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International Study in the UW System

Introduction to International Study
Hessen - Wisconsin Student Exchange Program
Passports and Visas
The Prepared Traveler
Links of Interest
International Study Opportunities
UWS Campus Contacts

Introduction to International Study

An international study experience may be the most rewarding academic pursuit and personal adventure of one's college years. University of Wisconsin System (UWS) campuses offer international travel opportunities that take students to over 40 countries and range from 10 day language immersion programs to a full year of interdisciplinary study. International study provides opportunities to enhance a college education in many ways:

  • develop foreign language skills or pursue unique academic offerings
  • increase cross-cultural awareness in an environment of increasing globalization
  • develop independence, self-confidence, and a broadened outlook on life
  • gain first-hand knowledge about another culture while increasing understanding of one's own

The structure, academic content, and housing arrangements of international study vary from one program to another. "Exchange programs" generally offer an opportunity to enroll and pay for credit at your home campus but study at a campus abroad. "Study abroad programs" include those sponsored by U.S. institutions which generally involve travel and study with other American students. Living arrangements might include homestay with a host family, living in a residence hall or private apartment with other students, or a combination of both.

Academic credit for satisfactory work is usually determined prior to travel, but is sometimes negotiated with the home campus as transfer credit upon return. Financial aid may be available for international study programs.

Students considering international study should investigate a variety of programs to find one that matches academic needs and personal interests. The challenges of overseas travel and study are great, but so are the rewards!

Explore Your Interests

With a wide range of international study options available, finding the best one for you deserves careful consideration. Asking yourself these questions might help you begin your search:

  • Is there a specific country, region of the world, or foreign university that appeals to you? Why?
  • Do you want to learn a new language, or further develop foreign language proficiency?
  • Is there a specific academic area you want to explore abroad, or are you most concerned with immersing yourself in another culture?
  • Would you prefer a program that takes you to a single country, or through several?
  • Are you interested in two weeks, a semester, or an academic year abroad?

Assess Your Options

UWS campuses offer over 100 international study options. Consult with your academic adviser early in the process to determine how a specific international program will fit into your individual degree plan. The following questions might be a good starting point for evaluating certain programs that interest you:

  • Are there requirements for GPA, prerequisites, or foreign language proficiency?
  • What are the estimated costs and application deadlines? Does financial aid apply? Are scholarships available?
  • Who will teach the classes you take? How many credits will you earn, and will they apply to your degree?
  • Is the program based heavily on classroom learning, or are a number of excursions and experiential learning activities planned?
  • Where will you live, and with whom?
  • Are you interested in having the option to arrive earlier or leave later than the program's scheduled dates?

Identify Your Resources

You are likely to find enthusiastic support of your interest in study abroad. Make use of the resources available to you:

  • UWS campus contacts provide comprehensive information about their programs and services, as well as information of general interest to students considering studying abroad.
  • University academic departments (such as language departments) that sponsor international study options can provide specific information about their programs.
  • International students can be an excellent resource for sharing information about their native country and for providing travel tips for those about to become "foreign students" in a new culture.

Passports and Visas

Before you travel abroad, you will need to obtain a passport, which will serve as proof of your U.S. citizenship. A passport may allow you to gain entry to (and exit from) other countries. Depending on the country to which you're traveling, a visa may be required as well. Entry requirements vary from one country to another. The U.S. State Department issues travel warnings specific to certain countries, and offers tips and publications relevant to travel abroad generally. Well in advance of your departure, you should also familiarize yourself with international travel health issues, and health recommendations specific to your destination.

The Prepared Traveler

The same aspects that make international travel exciting and exhilarating - the experience of new places, faces, customs and languages - may also lead to confusion and "culture shock." One of the best ways to prepare for international study is to begin to acquire in-depth information about the geography, political economy, and culture of the region you'll be visiting.

A Web site that can get you started is Atlapedia. The U.S. State Department compiles fact sheets for all countries which address topics ranging from economic activities and political structures to drug penalties, plus any travel warnings in effect. The Bureau of Consular Affairs also provides interesting information on many countries.

UWS campus contacts can provide transition survival tips that will help you prepare for experiencing the new culture, and applying your new skills and knowledge in positive ways to your life back home.

Links of Interest

Association for Safe International Road Travel
Council on International Educational Exchange
Electronic Embassy
Go Abroad.com
Hostelling International
Institute of International Education
International Study and Travel Center
Mobility International
Peace Corps
Study Abroad
Transitions Abroad
Travel and Living Abroad
Universal Currency Converter
Worldwide Classroom
 

 

 

© Copyright 2005 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.