Take Your First Steps

The application process has 3 key steps: 1) Statement of Intent, 2) Colby Application for Approval, and 3) Online, external application to your specific university/program. 

1. Statement of Intent (due Nov. 15)
   The application process starts with submitting your STATEMENT OF INTENT to OCS by November 15 of your sophomore year for study away in the following academic year. To submit your statement of intent, log into the Colby Portal, set up your account, and complete the statement. We will ask you to share information about your semester choice, academic background, foreign language proficiency, and your goals for off-campus study. You will need to provide an academic reason to justify your choice for a full year off campus, in one site or two. The application should take you less than 15 minutes, and once OCS reviews your statement of intent, we will notify you about your eligibility to begin the Colby Off-Campus Application for a specific program or university.
   
   
2. Colby Application (due Feb. 20)
   You will likely be notified about your eligibility to study off-campus in your semester of choice (or for the full year) by early December after OCS reviews your statement of intent. In the meantime, start researching programs in the Colby Portal. Do not wait until February to do your research as you may need advising from OCS and your academic advisor to find the right program for your Colby Application. Select your desired program from the Colby Portal and click the “Apply” button. This will take you to the application page. You can only apply for one approved program in the portal; start with your first choice and if you change to another approved program later on (which is fine!) you will withdraw this application and apply to the new program. You are not required to fill out the entire application at once and can revisit your application in your account at any time. Plan ahead and be mindful of the Feb. 20 deadline.

   ***Please note that the deadlines for certain programs and universities can be before the Feb. 20 Colby deadline. If your program’s application deadline is before Feb. 20, make sure to complete the external application in time, as well as the Colby Application (by Feb. 20 at the latest).
   
   

3. Apply to your university/program 
   This step is covered in detail on the “Apply to Your Program” page. 

Course Approvals 

In addition to meeting with OCS and your academic advisor, you will need to get the courses you intend to take approved by your advisor and/or departmental representatives. Important considerations for you and your academic advisor are what courses you still need to complete at Colby, what courses your department will allow you to take off campus, and what other recommendations your academic advisor might have. You will need to complete the “Course Approval Form for Off-Campus Study” found on the Registrar’s webpage and outline the classes you’d like to take while on your program and get faculty approval for those courses. The faculty member who will approve each course depends on the type of credit you’d like to receive for the course (see Who Approves? chart button below). If your classes change while you’re abroad, that it is no problem, you will just need to obtain an approval for the course.