Things to Remember

Complete your application and all other paperwork and submit it to the International Programs Office in 203 Cohodas (the application is a form-fillable pdf that you can sign electronically and submit via email to goabroad@nmu.edu).

  1. Get your passport
  2. Get your ISIC (https://www.isic.org/)
  3. Attend all required orientation meetings
  4. Submit all forms to the International Programs Office (203 Coohodas; goabroad@nmu.edu)
  5. Make all payments to the Student Services in Hedgcock
  6. Book your flights (but only AFTER program is fully approved)
  7. Make sure your phones and finances will work in Europe
  8. Buy a pair of solid and comfortable walking shoes and start walking to get in shape
  9. We will enroll you in GR/HS 311X and IP 286x for SS2026 in March/April of 2026. IP 286X is a tracking course for NMU students studying abroad; once you have completed the course, it will be changed to your GR credit unless you want it to remain as IP credit.

After you have been accepted after the early application deadline of 31 October, you will be given a deposit slip with the program account number to make payments at Student Services in Hedgecock.

  1. You must have a passport. Passports usually take 2-3 months to process (see the section on "Getting to Vienna and Passports"). If you do not already have a passport, apply for one right away. You can rush order, but you will have to pay an extra processing fee. Keep a copy of the first 3 pages of your passport in case you lose your passport.
  2. You do NOT need a visa as a US tourist staying less than 3 months. On a US tourist visa, which you receive upon entering the Schengen Treaty Area, which includes Austria and most of Europe outside the British Isles, you may stay for up to 90 days in a 180 day period, leaving approximately two months for you travel before or after the Program.
  3. Starting in late 2026 (the exact date has not been set so none of this will likely apply for our Program), US passport holders traveling to most European countries will need authorization via the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). ETIAS is more like a travel authorization form than a visa. We will monitor this and update everyone as needed but it is currently scheduled for implementation in the last quarter of 2026.

 

 

You must purchase an ISIC. It costs $25. You may purchase it electronically but you must also have the physical card since we use it as a group.

If you plan on renting a car, bring your US driver's license along. However, most agencies will not rent to you if under 25, and certain companies ban taking cars across certain borders. The train is always your best option.

You should update your immunizations and bring an immunization card with you. This should include your COVID vaccinations. These are not required in Europe at the moment, but each state has the right to implement such requirements at a moment's notice, so it is best to travel with your card.

  • Bring all prescription medications for at least a full month (longer if you are travelling after the Program) and an original written prescription from your doctor. Carry your prescriptions in their original prescription package. Do not mix medications in a single container.
  • If you wear contact lenses, bring extras and glasses in case you lose them. Replacing them will require an eye exam and take time.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. We will register you with the US embassy in Austria.