By Amelia Vivash, Wellesley College

The Wellesley Window: The Beginning

Hello readers, and welcome to the first edition of The Wellesley Window. My name is Amelia, and in the second semester of the 2026/27 academic year, I will be studying abroad at Wellesley College. Before then, though, I would like to present to you my blog on the experience of applying from the first idea to being selected to go to my first choice university: Wellesley!

I am beginning this blog on Friday the 23rd of January at 1:17 am. I have spent yet another full day stressing, reviewing, reading, editing and re-reading my application, and it is the only thing on my mind. So, I figure, if it is all I can think about and runs like a constant monologue in my head, perhaps, at the very least, I should write it down. 

Let me take you back to the beginning,

I heard about an information session about study abroad from either an email or Instagram and went on my own to a session for English Literature and American Studies students. I sat in the second row; no one sat in the first, and I arrived about 15 minutes early. A group of girls filed into the row behind me, and I struck up a conversation with them – in my defence, it was the first month of my first semester. About another 40 people snuck into the back of the lecture hall – far away from James Metcalf and the presenter. A lady who very nicely, post-introduction, took us through her information session. This included a slideshow of information about eligibility and the application process and places to go, as well as a couple of testimonial videos. I took photos of certain slides so as not to forget and was intrigued immediately by the prospect of spending 6 months abroad – almost immediately I wanted to go to the US. The total number of questions in the Q and A session amounted to about 7 – 5 of which I asked and had taken down before even coming to the guidance session. I also took notes the entire time, and remembered a Study Abroad fair scheduled for the end of the month. Here are the photos I took and some of the questions I asked, which might interest you as well. Apologies for the quality!

This timeline becomes your life for a couple of months. Put it into your calendar as soon as you see it so that you avoid any last-minute stress.

 

The Blog, website and social media truly were the holy grail for me in terms of learning more about the program and the opportunities abroad.

The Go Abroad fair was another great thing, especially if you have multiple countries you are considering. It was the last time (before a meeting in May) that I was able to talk to students who had been abroad, so definitely ask lots of questions and visit every stand. You might even spot me there in 2027!

Summer schools are another great option that I contemplated for a while, and definitely a better option for a lot of people who don’t want to spend a long time abroad for any number of reasons

The initial application requirements are:

• 8 universities that you would like to go to, ranked from 1-8 in order of preference.
• 3 separate paragraphs highlighting the reasons for your top three.
• 3 separate lists of modules you are interested in at your top three universities.
• A personal statement answering a given question.
• And a financial plan.

I will go into more depth about these in my next article on applying and tips for applications, so check that out soon!

The first main requirement. 60% grade average, and my first encounter with what I was allowed to do with my course. All course information about study abroad is available here.

Also, here are the notes I took and the questions I asked. 

What constitutes a quality application?

A – You can ask this again of your academic exchange advisor and will also receive an exemplar during the process. Again, check out my application article where I give you tips and tricks!

If you meet all the basic requirements, are you guaranteed at least one of your eight options?

A – Kind of! It depends! The year that I was processed (2026), the stats I received were as follows:

For Full Year: We received 234 applications for full year, and 217 were successful – about 37% got their first choice. 

For semester: We received 74 applications completed, 65 were successful. 45% received their first choice.

But ostensibly if you meet the requirements, your attendance is sufficient, retain the appropriate grades and do a reasonable job of your application then it seems yes you should be processed!

Is accommodation guaranteed at the partner university?

No! Only a few of our partners actually guarantee accommodation; definitely something to think about when applying. The universities that guarantee campus accommodation are listed on the website but may vary year to year, as lots of universities are experiencing housing shortages!

The girls behind me were lovely and were also first years, though some were on the longer American Studies course (4 years) and thus had the privilege of going abroad for a full year. I was surprised, however, when we reconvened at the end of the session to see that they had all been put off by the rather thorough application process. This would turn out not to be the first time I heard this from my peers, but it is a myth I would like to dispel right here!

The Study Abroad team does not gloss over the application process; it is intentionally comprehensive so that the students who go abroad are appropriately prepared and are of the right ilk to engage with the difficulty of moving abroad and the clerical commitment that entails – but this work pales in comparison to the endless life experiences you are going to gain. Please do not be put off! It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

To end ‘The Beginning ’, I would like to link to my next article. During the interim of the initial information session, the go abroad fair and subsequent application meetings, I became slightly obsessed with the idea of going abroad (which I am sure you cannot tell from my above rant). I started to research some places, exclusively in the US… now I just had to convince my parents!

My next article will detail the development of wanting to go abroad, from conception to application! If you want tips and tricks, stay tuned! 

Lots of love, Amelia with The Wellesley Window!