Application FAQ

Create an ISEP account at https://www.isepstudyabroad.org/apply. Once you have an account, click on “Application” in the menu to get started with an ISEP application! If your home university requires you to request permission to begin an application, please contact your home university ISEP Coordinator for more information on their approval process.

ISEP’s priority application deadlines are September 15 for spring (approximately January – May) programs and March 1 for fall (approximately September – December) and summer (approximately June – August) programs. Some ISEP Exchange programs and many ISEP Direct programs remain available following these deadlines. You can find specific deadlines on each program page. Make sure to check with your home university ISEP Coordinator about any earlier internal application deadlines that your home university may have.

Learn more: Program Types & Deadlines

You may list up to 10 programs on a single application. We recommend listing at least 3-5 programs you would be excited to attend. If applying to ISEP Exchange programs, you should list at least two programs that have a “good” chance of placement or better. Placement decisions are made based on exchange space available. If applying to ISEP Direct programs, students usually only need to list one program, as placement is guaranteed on ISEP Direct if the minimum requirements are met.

Learn more: Chances of Placement

Each ISEP program requires an official transcript. ISEP Exchange programs also require an academic reference. Some programs may require a statement of interest, writing sample, language proficiency report, or resume. You can find specific requirements on each individual program page, which shows academic and language requirements, fields of study, dates and fees, and links to course lists. When you add a program to your application, you can return to the corresponding page by clicking on the program’s title.

ISEP Exchange and ISEP Direct programs require an official transcript from your home university and ISEP Exchange programs require an academic reference. A language evaluation or other language certification (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) may be required if applying to study in another language. Your home or host university may also require additional application materials, such as a personal essay. Check for any program-specific requirements under the Other Academic Conditions section of each program page.

Your application must be entirely complete, including all required documentation, before it can be submitted. Please follow up with your professors to ensure they submit your academic reference and/or language evaluation before the application deadline. If your official transcript will be delayed, we can in some cases accept unofficial transcripts. Contact your ISEP Student Services Officer for assistance.

ISEP automatically sends a request email as soon as you input your professor’s name and email address into the application. If your professor didn’t receive an email, let them know to check their spam folder for an email from portal@isep.org or send a new request. If your professor/academic reference has still not received an invitation, please contact your designated ISEP Student Services Officer for assistance.

Your academic reference should be written by someone who can speak to your current academic abilities and potential for academic success while abroad. This could include a university professor or your academic advisor. References from personal acquaintances, fellow students, former high school teachers, or other non-academic contacts will not be accepted by ISEP or your host institution.

Due to immigration documentation regulations, the Biography section does not support special characters. Please do not use special characters (letters with accents, commas, periods, hyphens, etc.) in this section. Please note a passport is not required to complete this section (just answer “no” to the passport question).

A passport is not required to submit your ISEP application, however we strongly recommend that you begin applying for a passport as soon as possible if you do not have one. Passports should be valid for at least 6 months past the end date of your program, so you may also need to apply to renew your passport if it is expiring soon. To submit your ISEP application without a passport, simply click “no” for the question in the Biography section, “Do you currently have a passport?” When you receive your passport, please be sure to upload it to your ISEP application.

If you do not meet the program requirements, or if you have not fully completed the other sections of the ISEP application, you may show as ineligible for a program. Resolve the issue noted in red text or remove the program from your application if you do not meet the requirements. You cannot submit your application if you show as ineligible for a program, and you can not be considered for any program where you do not meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Contact your ISEP Student Services Officer with any questions about eligibility.

Click the orange submit button on the front page of your application to send it to your home university ISEP Coordinator for review and approval. If the submit button is greyed out, it means your application is not yet complete. Once your home university ISEP Coordinator reviews and approves your application, you will be able to submit it to ISEP by paying the application fee (if applicable). Be sure to complete each step before the published deadline to make sure your application is submitted on time.

Your home university ISEP Coordinator must first approve your application before it can be submitted to ISEP. Please follow up with your home university ISEP Coordinator (check the Your Contacts section on your ISEP Dashboard homepage) to inquire about the status of your application. Your application isn’t considered submitted to ISEP until your Coordinator approves it, and you pay the application fee (if applicable). In your application tab, you will see “Your application has been submitted to ISEP” if your application has been fully submitted and is ready for review by ISEP.

