Skip to Main Content Skip to Footer Toggle Navigation Menu

Advising

Before you begin a study away application, you will have a 1-1 advising appointment with a knowledgeable study away advisor. During advising, you can ask individual questions and discuss your specific interests for study away.

The central goals of the study away advising process are:

  • To help you focus your intellectual and cultural interests so that they dovetail with Macalester’s goals for study away;
  • To provide you with the tools for comparing different program options on the basis of academic content and structure, cultural immersion, and cost; and
  • To provide you with concrete suggestions for your program search from the standpoint of both program quality and educational “fit.”

How do I get started?

Create your Study Away Account

We will walk you through this process during the First Steps info session. You will log in to the online application using your Macalester username and password. Once you create your account, you will answer a series of questions to help you and your advisor guide the program search process.

Meet with a Study Away Advisor

After attending a First Steps info session and completing the intake process in your study away account, you will be matched with a study away advisor; you will then need to set up an appointment with them to discuss your study away plans, ask questions, and talk about your goals.

What can I do to learn more before and after my advising appointment?

Explore Programs

Use the search bar at the top and the filters on the left-hand side to narrow your search based on program location, language of instruction, subject areas offered, housing type, and more.

Talk with professors

Professors can be crucial in helping you make sure your study away program choice fits into your academic plan. Talk with your advisor and/or other professors about what makes sense with your intended major(s) and academic plan: Does the department have specific programs they recommend? Which semester is best for you?; Do you need to get credit for a certain type of class during study away (major, minor, concentration, etc.)?; If you’re planning to do an honors project or senior thesis, talk about how the timing of this will work with your study away plans; Will you do research while away?; How can study away complement your studies at Macalester?