Education Abroad Workbook

Murray State University

Education Abroad guide to getting started

EXPLORE Hundreds of programs offered in over 40 different countries.

MURR AYSTATE.EDU/EDUCATIONABROAD

LEARN

Courses in every academic area.

No foreign language required on most programs.

165 WOODS HALL MURR AY, K Y

LIVE

Take your place in the world.

One week or one year and everything in between.

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

You can do it & we can help!

We want every student who is interested in having an international experience to be able to go. We strive to provide high quality, affordable programs in every academic field offered at Murray State.

With research and careful planning, you can find a program that will meet your academic, personal, cultural, and professional goals.

This workbook will guide you through the study abroad process: identifying the types of programs, figuring out what courses you can take, and determining how you can afford it. When you’re ready, an Education Abroad Advisor can go through it with you to ensure you’re on the right track.

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PROGRAM 3 4 ACADEMICS

List your priorities and ask yourself these important questions to start

finding your

your journey abroad.

THE

Make an appointment with your academic advisor and take this page along to determine how study abroad courses will meet your graduation requirements.

THE

MONEY

Scholarships, fundraising ideas, cost comparisons and more.

7 Not sure what to do or where to start? This handy checklist walks you step-by-step through the entire study abroad process. From passport to planning to participation, you'll never miss a beat.

11 Now Start

what our

students say

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Quotes and photos from past education abroad participants - Keep up with #racersabroad

murraystate.edu/studyabroadapplication

FIND YOUR

Program Start your search at murraystate.edu/studyabroadapplication Narrow down your options by focusing on the following:

Courses

Location

Time

The most important factor in determining your study abroad experience should be how the course(s) fit with your academic goals.

This should be secondary to the courses available when making your decision. You may have always dreamed of studying abroad in a certain location, but you might be surprised at what you learn when you keep an open mind.

Programs range from 1 week - 1 full year abroad. Any amount of time abroad can be beneficial but we hope you go as long as possible.

Can’t get away for the whole fall or spring semesters? Look at Spring Break, Summer, or Winter options.

Location can also determine the cost of the program. Some lesstraditional locations may also be less expensive.

We recommend completing at least one full semester on campus before applying to study abroad. Talk to your academic advisor about the best time to go.

Search for courses in your major, minor, or area. Or, look at other degree requirements such as University Studies, Honors, or foreign language.

Speak with your academic advisor before applying.

3

Education abroad program types CONTACT AN EDUCATION ABROAD ADVISOR FOR MORE INFO

W

e strive to offer something for everyone. With our online application, you can search through hundreds of program options with just a few clicks. Search by field of study, term, location, length, or type of program to help you complete the next two pages of the workbook. Look for options in your major, minor, or area or other degree requirements like University Studies, Honors, or foreign language. The best fit for any education abroad program is one that matches up with your academic, professional, and personal goals.

and active learning experiences.

Semester-long signature programs are designed to provide the services and MSU-like environment that you are accustomed to in another country for a semester. Typically there will be a group of MSU students on these programs and the cost is similar to an MSU semester.

The three current offerings are the Semester in Regensburg (every Fall), Experience Scotland (Fall or Spring), and the brand-new Semester in Barcelona (Spring).

Exchange programs are full semester or full year opportunities where you enroll in a full semester’s worth of courses at a partner university in another country. These are immersive cultural experiences and you might be one of the only MSU students on that program in the term you choose to go.

Semester-long exchanges are great for foreign language proficiency, but most do not require foreign language

Faculty-Led Programs, where you are traveling with a group of MSU students and your MSU faculty members and taking MSU courses abroad, are the most popular. These are typically shorter durations and occur during Winter, Spring, and Summer break, usually with some of the course taking place on campus. Though they may only last a few weeks, they are intense

training and offer courses in English.

Best of all, because of our partnership agreements, these cost about the same or sometimes even less than a semester at MSU. Provider programs are offered through known and trusted third-party consortia and companies which allow MSU students a variety of options in course availability and program location. If you have a specific set of course requirements or a strong location preference that we are not offering through faculty-led or exchange programs, providers are a great choice. There is a high level of customer service to ensure you have the highest quality experience possible.

Researching, interning, or teaching abroad are hands-on experiential learning activities that can help enhance your résumé and give you valuable experience and international contacts. Unique experiences like these will really set your job or graduate school applications apart from the rest of the pack.

Applying for an education abroad program SEARCH ANYTIME AT MURRAYSTATE.EDU/STUDYABROADAPPLICATION

art s to st i h t k c Cli earch! your s

Click these links to be contacted by or make an appointment with an Ed Abroad Advisor

When you are ready, create a login to start your application

u're o y t a h h Find iwng for wittools lookse search the Hints: this process goes smoother on a computer than a mobile device.

