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Study Abroad Newsletter - September 2007

In this issue:

1. Welcome to New Subscribers
2. Upcoming Events
3. Application Deadlines and Scholarships
4. Study Abroad Timeline
5. Study Abroad Fair - October 2
6. Learn from Returned Students
7. Apply Now for Passports!
8. Oxford Housing Tip
9. Gilman International Scholarships
10. New Study Abroad Programs
11. Featured Study Abroad Program of the Month

1) Welcome to New Subscribers

Welcome to all the students who subscribed over the summer, including the new Class of 2011! This newsletter is brought to you by the Office of International Education, one of many offices on campus coordinating study abroad activities. The Study Abroad Newsletter is sent out at the beginning of each month to notify you of upcoming international and study abroad-related activities on campus, deadlines, scholarships and more.

The Study Abroad Newsletter is just one way to discover study abroad opportunities. It's never too early to start exploring your options and making plans, so feel free to make an appointment with a study abroad adviser or to drop by the Study Abroad Resource Center in 225 MacMillan before the semester gets too busy!

If you would like to change your subscription information or subscribe via RSS instead of email, directions for doing so are available on our website at http://www.muohio.edu/international/sa-newsletter.php. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends who are interested in learning more about study abroad opportunities. They can subscribe at the same address above.

2) Upcoming Events

See http://www.muohio.edu/international/events.php for more information on these events.

• September 5 – Alliance for Global Education Informational Presentations – 241 Shriver Center, 11am-2pm
• September 7 – Fifth Annual Latin American and Caribbean Festival – Oxford Uptown Parks, 5pm-10pm.  Returned study abroad students will be on hand if you're interested in learning more about studying abroad in Latin America or the Caribbean.  See http://casnov1.cas.muohio.edu/cawc/Events.html.
• September 24 – ISA information table – Shriver Center lower level food court, 11am-12pm
• September 24 – Luxembourg Program (MUDEC) Slideshow and Q&A – Shriver Center Multipurpose Rooms B&C, 7:30-9pm.  See http://www.muohio.edu/luxembourg.
• September 26 – Arcadia University Informational Presentations – 241 Shriver Center, 11am-2pm
• September 29 – Family Weekend Study Abroad Presentations – 115 Shideler, 9am and 10am
• October 2 – Study Abroad Fair – see below for more information.
• October 3 – Royal Holloway Information Session – 212 MacMillan Hall, 3-4:30pm
• November 3 – Passport Fair – location TBA, 10am-2pm.  See below ("Apply Now for Passports!") for more information.
• December 3 – Study Abroad Orientation Session (for students going abroad in spring 2008 ONLY.)

3) Application Deadlines and Scholarships

• September 1 – Deadline for Semester 2 (spring 2008) ISEP exchanges.  If you're looking for a program where you can apply your Miami scholarships, talk to a study abroad adviser to learn more about ISEP.  See http://www.isep.org
• September 28 – First application deadline for MU Farmer School of Business Summer International Programs.  See http://www.sba.muohio.edu/home/international/
• October 9 – Application deadline for Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program (spring 2008).  See below ("Gilman International Scholarships") for more information.
• November 1 – Deadline for summer 2008 U.S. State Department internships.  Available for students in areas including Business, Public Administration, Social Work, Economics, Information Management, Journalism and Biological, Physical or Engineering Sciences.  See http://www.careers.state.gov/student/programs/student_internships.html
• Spring 2008 deadlines for many Affiliated programs will be coming up as early as October 1 (or as late as mid-November).  If you're planning on going abroad next spring, visit your study abroad program's website to find out the application deadline.  Most programs admit students on a rolling-admissions basis, so it is best to apply as early as possible.
• Did you know that if you have ANY amount of financial need (as demonstrated on the FAFSA) and are studying abroad for a semester or more, you are eligible for a Study Abroad Airfare Grant?  For more information, see http://www.units.muohio.edu/sfa/study_abroad.htm.

