Smith College JYA Application Instructions

Admission to Smith's JYA programs is offered on a rolling basis, beginning February 1. Smith students must apply by February 1, and will be notified in late February. Guest students should apply no later than March 1.

Admission to the spring program in Hamburg is also offered on a rolling basis, beginning in February. Students must apply no later than October 15 for the spring program.

Complete application packets must be received by the Smith College Office for International Study by dates above.

Applications should include the following:

• Application Form and Personal Statement
  
• Language Evaluation Form
  
• Non-Language Faculty Recommendation
  

Applicants from other colleges (guest students) should also include the following:

• Official transcript
  
• Statement of Support
  
• Original sample of written work in language of the program which has been submitted for a course and graded by an instructor
  
• Application fee of $35, payable to Smith College

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PASSPORTS AND VISAS FOR STUDY IN ITALY

Students who hope to participate in the Florence JYA program must have a valid passport when they apply to the program, with the expiration date at least 20 months later, and must submit a copy of their passport photo page with their application.

A student visa is required for study in Italy on the JYA Florence program. A visa is a stamp in a passport given by a foreign government allowing the passport holder to remain in the country for a specified period of time. Smith College will obtain visas for students attending the JYA Florence program in a group visa application process.

This means that in the summer prior to the year in Italy, students must leave their passports with the Smith College Office for International Study for the months of July and August. The Consulate General of Italy in Boston requires Smith College submit our students' passports as a group. The specific date of Smith's visa appointment and length of time required depends upon the Italian Consulate’s availability. Once the Consulate issues the visas and returns the passports to Smith, the Office for International Study will mail the passports to each student.

Consequently, students’ international travel is restricted during the summer prior to their year abroad.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PASSPORTS AND VISAS FOR STUDY IN SWITZERLAND AND FRANCE
Students studying on the JYA Paris or JYA Geneva programs will apply for their student visas independently. Guidance is provided by the Office for International Study, but students are responsible for researching the application processes and requirments of their consulate and must be aware that they, too, will need to surrender their passports for a period of time in the summer before their year abroad.