Fall/AY 2022 Pre-Departure Orientation

Note: This event is for departing Fall or Academic Year 2022 study abroad participants only. The hosting of and attendance to this event does not guarantee all Fall or Academic Year 2022 programs will run. Programs and program locations are always subject to continuous health and safety review. 

The Office for Study Abroad (OSA) believes that proper planning and expectation setting are needed for a successful semester abroad. The OSA is committed to helping GW students make meaningful academic connections abroad through our Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) content. PDO provides a framework to help students understand the diverse cultures and communities they will be entering while also addressing logistical concerns needed to ensure a smooth transition abroad.  

The main part of orientation will consist of a live mandatory event covering a series of topics (below) for students planning to study abroad in the next semester (Fall/AY 2022). These are topics that you will need to be familiar with to have a safe and successful study abroad experience. 

Students will be required to attend the event in full barring any class conflicts in order to study abroad next semester. Students who may have class overlapping a portion of the event time, but not the whole event time, should plan to attend any portion of the event prior to or proceeding their class. Students unable to attend the event in its entirety must still RSVP indicating such to seek approval for their absence and further details about next steps to proceed with study abroad plans. Students should plan to attend this event if you have yet to be accepted into your program of choice. The event will include:

1. Adjusting to Life Abroad
2. Academic Culture Abroad
3. GW CATS Reminders
4. Health & Safety
5. Next Steps 
6. Withdrawals and Deferrals 
7. Billing & Preparing your Finances

Upon conclusion of the event, students will gain access to the "Pre-Departure Orientation: Logistics" on GW Passport. Students must complete the quizzes and survey available within this application in order to continue with the commitment process for study abroad. 

RSVP