Written by; Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

Western is home to over 300 on campus clubs and organizations. With such a diverse number of student services and organizations, it can be easy to overlook the fact that Western offers students one of the most fundamental opportunities for the college experience. 

The Center for Professional Pathways is the parent service for Western’s Study Abroad Program — housing four different study abroad providers including IE3 Global, Campus Internationalizations Solutions Abroad, Cooperative Center for Study Abroad and Global Education Oregon — and over 200 programs to choose from. Students who choose to study abroad during their academic experience can have their credits transferred whilst also exploring different cultures. 

There are requirements to determine whether a student is eligible. In order to be approved for Study Abroad, students must meet the following criteria: good academic and judicial standing, meet the language requirements for one’s program of interest, have a passport valid six months beyond the end date of the program, as well as completion of all application materials highlighted in the next section.

While some providers present study abroad opportunities in English-speaking countries only, some, such as IE3 Global, offer study abroad opportunities in Ecuador, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Japan, South Korea and Mexico.

Although the application process may appear daunting, CPP and the Study Abroad program on campus are there to help every step of the way. 

How it works: Students should first complete the program’s general intake form — a simple Google form that provides the program with basic information about the student. From the information provided on this form, the program’s committee decides whether the applicant is eligible to study abroad.

Once the student has submitted the form, they can begin procuring their online profile through Terra Dotta. When starting an application, a $50 fee will be assessed. It is at this stage that the student should plan to meet with their academic advisor to plan their future schedule. The earlier, the better.

It is important to also keep in mind that some programs, such as IE3 and CCSA, have a second form students must fill out. This form may require a separate application fee.

Choosing a Program: Before meeting with a study abroad advisor — the next step in the application process — students must first decide where they would like to study. 

There are two ways in which students can search for study abroad opportunities. If they already have a destination in mind, they could search based on country or region. If they do not have a destination in mind, they could search based on their major or area of interest. Either method will concur results preferable to a student’s particular interests.

Students have the choice to select their destination based on whether they would like to study abroad or undergo an internship. Western provides very specific types of study abroad programs to students, including studying abroad for the acquisition of a language, internships, direct exchange programs into university and third-party sponsored programs.

Students considering applying for the program should start planning approximately a year in advance. For reference, if students wish to study abroad in Fall of the 2023-2024 academic year, they should begin the application process somewhere around Winter term of the previous year.

For more information about studying and interning abroad contact Graduate Assistant for Study Abroad Programs, Jacen Miller, at studyabroad@mail.wou.edu. Students considering studying abroad are encouraged to schedule an appointment for further details about the application process. All forms can be found on the Study Abroad program’s website at wou.edu/study-abroad/.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu