Apply to a May Term or Summer Faculty-Led Program

Information on this page is only applicable to Education Abroad’s May Term and  Summer Faculty-Led programs. Students wanting to participate in an Engineering or Business faculty-led program should consult the respective college's website for details.

Attend an Info Session

Students interested in faculty-led programs should begin by reviewing this Faculty-Led 101 presentation which highlights the faculty-led program model. Then, students should attend one of the many info sessions offered for each program. These program-specific info sessions can be found in the "Next Steps" section of each program page and in our Events Calendar.

Faculty-Led Application Deadlines

May Term Faculty-LedNovember 1

Summer Faculty-Led

(Deadlines may vary: check individual program pages.)

Most: December 1 

Some: November 1 

          or February 1

Fall Faculty-Led (currently unavailable)March 1

Accessing the Application

Begin by reviewing the Faculty-Led How to Apply presentation. Applications open in September.

  1. Utilize the Firefox browser to access the application and avoid technical issues.
  2. Self-authorize access to the application. You will enter the year you will go abroad, the semester, and the application code. The application code, or program code, is a 6-digit code found on the program page.
  3. Start your application on MyAbroad.

Be prepared to:

  • Enter the program code for your first and second choice programs. If you do not have a second choice program, enter the first choice again.
  • Sign the financial responsibility statement.
  • Sign the responsibilities of participation and code of conduct.
  • Submit two short essays (see below).
  • Have a UT faculty member or T.A. submit a reference questionnaire through an online reference link. You will need their email address and should reach out in advance to request their participation. 
  • Pay a $75 non-refundable application fee upon completion of the application.

Essay Tips

Many programs admit students based heavily on the essay statements. Take time to reflect on your essay and grammar and spell check your document.

Essay Questions (May Term & Summer Faculty-Led):

  • Essay A: How will your participation in this program contribute to your academic & professional growth? (connections to degree plan, career path, academic interests, etc.)
  • Essay B: Please discuss your personal goals for studying abroad and what challenges you anticipate (connections to identity, language, cultural interests, etc.)

Writing Tips

  • No more than 250 words each.
  • The audience is the faculty director and Education Abroad program coordinator.
  • Avoid general statements like, “I want to study abroad to broaden my horizons."
  • Make connections to the program location and course content.
  • Address your motivation, goals and preparedness to study abroad.
  • Focus on specific examples to illustrate your essay's points.
  • Utilize the Undergraduate Writing Center or the UT Learning Center.
  • Type the essays in a word processing program (e.g. Microsoft Word), then copy and paste them into the online application.

Online Reference Questionnaire

These applications require an online questionnaire in place of a traditional reference letter. Inside the MyAbroad application, you will find a link to a reference questionnaire. The applicant will e-mail this link to a professor or TA who has taught at the student at the university level. This link may not be sent to advisors, coaches, RAs or other non-academic mentors.

The reference questionnaire consists of 6 questions and a comments box. It should take the faculty less than 10 minutes. Students should give the instructor at least two weeks to complete the reference prior to the application deadline.

Graduating Seniors

Graduating seniors should pay careful attention when selecting a summer program abroad so that their graduation is not affected. Programs offering a full six hours of UT tuition are scheduled to post on the UT transcript in time for the degree to be conferred in August. Courses taught by local faculty, called Affiliated Studies (AS), cannot be processed in time for August graduation. Affiliated Studies (AS) courses may take up to one long academic semester after the program ends for credit to post on the UT record.

Notifications

  • Acceptance notifications are generally sent out 2 weeks after the application deadline. Scholarship notifications are sent around the same time period.