Prep for Study Abroad

Most people don't realize how much extra work goes into applying for a study abroad program. After a preliminary application from the school to get permission to go off-campus, then the study abroad program application most be filed. That's the easiest part. After being accepted then it gets trickier. I'm studying in Greece in the spring, and Greece is not a easy country to get into I discovered. After being accepted into the College Year in Athens program, I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork that I wasn't aware of, such as getting an FBI profile and applying for a visa. Greece is one of the countries in the European Union that requires a visa for traveling you're going to be there for more than a few days.

The hardest part of the paperwork is getting the FBI profile done. Ink fingerprints are needed, not electronic ones as most places do nowadays. Finding somewhere that still does ink fingerprinting is harder than I thought. I had to call the local police department, the sheriff's office, and even the jail before finally finding somewhere that could do ink fingerprints. And don't forget about the fingerprint fee. I was lucky; my fee is only $5 but I've heard of it going as high as $35 so be prepared for that. The FBI profile is required for the student visa to Greece along with other papers, such as a health form, your passport, and financial forms proving that you can afford to go.

The process for the FBI profile and the visa can take a few weeks so don't wait until the last minute! Who knew there would be so much paperwork!