It can take a little time to complete the app, so don't wait until right before the deadline.

Start your search now!

things to think about MAKE NOTES HERE TO DISCUSS WITH YOUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR AND YOUR EDUCATION ABROAD ADVISOR

For a complete listing of available programs, and the ability to search by location, term, length of program, or field of study, visit our application website at murraystate.edu/studyabroadapplication

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My priorities are:

Rank the following. _____ Building knowledge/skills for my future profession.

Write your career goal(s) _____ Credits that count toward my major or graduation requirements.

Write your major/minor/area _____ Taking classes of personal interest. _____ Taking classes with MSU faculty. _____ Improving my foreign language skills. _____ Low costs. If this is a high priority, see page 8 for budget-friendly options. _____ Cultural immersion.

2

When I go:

Check all that apply. _____ I am fine being the only person from MSU to go on the program OR I want to be with _____ a faculty member from MSU. _____ other MSU students. _____ other Kentucky and U.S. college students. _____ mostly people from the host country.

TAKE THIS PAGE WITH YOU TO YOUR ADVISING APPOINTMENTS

3

I am interested in learning more about these programs or locations:

4 Other goals?

Questions?

5

WORKING WITH your

ACADEMIC ADVISOR E

ducation Abroad is an academic pursuit and one of the Education Abroad Office’s top goals is to get you on a program that best suits your academic needs. In order to make sure that you select a program that is going to most benefit you academically, you need to talk to your academic advisor about education abroad. The answers to the some of the toughest questions - the best time for you to go, the courses you should be looking at taking overseas, what course to take now so that study abroad fits in later – can be found in your academic advisor’s office. Check out the list below of important things to cover with your academic advisor.

Before choosing a program

While you’re deciding

-take syllabi and course descriptions of courses on the -what courses do you have to take programs you’re narrowing down on campus? to see which courses best fit your major or minor’s needs -what courses are easiest for you to transfer in?

-get a broad understanding of what the courses you might be -when is the best term for you to taking abroad will transfer in as study abroad based on course here at MSU scheduling?

-what courses are often offered or taken abroad?

-are there any courses that can only be taken abroad that will count towards your major or minor?

-what courses should you be taking next semester and next year, with a study abroad experience in mind?

-using your RACR audit, get help mapping out your 4 or 5-year plan so that it includes a full-year, semester, or short-term study abroad

6

-go over your RACR audit with

your advisor after plugging in your program and courses and make sure you’re going to stay on track -for many programs you need an Anticipated Evaluation of Credit completed by a faculty member.

This lists the MSU courses you will be getting credit for during your time abroad. This form can be found on your Horizons application.

Academics are a crucial part of study abroad and it’s important your academic advisor plays a role in your decision. Make an appointment with yours today!

_______________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

TAKE THIS PAGE WITH YOU TO YOUR ADVISING APPOINTMENTS

-is there a course in your major or minor that is only offered during a certain semester that you can’t miss?

Once you decide on a program

Notes

let's talk money

YOU CAN AFFORD TO STUDY ABROAD.

C

areful planning, fundraising, education abroad scholarships, and your existing financial aid package can make it possible for you to achieve your goal of studying abroad. Part of the application is a budget sheet where you will see a detailed breakdown of all the estimated costs for the program.

There are sections for you to complete with the help of the offices of Financial Aid and Scholarships to determine how much aid you may receive and how much of the program fee you will be responsible for. If you are not sure if you can afford to study abroad, please don’t give up without completing this step.

Education Abroad Scholarships On the MSU website, click on the "Funding" link to learn more about available scholarships and how to apply. You must complete a program application before applying for scholarships. See page 10 for general info and to start brainstorming ideas for the essay.

Education Abroad Financial Aid & Scholarship Workshops Learn about the scholarship application process, discuss the essay question, and find out how to make your application as competitive as possible. Representatives from the Financial Aid and Scholarship Offices will be there to check your account and complete the required Budget Sheet.

APPLICATION & SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINES Winter: Sept 11, 2015 Spring/Spring Break: Oct 16, 2015 Summer/Fall/Full year: Jan 29, 2016

FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIP WORKSHOPS Choose one!

Curris Center Ohio Room 3-4:30 PM September 1 or 2, 2015 October 6 or 7, 2015 January 19 or 20, 2016

FUNDRAISING IDEAS Every little bit helps!

Websites such as PayPal, gofundme. com or fundmytravel.com offer a great way to start an online fundraising campaign. There may be fees associated.

percentage of a given day’s sales.