4) Study Abroad Timeline

75% of Miami students who go abroad for a semester or year do so in their junior year.  If you're planning on going in a different year, your process may vary.  But here's a timeline for how most students will want to plan their study abroad experience:

• Freshman year:  Start thinking about where you want to go.  Explore the OIE website and Study Abroad Resource Center.  Go to the Study Abroad Fair to learn more about your options.  Meet with an academic advisor in your major department (preferably during your first semester) to map out a four-year plan that includes a year or a semester spent abroad.
• Sophomore year:  Begin identifying specific programs that suit your interests and academic needs.  Note the application process and deadlines.  Research available scholarships and their application deadlines.  Plan next year's housing arrangements around your study abroad experience.  Go to the Study Abroad Fair to learn more about the programs you're considering.
• Junior year:  Study abroad!
• Senior year:  Volunteer for study abroad events on campus, join the study abroad contact list and get involved in activities where you can spread the word about how great your experience was!

5) Study Abroad Fair - October 2

Mark your calendars!  Miami's annual Study Abroad Fair will be held Tuesday, October 2 in the Shriver Center Multipurpose Room from 2-6 pm.  You can stop by any time during the fair hours to meet with representatives of different study abroad offices and programs, collect information about different study abroad opportunities and ask questions of program representatives or returned students.  This is the biggest study abroad event of the year and a great low-pressure way to get started on planning your study abroad experience!

6) Learn from Returned Students

The Office of International Education can give you lots of information about a wide range of programs, but for in-depth, up-to-date details on one particular program or location, the best resource can be returned students.  Here are some ways to contact students who went abroad on programs you're interested in learning more about:

• Office of International Education Student Workers – We employ a few returned students each semester to work in the Study Abroad Resource Center (225 MacMillan) and to give presentations to student groups.  This year's student workers studied in Argentina, Australia, France, New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom.  The MUDEC (Luxembourg) program also employs returned students from their program as advisers.
• Study Abroad Contact List – Many more students are available to contact via email.  The Study Abroad Contact List currently covers 30 countries.  It is available in the Study Abroad Resource Center, where you can come and copy down the contact information for students you'd like to get in touch with to talk about the program they used or the place that they studied.
• Ask the program – Any reputable study abroad organization will help put you in touch with program alumni who can answer your questions from a student perspective.
• Facebook – Some programs, like the ISEP exchange program, have started their own Facebook groups to allow students to communicate about their home schools and host schools.  In other cases, students on the program may have independently formed Facebook groups.  Try searching for one or starting your own!

7) Apply Now for Passports!

Restrictions passed last spring have made it impossible to fly into a foreign country without a passport, and this will be tightened in the future to include land and sea travel, even for Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.  As a result, passport applications have increased and have lengthened application processing times.  If you don't want to miss out on travel opportunities due to these travel documentation restrictions, why not apply now?  Even if you don't have set plans to travel or a particular destination in mind, it is always an advantage to have a valid passport on hand when you need it.

The current approximate time for passport processing is three months.  If you pay extra for expedited processing, it could still take as long as three weeks!  If you are planning to travel internationally or study abroad in 2008, please apply ASAP!  We've heard too many sad stories about students who were all set to study abroad but couldn't get their passport in time.  This will also be useful for making last-minute spring break plans.  U.S. passports are valid for 10 years, so you don't need to worry about applying too early!

If you are going to study abroad, you may need to apply for a student visa, which is typically stamped into your passport.  The visa application period may also be as long as two months, depending on the country.  Waiting for the passport and THEN the visa can slow you down considerably, so it's best to have the passport on hand already when you apply to a study abroad program.

Here are some instructions on applying for a U.S. passport:  http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

Miami will be holding a Passport Fair on Saturday, November 3 from 10am-2pm.  On the day of the fair, you must bring the materials listed here: http://www.muohio.edu/international/passportfair2007fall.php.  (Because of the processing delay, those of you looking to travel or study abroad in spring 2008 - including any international Spring Break trips - may want to apply on your own rather than waiting until the fair.)