Click on Invoices & Payments on your ISEP Dashboard to pay the $100 application fee. The fee can be paid by debit or credit card. If you are having issues submitting your application fee payment, please contact your ISEP Student Services Officer.

If your application status is “Your application has been submitted to ISEP” it means we have received it! If your application says “Home ISEP Coordinator approval pending” or “Pay your application fee to submit,” your application has not been fully submitted to ISEP.

We do our best to notify students about their placement within one month of the priority application deadline. You can expect to receive your placement notification by mid October if submitting for the September 15 deadline, or by late March if submitting for the March 1 deadline.

Learn more: Placement Process

ISEP will continue to accept applications following the priority deadline, however late applicants will not receive priority placement consideration for ISEP Exchange programs. We will do our best to place you at one of the programs on your list, but please know that many programs do fill up immediately after the deadline. If you submit your application after the priority deadline, ISEP Exchange space will only be available on a first-come, first-served basis. We welcome you to submit your application, and we will work with you to find an available program.

You will have two ISEP Coordinators as an ISEP student: a home university ISEP Coordinator and a host university ISEP Coordinator.

Your home university ISEP Coordinator is an employee of your university, who usually works in your university’s study abroad or international office. Your home university ISEP Coordinator can help you get started with the study abroad process, discuss eligibility requirements and recommend programs. They will also review and approve your application before it is submitted to ISEP.

Your host university ISEP Coordinator is an employee of your host university, who usually works in the study abroad or international office there. Your host university ISEP Coordinator will organize an on-site orientation for you, assist in arranging your housing and meal benefits, and help you enroll in classes at your host university. Your host university ISEP coordinator is an excellent resource pre-departure and on-program should you have any program-specific questions (I.e., internal applications, housing contracts, opening a bank account, etc.).

You can find your home and host ISEP Coordinator’s contact information under “Your Contacts” on your ISEP Dashboard.

Open your ISEP application and select the ‘Course List’ tab on your Dashboard. Here you will find a link to your host university’s program page and course catalog. Please review the program page for important academic information and instructions for navigating the course catalog, then use the course catalog link to search for courses. If the course catalog for the upcoming semester is not yet available, please use a previous semester’s course catalog as a reference. Your course list is not a guarantee of course registration, and you may make changes once you have been confirmed by your host university. Please make sure to save each course you add by clicking the ‘floppy disk’ icon at the end of each line on your course list.

Learn more: Placement Process

Please report any errors regarding your course list not linking to your host university’s course catalog to your ISEP Student Services Officer, with the following subject line: “Broken course list link - (enter host institution here)”.

As an ISEP member, your home university will transfer credits you receive at your host university while on an ISEP program. To determine exactly how these credits transfer and how they’re applied, we encourage you to speak with your study abroad advisor and academic advisor.

While we can take requests for students to be placed together into consideration, placement together is not guaranteed on ISEP Exchange programs, out of fairness to all students from across the ISEP Community. If you and a friend would like to be placed together, you should consider applying to the same ISEP Direct program as placement is guaranteed, applying to ISEP Exchange programs with excellent chances of placement, or considering studying in different locations.

Your ISEP Student Services Officer is an employee of ISEP Study Abroad. They are here to help throughout your entire ISEP journey, and can assist with application tips, program recommendations and finding courses at your host university. Your ISEP Student Services Officer will also offer pre-departure assistance, visa support, and can always help answer any questions you have when you are on your program. You can find your ISEP Student Services Officer’s information under “Your Contacts” on your ISEP Dashboard.

The ISEP team also provides 24-hour emergency support while abroad through our emergency line. At the end of your program, the ISEP team will process and forward your final transcript to your home university for credit-transfer.

View ISEP’s withdrawal policy and terms.

ISEP can only accept students currently enrolled at one of our member or affiliate universities. If you have any further questions, please contact info@isep.org.

Learn more: ISEP Community