Miami University is very committed to helping students enhance their education through international experiences. Study abroad can be a reality for any student at Miami University regardless of major or financial situation. Currently about 35% of Miami students (about 1500 per year) study abroad on hundreds of different semester, year and short-term programs all over the world, and we hope to raise this number to 50% in the next few years. Our students will require the support of their parents in order to reach this goal! We hope this page will address any questions or concerns you may have about study abroad.
Study abroad at Miami University is administered by several different offices, depending on the type of program offered. If you have questions about a program your student is interested in applying to or if you have concerns about a program your student is currently participating in, please contact the appropriate office:
If your student's program is sponsored by the Miami University Farmer School of Business, please contact the FSB International Programs Office at +1 (513) 529-1712 or contact the faculty leader for that program.
If your student's program is sponsored by the Miami University Dolibois European Campus (MUDEC) in Luxembourg, please contact the MUDEC Office at +1 (513) 529-5050.
If your student's program is a short-term faculty-led program sponsored by a department other than the Farmer School of Business or MUDEC, please contact the Office of Lifelong Learning at +1 (513) 529-8600 or contact the faculty leader for that program.
If you do not know which type of program your student is participating in, please consult with your student or contact the Office of International Education at +1 (513) 529-5628. Although we cannot disseminate student information over the phone, we may be able to direct your call to the appropriate office, where someone can give you information about the program.
Health and Safety
We are very concerned about the health and safety of our students abroad. Please see the Health and Safety section of our website for more information.
Benefits of Study Abroad
Dr. Jeanne Hey
Director of the Department of International Studies
We hope that you will support your student's plans to study abroad, an activity which should be considered an integral part of their college experience and their life experience, rather than an extra cost or burden. There are many benefits to an extended international experience, including:
Personal growth
When students are outside of their "comfort zone" they have to learn to adapt to their environment and to think on their feet. Typically this results in increased self-confidence, maturity, independence, problem-solving skills and communication skills.
Curriculum enhancement
Students may choose to study subjects that are not available at Miami University, or to look at the subjects they're familiar with through a different lens, influenced by their professors and peers in their host university.
Expanded worldview
Students typically learn more about their home country while studying abroad and come to understand their country's place in the world and their own place in the world as individuals. Living outside their home culture for a period of several months or a year gives them an opportunity to realize their own cultural assumptions.
Preparation for a global career
Whether a student ends up working for a domestic U.S. company, a huge international company or even working abroad, there will be some time when they interact with people from another country or culture, and studying abroad prepares them for that. The personal growth skills that students gain from studying abroad - such as independence, problem-solving, communication, cultural awareness and experience working with diverse groups - are very attractive to employment recruiters.
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
After students graduate and enter the workforce full-time, it is unlikely that they will have the opportunity to live abroad for an extended period of time. They may have opportunities to travel abroad and visit places as a tourist, but it will be harder to get the depth of experience that one can get from studying abroad for months at a time.
Fun and academically stimulating experiences
Studying abroad can also stimulate students academically. Frequently the things that they learn in the classroom, such as foreign languages or history, can be immediately applied in the streets of their host country. That experience of "living what you're learning" can be fun and can stimulate students to achieve even after they've returned to Miami.
Study Abroad Costs
Study Abroad Program Fees
Most study abroad programs charge an integrated program fee, which includes fees, tuition and housing. Meals may be included in the program fee, but sometimes they are not. When comparing programs, you may want to research what is included in the program fee and, if necessary, factor the additional cost of meals into the total cost. Depending on the type of program (and the student's financial aid package), this program fee may be more or less than what the student typically pays for a semester in Oxford at Miami University (see Miami Fees and Expenses). As a general rule, locations with a high cost of living (such as Tokyo or London) will usually be more expensive than smaller cities or locations in developing countries. Students may also want to consider when to study abroad as a financial decision. Typically it is more affordable to study abroad during the semester, replacing your semester of Miami tuition with a study abroad program fee rather than adding on additional summer tuition dollars.
Students can apply federal financial aid and most Miami scholarships toward Sponsored, Exchange and Co-Sponsored programs, but ONLY federal aid toward other programs. If students are concerned about finding a program that meets their financial need, they should meet with a study abroad adviser to discuss their situation.
Additional Expenses
Study abroad can be quite expensive, but it can also be as affordable as a semester at Miami. A study abroad program fee typically includes fees, tuition and housing (sometimes meals are included in this price, but sometimes they are not). The day-to-day incidental expenses that they have at Miami (books, food/drink) may be more or less while they are abroad, depending on where they are studying and on the current exchange rate.
Students will also need to find a way to pay for the travel to their host country. Study Abroad Airfare Grants are available for students with financial need who are studying for a semester or a year. Many students will want to travel within their host region as well. You may want to discuss in advance the financial and safety issues that arise when students are interested in traveling in their host region.
Another area that can be costly is communication. If your student is calling friends/family back home frequently or is spending a lot of time in Internet cafés, they may spend more money (and time) than they realize on keeping in touch (and may miss out on exciting opportunities in their host country!). Please discuss with your student your financial expectations for their study abroad experience BEFORE problems arise!
Preparations for Studying Abroad
You may want to read the Applying and Before You Go sections of our website with your student to learn more about what studying abroad entails (and to make sure that they have filled out the necessary paperwork). If you wish to learn more about the country your student is going to, please consult the country page in our Program Selection section for practical information. You may also wish to buy a guidebook for that country or region or to read about its history so that you can learn along with your student.
Your student may go through some emotional highs and lows during their study abroad experience. This is a common reaction to living in a foreign culture, known as "culture shock." Usually this takes the form of a U-curve, where the student arrives very enthusiastic, then goes through stages of frustration at cultural differences, but ends up learning how to integrate these differences into their worldview, ending their experience on a high note. If your student's reaction seems extreme, please urge them to talk to their study abroad program director or in-country contact, who may be able to recommend some tips for getting over culture shock, or can arrange for professional intervention.
If you will be visiting your student during their study abroad time, we recommend waiting until at least halfway through the study period, if not the end. By that time, your student will have had some time to adjust to their host culture and should be knowledgeable about their host country so that you will have your very own tour guide!
More Information
One of our program providers, CIEE, has produced a series of pamphlets with useful information on various topics. The Parents pamphlet may be of particular use to you, but the full series (which addresses issues such as health, safety, women's issues, disabilities, sexual and gender expression and communication) can be found here: http://www.ciee.org/program_resources/knowledge.aspx. Our professional organization publishes a handbook called What Parents Need to Know!, which is available for purchase from their website.
Miami University Office of International Education |
216 MacMillan Hall |
Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA
Telephone: (1) 513-529-5628 |
Fax: (1) 513-529-7383 |
Email: international@muohio.edu
Website questions? Email the webmaster: mcnittsa@muohio.edu.
Welcome to the website of the Miami University Office of International Education. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact us.
