earlier, and I am getting nervous.

You are correct that applications to Lawrence-sponsored programs (the Francophone Seminar in Dakar, Senegal, and the London Centre) are due later than applications for students applying to participate in a Lawrence-affiliated program.  Lawrence makes the final admission decision for Lawrence-sponsored programs so we can have a slightly later application deadline.  Please refer to our Applications & Deadlines page for up-to-date information.

Can I submit an application to study off-campus after Lawrence's application deadline?

Anyone interested in submitting a late application to study off-campus should contact the Director of Off-Campus Programs to see whether this is possible.  A number of factors go into whether or not we can consider an application after the deadline so it's best to contact the office to see what is possible. 

How do I direct enroll in a program's "local" university courses when their course schedule isn't yet available?

We realize that for some programs (particularly when directly enrolling at a local university), course lists may be out-of-date or simply not available by the application deadlines. In this case, you should use the most current course information available. Use these to list likely courses you will take as well as create a list of alternative courses. The idea is to create flexibility with more course options in anticipation of the fact that the courses offered will likely be slightly different. On the Academic Plan section of the Lawrence application, you can list something to the effect of "local university course – likely in the area of Art History" so that it is clear that your intention is to take a type of course rather than a specific course. Please do this only if an exact course list is not available.

How many faculty recommendations are needed?  I only see one faculty academic recommendation submission slot in the online application system.

The Lawrence application requires two types of recommendations: Faculty Advisor and Academic Recommender.

• Academic Recommender: In the online application, you will have the opportunity to choose which academic recommender you want to write a reference. That can be anyone you have had a class with in the past.
• Faculty Advisor(s): Your faculty advisor(s) automatically receive a request to write a reference from our system once you complete the Academic Plan, Student Recommendation Agreement and Release, and Academic Recommender portions of your application. Please note that if you have more than one Faculty Advisor (e.g., Conservatory/College or Double Major), ALL faculty advisors will be required to fill out a recommendation.The only way you can change who this recommendation is sent to is by officially changing your faculty advisor in the Registrar's office. 
• Language Recommender: If you are applying to a program that requires previous language study, your application will include a separate Language Proficiency application requirement. This Language Proficiency Report should be completed by the faculty member who is most familiar with your abilities in the target language. Please note, if you are applying for an IES language program, you can waive this requirement on the IES application as Lawrence is an affiliated university.

How many transcripts should I request when applying to a Lawrence-affiliated program?

One. The official transcript you request from the Registrar's Office will be included with the program application materials. You do NOT need to request an additional transcript for the program application. Your transcript will automatically be sent to the program provider for those applications gaining Lawrence's approval.