Think outside the box. Pick up people’s unwanted clothes, furniture and knickknacks, and organize a yard sale. One person’s trash is another person’s ticket abroad.

Contact clubs, organizations and churches in your hometown or locally in Murray. In exchange for a donation, offer to do a presentation or service upon your return.

Use your skills & talents. Offer your art/craft as an incentive to donation.

Start saving your own money.

Seriously think about your spending habits and what is truly a neccessity.

Pack your lunch and use your mealplan instead of eating out.

Forgo subscriptions and expensive outings. Keep your wish list for your birthday or holidays in mind too.

Newspapers, radio stations, or other media outlets in your hometown may be willing to contribute if you offer to write articles or do podcasts while abroad.

In exchange for heavy promotion and new customers, a local business may be willing to donate a

Be creative with your fundraising by incorporating your host location.

Is there a local organization with a connection to your host country?

Sell a custom calendar or photo book with pictures from your time abroad (pre-ordered & created upon your return).

Offer to take photos abroad with a business’ logo or merchandise that they could use in future advertising Friendly advice: People don’t want to donate to a vacation. How will you give back? Writing a blog & sending updates from abroad is just one great way to keep contributors engaged. Make sure you always tell folks how this experience will help you academically & professionally.

budget-friendly Education Abroad If finding an affordable program is your number one priority, then you’ve come to the right page. The Education Abroad Office offers lots of super affordable programs, both long and short term, that are high quality and for every major.

MSU students can get sweet deals on their international experiences by studying through one of our exchange partners across the globe. This is by far the cheapest way to travel and study.

NEW! Search "Budget Friendly" on Horizons under Features.

SAVE Put money aside from scholarship or loan refunds or paychecks. Sacrifice some non-necessities for big payoff later.

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Don’t want to pay for housing?

Check out Deagu University and HaagaHelia University of Applied Sciences.

Would you really love to be reimbursed for your flight cost?

Korea is on it.

Want to study abroad for a summer but you’re saving up for a new car?

There are several summer options with our exchanges that are under $1,500 for up to 6 weeks and the best part is they

BUDGET Talk it over with important people in your life and decide what you can afford. Compare costs on the next page.

Remember that this is an investment in your future.

offer courses for nearly every major. You can take a university studies course or two at Chonnam National University and spend 6 weeks exploring Korea for just $500 plus a plane ticket. And that includes all your food!

We have too many budget-friendly options to go over here, so let an Education Abroad Advisor know if you’re interested in learning more and we’ll help you narrow down your options and find the right budgetfriendly program for you.

SCHOLARSHIPS Apply for as many scholarships as you are eligible for. Start the app early so you don’t miss the deadline. Attend a workshop for personal assistance.

FUNDRAISE Read the list above to help spark ideas for unique ways to get extra funding. Use your network and your skills.

CO$T COMPARISON

If cost and finances are an important priority when choosing your study abroad program, then you need to crunch some numbers. We’ve done some of the math for you in the chart below. This table illustrates the differences in average costs between a semester at MSU, a semester at one of exchange partners, and a 2-week faculty-led program. Learn more about the types of programs on page 5.

At MSU At average (avg costs for undergrad, exchange partner in-state)

Application Fee Tuition

$3,804

Average 2-week Faculty-Led

$50

$50

$3,804

Usually included in fee

Program Fee

$4,000

Housing

$2,402

$2,402

Included in fee

Meals

$1,701

$1,701

$500

$1,500

Included in fee

$150

$150

Plane Ticket Passport (everyone get one!)

$150

Gas

$640

Spending Money

$550

$750

$350

Books

$500

$150

$150

Medical Insurance

$400

$151

$37.75

Visa

$100

Phone

$100

Total

$10,247

$10,758

$5,237.75

Length of Program (days)

(÷) 112

(÷) 112

(÷)14

Cost per day

$91.49

$96.05

$374.12

Let’s break it down: If you want the most bang for your buck and don’t want to spend a lot more than you do at MSU every semester, an exchange program is a great choice. However, 2-week faculty-leds are usually pretty affordable and full of great experiences that you can get in a shorter amount of time.

But these are just averages and if you’re really serious about study abroad, you should do some number crunching on your own that is based on your actual spending habits and on real programs that we offer.

Look left for budget-friendly options. Find more info online. Then, fill this comparison in on your own.

Program name: Application Fee Tuition Program Fee Housing Meals Plane Ticket Passport Gas Spending Money Books Medical Insurance Visa Phone Total ÷ Length of Program (days) Cost per day

Education Abroad Scholarships Everyone who has completed a program application and will be receiving academic credit on their program is eligible to apply for scholarships. The application for MSU study abroad scholarships is available on your Horizons account once you have completed the application for your program. You cannot apply for scholarships until you have completed an application for a program, but you do not have to be approved for the program to start applying.