8) Oxford Housing Tip

Now is the time of year when students start planning where they're going to live next year (yes, already!).  Most rental companies in Oxford will only do full-year (rather than semester) leases, so if you think that you might study abroad during the 2008-2009 school year, here are some things to consider:

• Arrange a semester lease.  While most rental agencies offer year-long leases, some will let you rent by the semester instead or may make an exception in order to accommodate you.  Be sure to ask if a semester lease is a possibility, even if you're not sure yet whether you want to study abroad!
• Make a deal with friends.  If you're going abroad in the fall and have a friend who's studying abroad in the spring, you can make a subletting arrangement to be sure that no one's left with an empty apartment for a semester and that your roommate or housemates aren't stuck with a stranger.
• Sublet someone else's apartment.  This is frequently cheaper than signing a full lease, and is especially popular when you study abroad in the fall and return to campus for the spring.
• Sign a year-long lease, then find a subletter.  This can be dangerous, because there are more apartments on the market right now than there are students.   You may not be able to find a subletter and may be left paying for your apartment even while you're gone.  But it has worked for some students in the past.  Some advertising ideas:  flyers on campus, Facebook ads, Craigslist.org.  For Luxembourg students, there is a listserv to help you solve housing problems such as subletting.  The OIE and MUDEC offices also share a housing binder which students can consult to search for subleases.
• Spend a semester back in a residence hall.  It might not be ideal, but it's just for a semester!  At least by moving back to the residence halls, you know that you won't be stuck paying for an empty apartment during the semester you're gone.
• Study abroad for a full academic year.  It may be easier than you think!

Don't miss out on an enriching once-in-a-lifetime experience just because you signed a lease.  PLEASE think ahead!   

9) Gilman International Scholarships

This year the Gilman International Scholarship Program will provide 850 scholarships of up to $5,000 for U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad for up to one academic year.  The program aims to diversify the kinds of student who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go.  The program serves students who have been under-represented in study abroad which includes but is not limited to: students with high financial need, students in under-represented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities.  A limited number of $3000 Critical Need Language Supplements are available for students studying a critical need language for a total possible award of $8000.  A list of eligible languages can be found on the Gilman website at http://www.iie.org/gilman.  The Gilman International Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education.

Eligibility: Students must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application and cannot be studying abroad in a country currently under a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning or in Cuba.  For more information, full eligibility criteria and the online application visit:  http://www.iie.org/gilman.

Contact for Applicants: Lindsay Calvert (email: gilman@iie.org; phone: 713.621.6300, ext 25)

10) New Study Abroad Programs

• Butler University will be offering a program at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú in Lima, Peru starting in spring 2008.  See http://ifsa-butler.org/programs/peru/
• ISA has announced new programs in Belgium, Czech Republic, Morocco and Costa Rica, beginning in spring 2008.  See http://www.studiesabroad.com/
• IES will be offering new programs in China, South Africa, Germany and the United Kingdom beginning in the 2008-2009 school year.  See https://www.iesabroad.org/IES/About_IES/IES_News/Articles/newsArticle0028.html
• Arcadia University has new semester/year programs at St Andrews University (Scotland) and University of Adelaide (Australia) starting in 2008.  See http://www.arcadia.edu/cea
• Looking for a new hobby?  Students studying at the University of Glasgow (Scotland) through Butler University can now take a class called "Bagpipes:  History, Repertoire and Performance."

11) Featured Study Abroad Programs of the Month

While most students will automatically head for a capital city, such as Tokyo, Santiago or Paris or a popular study abroad destination like Florence or Barcelona, it may be worth looking into a program in a smaller, secondary city or an underrepresented country to get the real feel for your host country, outside the hustle and bustle of an enormous metropolis, where you can interact with locals instead of being tempted to hang out with other study abroad students.  In some cases, these programs may even be less expensive or may have more opportunities for scholarships.  If this is the type of experience you're looking for, let a study abroad adviser know!  We can help you find programs in less-traveled destinations like Uruguay, Madagascar, Iceland, Thailand, Botswana or Wales.

For a list of the countries and programs Miami offers, see http://www.muohio.edu/international/programs.php
For more information about underrepresented study abroad locations, talk to a study abroad adviser!

This monthly newsletter is brought to you by the Office of International Education. Please remember: if you wish to subscribe, unsubscribe or read this issue online instead of through email, you can do so at http://www.muohio.edu/international/sa-newsletter.php