Apply to Calvin-sponsored programs
To participate in a Calvin off-campus semester program, you must have sophomore status, a minimum G.P.A. of 2.5, and you must go through a two-part application process consisting of a general preliminary application and a program application.
Preliminary application
The preliminary application determines your academic and social eligibility for an off-campus semester program.
Deadlines
Give yourself plenty of time before the program application deadline (see individual program pages) to allow for a 1–2 week processing period for the preliminary application—it will need to go to the Registrar, Student Life and Off-Campus Programs for approval.
In the meantime, make sure your passport is up-to-date (and will not expire any time in the next year), or apply for a passport. Obviously, our semester programs in Washington D.C. and New Mexico do not require you to have a passport.
Instructions for the preliminary application
-
Consult your advisor concerning the credits in the program you'd like to apply for and have him/her sign your preliminary application form. Make sure to talk about the courses you will take in your semester after you return from your program—you'll be gone during advising.
-
Get approval from the department chair for your major and/or minor if you would like any credits from the off-campus semester to be applied to your major or minor program.
-
Complete the conduct record section.
-
Return the completed preliminary application to the Off-Campus Programs office in Hiemenga Hall 322.
- If your preliminary application is denied, you can appeal the denial (using the following guidelines).
Application
Once you have been approved for off-campus study, you will be sent an e-mail with a link to the online application.
After submitting the application and sending out your two recommendations to your selected "recommenders" (one of whom must be a collegiate professor who has had you in class, the other can be anyone of your choosing), you will be asked to sign up for an interview with the semester program director. You will need to bring your completed health form to this interview. Notification of acceptance or denial will come soon after that.
If you have not been approved to study off campus, you may appeal the decision by contacting the Off-Campus Programs office.
Post-acceptance process
Once you have been accepted to an off-campus program, fill out a travel request form to indicate to Calvin Travel Services when you would like to travel to and from your program location.
You can also expect to be contacted by Health Services for an appointment regarding issues (medications, vaccinations, etc.) you will need to have in order before departing for your off-campus program.
Apply to non-Calvin programs
To participate in a non-Calvin off-campus program, you must go through a two-part application process consisting of a general preliminary application and a program application.
Preliminary application
The preliminary application determines your academic and social eligibility for an off-campus semester program.
Deadlines
Be sure to check application deadlines, since they vary by program. Give yourself plenty of time before the program application deadline to allow for a 1–2 week processing period for the preliminary application—it will need to go to the Registrar, Financial Aid, Financial Services, Student Life and Off-Campus Programs for approval.
Instructions for the preliminary application
-
Gather information about the program you wish to attend, taking note of the program application deadline.
-
If you want to apply for a program that is neither sponsored nor endorsed by Calvin (considered an independent study), find the program costs and include a copy of the cost information with your preliminary application.
-
Consult your advisor concerning the credits in the program you'd like to apply for and have him/her sign your preliminary application form. Make sure to talk about the courses you will take in your semester after you return from your program—you'll be gone during advising.
-
Get approval from the department chair for your major and/or minor if you would like any credits from the off-campus semester to be applied to your major or minor program.
-
Complete the conduct record section.
-
Return the completed preliminary application to the Off-Campus Programs office in Hiemenga Hall 332.
Application
Once you have been approved for off-campus study, you will need to obtain an application from your desired program of study and return it to the program directly. Be aware of non-Calvin program application deadlines before you apply.
Return applications for the Chicago Semester directly to Calvin's Off-Campus Programs office.
If you have not been approved to study off campus, you may appeal with decision by contacting the Off-Campus Programs office.