• For MSU Education Abroad scholarships, you only have apply one time - just select "yes" on all the scholarships you are eligible for.

WORK Use the space here to brainstorm ideas for your scholarship essay or to list the scholarships you want to apply for.

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• On the application, you will be asked to identify which scholarships you qualify for and to complete a series of questions regarding your academics, the costs associated with your program, and your personal finances.

• You will also upload a copy of your unofficial transcript and write an essay.

• No additional recommendations are required.

• Some of the scholarships have specific academic field, GPA, or financial need requirements, but not all.

• See murraystate.edu/ educationabroad for the list

of scholarships and eligibility requirements.

Remember that these MSU scholarships are not the only source of funding available. There are national scholarships and program- or locationspecific scholarships you may qualify for. In addition to scholarships, you should also be saving and/or raising money of your own. While it’s important to apply for as many education abroad scholarships as possible, you shouldn’t expect to receive every award. No one is guaranteed a scholarship and even if you receive awards, they will not cover the full cost of your program.

It’s important to consider other funding options - see page 8 for ideas. Even small amounts can add up.

2015-2016 SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY QUESTION:

Explain the journey that led you to study abroad and choosing your program. Consider one or more of the following points: • How did you first hear about the idea of studying abroad?

• Did you know about study abroad before you came to MSU as a student? Did your choice to attend

MSU have anything to do with study abroad?

• How many ways or times did you hear about the program before deciding to apply?

• Do you know MSU students who haven't heard about study abroad? If so, what are some ways we

could reach these students?

• What can we do to make studying abroad easier for everyone who wants to go?

YOUR TO-DO LIST

µµAttend an open advising session: Mondays at 3 or Thursdays at 11, Waterfield Library Classrooms

µµGet a passport or renew if it’s expired

Hint: there's nowhere to do this in Murray so depending on where you live, it might be easier to do this step at home.

Passport application and information can be found on travel.state.gov

µµNarrow down your program options by searching the available courses, comparing

programs and costs, and discussing with important people in your life. Use pages 4,6, & 9

µµIf needed, schedule an appointment with an Education Abroad Advisor in Woods Hall you can do this online at murraystate.edu/educationabroad

µµSelect your ideal program µµApply online at murraystate.edu/studyabroadapplication

You must apply with MSU and you may have to complete an additional app for the university abroad or program provider. MSU has a $50 application fee. You can only apply to one program at a time. Complete application requirements and policies can be found on our website.

µµWork with the Financial Aid Office and Scholarship Office to complete your budget sheet µµMake sure you know the deadline and complete your application before this date.

Write it here to help you remember:

µµApply for education abroad scholarships µµFigure out how you register for class(es) for your program and sign up µµSemester program participants need to get their courses pre-approved by their academic advisor on the Anticipated Evaluation of Credit form. See page 6.

µµPay your program fee and any requirements that aren’t included like insurance or airline tickets

µµMake sure you have completed the Post-Acceptance step on your Horizons application µµAttend orientation. Write the date here to help you remember: µµGo abroad! Learn, discover, and enjoy! µµStay connected and share your stories on Instagram (@msu.studyabroad), Twitter (@msustudyabroad), and facebook with #racersabroad

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My favorite experience... was working alongside of the nurses in the hospitals.

I was very honored to be accepted and to be allowed to help in whatever way that I could. I learned a massive amount about how health care operates in Belize.

-Sarah, Belize Nursing

The most significant thing I learned about myself through my study abroad experience is my ability to be patient, to keep an open mind in any situation, and to accept the situation and adapt when necessary.

-Ellen, three-time MSU study abroad alum More than anything, I enjoyed the times that we were able to just explore the city. We were given the chance to integrate ourselves in these social gatherings and locations that tourists wouldn’t normally be in.

-Jacob, Discover China Even though I did not understand the language very well, I adjusted quickly. I adapted to my surroundings and loved every second of it.

Even though I knew and felt like a foreigner, my new host country (Japan) was like home.

-Brandy, KIIS Japan It was quite a learning experience to see the agricultural differences between the U.S. and Panama...

This knowledge will help open doors for me in careers in different countries and this experience was very interesting to be on.

-Bobbie, AGR in Panama

I have changed for the better and am a stronger person because of my study abroad experience. I had my first flight, went out of the country for the first time, made new friends within my program and with the locals...

-Mimi, Education in Ireland

Start your journey today at murraystate.edu/educationabroad See more stories like these when you follow along with #racersabroad