Education Abroad Opportunities with SIA

School of International Affairs students may participate in formal education abroad programs, offered through Penn State's Office of Global Programs. The programs listed below provide an array of options for the type of experience as well as location. The internship-only programs are available as early as Summer after the 1^st year, others are available in subsequent Fall or Spring semesters. Managed by the University Office of Global Programs, Directorate of Education Abroad, these programs provide SIA students the opportunity to live and study overseas while obtaining academic credit which fulfills SIA degree requirements. On the classroom-based study programs, students enroll in classes that are equivalent to 400-level coursework at Penn State and which are relevant to their area of concentration within SIA. Select programs offer optional internships or independent research in addition to classes, and still other programs offer full-time internships. Internships or independent research completed on these programs may count toward the SIA Capstone requirement. Additional education abroad opportunities may be available through embedded programs, faculty-led programs, or APSIA-member schools.

Students who are interested in other opportunities outside of the approved Penn State programs should consult with the Director of Academic Advising to review their options.

Getting Started

Interested students who wish to study and/or intern abroad must first meet with the SIA Director of Academic Advising and the SIA Director of Career Services, respectively, prior to the application deadline to discuss SIA academic considerations, financial aid considerations, relevant course offerings, and internship options. Students are also encouraged to schedule an appointment with the assigned Penn State Education Abroad adviser in the Bouck Building for the program to review budget information, program dates, housing options, visa information, and pre-departure orientation.

The Penn State Education Abroad office also outlines helpful resources in their Study Abroad 101 module which reviews the various steps involved in studying abroad, from the program research and application phase, to the pre-departure preparation, orientation, and re-entry process back to Penn State. Additional resources for prospective study abroad students can be found here.

Application Process and Deadlines

All students interested in participating in an education abroad program must submit an online application through Penn State Education Abroad by the appropriate deadline below. For many programs, the entire application process is online, though some programs may require paper document submission as well. To assist students with the process, view the detailed application instructions, including an explanation of how to request an electronic recommendation.

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