Study abroad offering more programs
New options for students interested in studying abroad include studying science in Slovenia, history in Italy and advanced Spanish in the Dominican Republic.
“People are more amenable to trying new places, we had one student recently go to Latvia,” said Kay Forsyth, study abroad director, during USU’s annual study abroad fair Wednesday.
Study abroad has grown to more than 20 faculty-led programs and is starting many new summer programs as well, she said. Approximately 350 students utilize the program each year and England, Australia and Japan seem to be the most popular choices for students, Forsyth said.
“The experience is fantastic, being able to look at life through another culture. It opens your eyes to seeing things you never thought of,” said David Vance, a senior who studied abroad in Japan.
Students can experience new things and have the opportunity to learn a new language, he said.
Some of the other countries included in the study abroad program are Chile, Costa Rica, Sweden, Germany, Thailand, Korea and the Netherlands, Forsyth said.
The majority of USU students who study abroad go through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP.) This arrangement allows students to visit another country for about the same cost as tuition at USU, or $5,900 per semester, Forsyth said.
“My goal was to get good at the language. I would definitely recommend going for an entire year,” Vance said. Study abroad is not required for his major, Asian studies, but he said it is encouraged.
The only academic major that currently requires students to study abroad is international studies, Forsyth said.
Options for length of visits to other countries include a single semester, an academic year and short-term programs. Depending on a country’s currency exchange rates and group size, some short-term programs go down in price from year to year, Forsyth said.
She said a full semester of credits can be earned, depending on a student’s classes and major, and it is possible to achieve in a short, 4-8 week program.
Students interested in going abroad to teach English have the opportunity to do so through the International Language Program. Students can choose to go to Russia, Ukraine, China or Mexico during the fall, spring, or summer, said International Language Program representative Jeanette Mauerman.
“You teach part-time, never work weekends, and you teach basically by playing with little kids,” Mauerman said. “They even give you vacation time to give you a chance to see the country you’re in.”
The $2,520 fee for study abroad pays for airfare, housing, food, visas, language and culture classes and training, Mauerman said.
The study abroad fair also featured an “apply for passport here” table. Representatives from area post offices were on-site to assist with passport applications and answer questions about the process.
The passport fee for a person 16 or older is $135, plus a photograph fee of $15, said Joyce Lamont, Tremonton postmaster. Necessary identification to attain a passport include an original birth certificate, old passport or naturalization papers and a current state-issued identification card, Lamont said.
Passport applications take 4-6 weeks to process. For $93.26 extra, the process can be expedited in 2-3 weeks.
For additional information about Utah State’s study abroad program, the office of study abroad is located in TSC room 311.
Financial aid and scholarships almost always apply to travel expenses, Forsyth said. The deadline for study abroad for spring 2011 is Oct. 1, 2010.
– whitneyafterdark@hotmail.com