Students have many options to study in another country or in another state.
The International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) has a direct program and an exchange program. There are 52 different countries with 150 universities that participate in this. Applicants have to have completed 45 credit hours and have at least a 2.75 GPA though some exchange universities may require a junior standing (60 credits completed) and a 3.0 GPA.
The priority date for studying abroad in the Fall semester is Feb. 15 and the Spring date is Sept. 15. This means that the priority deadline for Fall 2022 has passed, but Spring 2023 still has a few months.
The direct program allows students to use federal financial aid for up to two semesters, but they are not able to use Colorado Mesa University (CMU) institutional scholarships. The exchange program allows you to pay CMU tuition and fees and pay for room and board including a meal plan. Exchange programs also offer federal financial aid for up to two semesters and institutional scholarships can be awarded on a case by case basis.
“All of the staff at CMU were helpful with the process of studying abroad and that made things less scary,” sophomore Geology major Hannah Przystup said.
The application process starts by creating an account with ISEP on their website. From there, students can research different programs, decide on the one they want to participate in and then turn in their application. If they are accepted the student will begin the process of setting up their travels.
For students who do not want to go too far but still want to travel, the National Student Exchange (NSE) may be a better option. Students can study in the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students will pay CMU tuition and fees for this program.
The NSE website shows different landscapes students may be interested in and gives a wide range of affordable options to study at another university. The application can be found on the NSE website.
“Studying in England has been a dream. I have had so much fun here and I hope that other students get to have the same experience because it really broadens your horizons and gives you more life experience,” Przystup said.
There will be Study Abroad tabling sessions in the University Center (UC) on April 6, 7, 14, 22 and 28 as well as one on May 3. Students who want a more in-depth talk can attend information sessions, the dates, time and location are as follows: April 7 from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm in UC 213, April 22 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm in UC 221 and May 3 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm in UC 221.
