JMU Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews Program Application and Admission Procedures

Eligibility

To be considered for admission into a Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews program, you must be in good academic standing, hold a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3.  Applying early and meeting this minimum GPA does not, however, guarantee admission; additional eligibility criteria apply for most programs.   Applications from students in their first semester at JMU-as freshmen or transfer students-will be reviewed after semester grades are posted.

Admission to all programs is based, minimally, on a review by the program director. In addition, a verification of your records via PeopleSoft, the university's information system, including your status according to Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Judicial Affairs, and University Business Office, will be considered.  Your participation may be denied if your university records or conduct prior to departure raises doubts about your ability to participate in an international experience effectively.

• Frequently Asked Questions

Application Deadlines

Applications are collected throughout the academic year beginning on the first day of fall semester classes in August for the upcoming open terms. Your application will be processed after the following deadline:

• February 1 prior to the year you intend to study abroad.

If the application deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on the next business day.

Applications received after these deadlines will be considered on a space-available basis.

Application Materials

The application for admission has a number of parts, all of which must be received by the oIP before your application can be processed. Please make certain that you have completed all steps in the application process.

A completed Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews Program application consists of the following components:

• JMU Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews Application form, available from oIP or downloadable here in Microsoft Word format

• Oxford Program Participants Only: JMU Oxford Program OPUS Application (students are encouraged to contact Dr. John Butt, the Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews Program Director, for assistance with and prior to completing the OPUS Application), available from oIP or downloadable here in Microsoft Word format

• "Statement of Purpose" essay indicating the reasons for choosing this program and how the choice of courses, program structure, city, or country, relate to your past, present and future academic, career and personal goals. How do you think you will benefit from the experience?

• 2 Letters of Recommendation from a current or former instructor or from your academic advisor, attached or sent by e-mail to studyabroad@jmu.edu

• Official school transcript

Submitting your application

Submit your completed application to the Office of International Programs, JMAC 6, Suite 22, MSC 5731, Harrisonburg, VA 22807. You are strongly encouraged to deliver your application in person; however, applications may be mailed to oIP at MSC 5731 or faxed to (540) 568-3310.

Financial Aid

JMU allows financial aid to be applied on Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews Programs subject to the standard restrictions. For more information, please contact JMU's Financial Aid Office. You MUST complete a "Request to Enter into a Consortium Agreement" if you wish to apply your financial aid to Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews Programs.

The oIP supports student participation in Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews with department scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,500. For more information about applying for an Honors Abroad Scholarship, visit the JMU Scholarships web site.

Acceptance

Acceptance into an Study At Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews program is comprised of three stages:

1. Admission is based on your general suitability for study abroad and will be considered based on a combination of factors:
   
   • your most recent cumulative GPA
   • academic background in your proposed field of study
   • professor's recommendations (if applicable to your program)
   • essay and other application materials (if applicable to your program)
   • class level or seniority
     
2. You will be informed of the admission decision by the posted notification dates. You will be notified of your acceptance status by an official acceptance letter from the oIP. Letters are mailed to your current local address and/or permanent address. Please note that although you may receive informal communication from your program director regarding the status of your acceptance, your admission to the program is not official until you receive the acceptance letter from the oIP. Acceptance is contingent on maintaining the minimum GPA required for the program and on review of your record with Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and University Business Office.
   
3. Oxford University, Cambridge University or University of St. Andrews will process each application recommended by JMU. Notification from the host institution will be distributed to the oIP and shared with each candidate.

Choosing to enroll

Your acceptance letter will include a Statement of Intent to Participate form.  By signing and returning this form and submitting the non-refundable deposit (see below), you will be notifying oIP that you wish to participate in the program.

Important dates

• Notification date: After February 15
• Deposit Deadline: April 1

Letters of acceptance and official Intent to Participate forms will be mailed to local addresses as noted above.

If you wish to participate, you will be required to sign and return the Statement of Intent to Participate to accept the terms of the program and secure your place. This form must be returned by the deposit deadline stated in the official acceptance letter to University Business Office, MSC 3516, along with a check payable to James Madison University for the non-refundable deposit of ten percent (10%) of the estimated program cost (see web site for current cost estimate) . This deposit will be applied to the program fee charged by JMU.

If at any time you wish to withdraw from the program, you must inform the oIP, not the program faculty director. The oIP will not accept verbal cancellations in person or by phone; official notification of withdrawal should be made in writing or by e-mail. Otherwise, you will continue to receive bills and be responsible for payment of the tuition and course fees and/or instructional fees and study abroad program expenses. Please note that we cannot refund your deposit if you choose to withdraw after accepting your place in the program. However, if your application is not approved by St Andrews, Oxford, or Cambridge, the deposit will be refunded as a credit on your student account.

Any questions or concerns?

Call oIP at 540-568-6419 or send an e-mail message to: studyabroad@jmu.edu.