Documents You'll Need

Planning for your Study Abroad (SA) Program

• Faculty-led vs Provider Company-led

  OCC Faculty-led Program

  • If you want to join an OCC faculty-led study abroad program and/or you are not an OCC student yet, please complete the OCC application for the summer semester. F1 visa or other immigration status, let the study abroad advisor know.

  Provider Company-led Program

  • Make sure to inquire about deadlines and requirements.
  • It may be helpful to review the OCC SA planning list for general planning ideas and questions to ask though not everything will apply to your situation.
• Passport and Visa

  Apply as a U.S. Citizen

  • Passport: you will need to apply for a U.S. passport if you do not already have one. Keep an eye on the passport processing times. Make sure your passport will be valid for the length of your program and 6 months beyond that for a problem-free reentry to the U.S.
  • Visa: the OCC faculty-led study abroad programs generally do not require a visa if you are a U.S. citizen.

   

  Apply as an F-1 Student, L2, H4, O, etc. or are a DACA student

  • Passport: you should email the study abroad advisor copies of your most recent visa and I-94 or other document so we can advise you properly about your specific situation. 
  • Visa: please email the study abroad advisor copies of your most recent visa, & I-94, I-20 and the program country & length of your program so we can advise you properly about your specific situation. 

  Provider-led study abroad companies should be able to advise you about any needed visas for their programs.

• Enrollment Steps
  1. Complete the required OCC application and the appropriate study abroad program application and make required SA payments
  2. Discuss your class placement with your study abroad faculty member
  3. Faculty member submits the class assignments to the Study Abroad Advisor
  4. The Study Abroad Advisor will edit your permissions in MyCoast so you can enroll in the appropriate study abroad classes
  5. Students- Resolve any holds on your account so that you can enroll without delay
  6. You will receive an email with instructions to enroll and to pay your enrollment fees. Please pay promptly so that you are not dropped for non-payment by the system.

  If you have questions about which level language class or any optional classes you should select, please ask your instructor.
• Program Agreement
  Every student who is participating in OCC faculty-led study abroad must sign the OCC program agreement and return it to their professor before the deadline. 
• Medical Insurance
  Study abroad medical insurance is required. Students who sign up for a program will be sent information on how to purchase the approved SA insurance policy for their particular program.
• Transfer Credit

  OCC Faculty-led Program

  • All OCC faculty-led study abroad classes are designed around general education classes. The classes will transfer to UC/CSU's the same as if you took them at OCC on-campus in Costa Mesa, CA.
  • You will receive an OCC transcript with your classes on it. 

  Provider Company-led Program

  • It is important to know which institution will be issuing the transcript for your study abroad coursework. This is critical to know so you can investigate if your college or transfer university will accept your credits. You can investigate this with the graduation office at OCC and also at the university to which you plan to transfer.
  • The UC/CSU's commonly do in-house evaluation of foreign/out-of-state transcripts, and they may be able to accept more transfer credits than the California Community Colleges.
• Make a Budget

  You will be much less stressed and save yourself a lot of hassle if you plan ahead and make a savings plan and a budget to follow while you are abroad.