How do I start my process to study abroad?
-Walking in to the resource office in 412 Boucke is a great start as peer advisers have ideas and answers to your questions. You will need to consider the location where you desire to study abroad as well as any academic interests (especially those associated with your major). Our website, http://www.international.psu.edu, offers all the details of each program we offer, such as budgets, dates, language, requirements, housing, GPA requirements, courses, and many more. Researching your interests through this website and narrowing down your options will give you a head start.
-Once you have talked to a peer adviser, schedule an appointment with your academic adviser to discuss courses you will need to take abroad, as well as aligning your future semesters requirements with your semester abroad.
-Then you should schedule an appointment with an EA Adviser to ask specific questions about the program(s) you are considering. We currently have 4 advisers, each one is assigned to different regions. You can make an appointment by going on the website, go to Meet Our Staff and click on the advisers name, to schedule an appointment with the adviser associated with the program concerning you. If you have any complications or questions about scheduling for an adviser please come to the resource office.
-Once you have found the right program for you, you may begin to apply. All application materials are on the website, listed under each program.
-There are many scholarship and financial aid opportunities offered through different sources. Every one can be found on the website, so make sure to do you research if this is something you would consider!
-After you completed the application process, you will need to get a passport or renew your own, and some programs will have to explore their visa requirements. EA advisers can help you through these processes.
Are there internship opportunities abroad?
The best way to research internship opportunities is through a program provider such as IES, CIEE, and Arcadia. Here in the resource office, we have brochures from each of these programs that depict some of the internships each program has in different countries. You may also go to each of their websites where they have all the internships listed. Just be careful of which program you choose. Some of the programs provided by IES, CIEE, and Arcadia are not associated with Penn State and you will have to take a leave of absence from the school if you choose a non-Penn State program. Usually your academic adviser will have a list internship opportunities affiliated with your major (or minor), and can direct you to the right path. If you are looking for an internship outside of your major try researching different PSU departments and see if they have any opportunities listed abroad as well. If need any extra help, please feel free to stop by the resource room in 412 Boucke!
Where can I find financial aid and scholarships?
In the resource office we can offer you a few applications for scholarships and an informational paper with a wide range of scholarships that can be found online. The EA website has a Finance section on the left side of the EA homepage. Under this there can be found costs, ways to keep the program affordable, and financial aid/scholarships. Each program on the website also has a financial aid/scholarships section as well. These links can inform you on student aid, education abroad scholarships, international program scholarships, funding databases, and community based funding. In the office we have applications for the Whole Word Scholarship, Grant-In-Aid, and Diversity Grant-In-Aid. Each scholarship has different requirements, so make sure you are familiar with them before you begin to apply. For example the Whole World Scholarship can offer up to 1,000ドル dollars to students who travel to non-traditional locations. Students have also found scholarships and other financial funding outside of school and our website by generally searching the web. There are many opportunities out there, but you will have to do your research!
Will my credits transfer back to Penn State?
Credit transfer changes from program to program and from year to year. Therefore you need to be on top of your game, having a good idea of the credits that had transferred back to Penn State in previous years, as well as proceeding through all accreditation processes while you are studying abroad.
The process of course accreditation, or assigning a PSU number to a course overseas is performed by Education Abroad Records Manager, who students will obtain from and submit to the proper accreditation documentation. The following are the steps to ensure proper accreditation:
- Register your courses on the site
- Check the list of previously accredited courses to see if the registered courses were assigned to PSU numbers in recent years
- If the course is assigned a number, then the process is complete
- If the course is not assigned, go the the international website for further direction on obtaining a syllabus and course accreditation forms
Site for Previously Accredited Courses and Accreditation Forms: http://www.international.psu.edu/studioabroad/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Parent_ID=EF7701F1-939F-962A-3B62D18230899758&Link_ID=EF7F3C3D-9FF5-AAC7-25DC67128D29658C&pID=5&lID=21
Note: If you are studying abroad through a non-PSU program, credit transfer will be determined by the Admissions Office. You must have details about the courses along with descriptive syllabi.