Summer Faculty-led Application

Accessing the Faculty-led Application

Students must be authorized to begin the application. This can be done by:

Attending an information session. Check the calendar for general or program-specific information sessions.
Meeting with a Program Coordinator during walk-in hours. (Note: Students applying to programs in Cordoba, Argentina, Santander, Spain or Salvador Brazil may meet with an Academic Advisor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese instead).
Calling the Study Abroad Office front desk for authorization to apply at 512-471-6490. This option is only available to students who have already decided on a program.

The online application can be found by clicking on the MySAO logo.

Content of the Online Application:

Basic student information
Signed financial responsibility statement
Signed responsibilities of participation and code of conduct
Two essays (see below)
A link to an online reference questionnaire to be sent to UT faculty member
UT disciplinary check (automatically submitted, no action required)

Application Fee

There is a $50 non-refundable application fee payable to UT via What I Owe within 10 days of beginning the application. The fee is assessed when the student clicks “submit application” on the bottom of the first part the online application.

Entering a Preferred Program

Each program has a six-digit “application code.” (Also referred to as a program code or program number.) Application codes may be found in the program search.

The application asks for first and second choice programs. Because many programs fill up, it is advisable to choose a second choice program; however, if you only want to apply for one program, enter the same information for your first and second choice programs.

The Essay Questions

Essay A:

What are your academic goals? How will studying on this specific course complement these goals? Please consider both the content and location of the program's course(s).

Essay B:

What are your personal and professional goals? How will studying on this specific program complement these goals?

Tips for Completing the Essays

Each essay should be no more than 250 words.
Compose the essays using a word processing program (e.g. Microsoft Word), save your essays, then cut and paste them into the online application.
Students may make use of the Undergraduate Writing Center or the UT Learning Center.
The audience is the study abroad selection committee composed of UT faculty and staff.
Be sure to consider both the course content and abroad location of the program when writing your essays.
Remember that you are the subject of these essays. Write in the first person (I).
Avoid using general statements like, "One must experience a new culture to...." or "studying abroad broadens one's horizons." Broad philosophical statements do not contribute to your goal of acquainting application reviewers with you, your motivation, goals and preparation. Please focus on providing specific examples to illustrate your essay's points.

The Online Reference Questionnaire

One online reference questionnaire completed by a UT faculty member is required. The application includes a link to an online reference questionnaire. To have a faculty member submit a reference on your behalf, provide him/her with the following:

Your name and EID
The semester and session you plan to study abroad
A copy of your study abroad essay/resume (recommended)
The following link: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/student/abroad/prof_rec.WBX
The application deadline:
- Maymester Abroad Final Deadline: November 1
- Summer Faculty-led Final Deadline: December 1

The reference questionnaire consists of 6 questions and a comments box. It should take the faculty less than 10 minutes, but give the faculty member at least a week to complete the reference.

To verify your reference has been received, check your MySAO application menu. Once received, the box that says “Awaiting Submission” will read “Submitted.”