England » Sheffield » Admission & Preparation

ADMISSION AND PREPARATION

Application Deadlines:

The application deadline for students is March 1. 

Eligibility Requirements

This program is open to undergraduate students in any major. To be eligible, students must meet the following minimum requirements before departure:

• sophomore standing
• an overall GPA of 3.00 or above
• some departments at Sheffield require higher than 3.00 GPA

Students must continue to make satisfactory academic progress throughout the application process and during their study abroad program, and otherwise comply with policies and procedures of the host university, the OUS Office of International Programs, and their home university International Programs Office.

If you do not meet the minimum requirements, please consult with your home campus contact person before applying.

Application Process

Early application is advised. Selection for the program is based on a review of the student's written application, transcripts, recommendations, and personal interview. Applications are available in the International Programs Office on your home campus and online by clicking here:

Completed applications should be submitted to your home campus international programs office.  A $50 application fee is due at the time the application is submitted and is non-refundable under any circumstances.

Selection and Participation

Participants must meet the eligibility requirements for their chosen program, and be prepared linguistically, academically, and socially to succeed abroad. Overseas study participants must satisfactorily complete the following:

• well-written program application
• personal interview
• timely submission of required paperwork
• attendance at pre-departure orientation sessions
• payment of program fees

Program participants must also demonstrate the ability to be successful overseas through evidence of maturity, motivation, and flexibility.  Participation in any program is subject to the approval of the OUS International Programs Office and its partner institutions, which may grant or withhold such approval in their sole discretion.

Acceptance to all study abroad programs involves a significant amount of paperwork for legal, financial, academic and safety reasons.  Your Campus Contact and our office are ready to help explain and guide you through the paperwork process; however, it is your responsibility to complete the paperwork in a timely and professional manner.

Visa Information

Students must have a valid U.S. passport.  If you do not already have a passport that will be valid for at least six months beyond the projected ending date of your program, you should apply for or renew your passport. 
If you will be studying in Britain for six months or longer, or studying for six months or less and working/taking part in an internship, you must apply for an Entry Clearance Permit (which is like a student visa) from the British Consulate before you leave.  It is advisable to apply as early as possible before traveling, but not prior to 90 days before your course starts.  Visa-issuing Consulates are only able to post-date visas by 90 days.  Therefore, if your course starts on Sept. 1, the earliest you are able to apply for Entry Clearance is June 1.

 Instructions on applying for a visa will be provided during the program orientation cycle.

You can find answers to common questions about entry clearance at http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-educationuk-immigration-and-work.htm.  The British Council provides a “First Steps Guidance Note- Preparing for Entry Clearance” at http://www.britishcouncil.org/firststeps_2007.pdf.

Your entry clearance sticker will have a “start date” which will generally be two weeks before the beginning of your course.  This two-week time period is meant to give you time to settle in.  You will not be able to ask for a start date earlier than this, and you will not be permitted to enter the UK under your entry clearance prior to this start date.  If you would like to travel before your course starts, you can enter the UK as a visitor, leave the UK before your course starts by traveling to Continental Europe for a day and then re-enter the UK in order to activate your entry clearance.
Please note that US citizens and students can not apply for entry clearance from outside the United States.

The British Consulate processes all entry clearance applications.  Students can apply online and mail supplemental materials to the Consulate for their region; the west coast Consulate is in Los Angeles.  When students apply, they will be informed of the closest processing center for fingerprinting and digital photos which are now required for entry clearance.

Students studying in the UK for fewer than six months, who do not wish to work or take part in an internship, do not need to apply for entry clearance prior to leaving. Upon landing in the UK, students will need to provide the following items:  a valid passport, letter of acceptance from the UK University, proof of finances, round-trip ticket.

This entry type is referred to as “Student Visitor”.  Student Visitors are NOT permitted to work, this includes both voluntary and unpaid work (including unpaid internships for academic credit.)  Under the Student Visitor category, students may not extend their stay nor switch to another visa category. 

Orientations

All students are required to attend the OUS pre-departure orientation that will cover academic, logistical, and financial matters.  For detailed information, including dates and locations, please click here: