Want to Study Abroad? Here’s a Global Opportunity For You
Life is packed with beautiful things we still haven’t uncovered. When you study abroad, every step is a learning experience. Studying abroad is a great way to discover the world while embracing new cultures. The simple exchanges between people from different cultures allow us to break down the walls between us. As people come together, speak to one another and share a similar experience, their common humanity is revealed.
Another advantage is you can take electives that your alma mater does not offer and gain new experiences to build your resume for better job opportunities. Still hesitant about whether studying abroad would be beneficial? Let me take you on a journey by introducing you to the Global Intercultural Learning Program at Saint Mary’s University. Stay with me until the end to learn about an exciting upcoming event catered just for YOU!
What is Global Intercultural Learning?
The Global Intercultural Learning program is where students at Saint Mary’s University can further their education with hands-on experiences and international connections by studying abroad. This program has a vibrant SMU exchange student program where you can choose from over 100 partner universities in 26 countries worldwide. Though you are still hesitant to commit for an entire year abroad, many partner universities offer summer abroad programs that last four to eight weeks. The program functions through “tuition swaps,” where you pay your regular tuition fees directly to Saint Mary’s University, just like a typical term. This simplifies the process, though tuition swaps only apply to some partner universities. A potential student has to research all the partner schools before deciding on a university. The program recommends that the third year is typically the best time for undergraduate students to join. Everyone progresses through university at different paces, so this program is open to all students from all years, including graduate students. The credits you earn abroad should all be transferable to SMU’s academic transcript and applicable to your degree. Contact an academic advisor in your faculty to determine which courses you can take abroad to meet your degree requirements.
One primary concern when considering studying abroad is the uncertain yet high cost associated with it. The cost of studying abroad can change depending on living and travel expenses, program features, the duration of your stay, the financial arrangement between home and host institution (i.e., tuition swap), and types of meals. Using these factors, you can prepare a checklist to create a study abroad experience that fits your budget. You must set aside money for the admission fee (say $100), international and in-country travel, health insurance, host institution fees (student fees), communication, incidental costs, passport and visa application. You must also include the regular SMU tuition (payable to SMU) mainly based on the number of transfer credits, including tuition fees, international differential (if applicable), and campus renewal fees. A host institution’s website may give information about these typical expenses.
Photo by Global Intercultural Learning
Students can speak to the Exchange Advisor to better understand how to navigate the options, seek help with the application process, and connect with previous exchange students. The program also offers funding opportunities for students once they receive their letter of acceptance. There are various other funding opportunities provided to both students and faculty. Each funding opportunity is unique and has an application process. One of the options is the Killam Fellowship program, which caters to Canadian undergraduate students interested in studying in the US. The program provides $5000 US per semester to look at one of the participating US universities. Tuition swap applies to the USA’s partner universities.
Apart from funding, there is also the pandemic, and that makes things more difficult for students. COVID-19 has put a damper on travel plans now, but Global Intercultural Learning is still hopeful about students’ opportunities to study abroad this coming year. They are planning and running the application and selection process this winter for the 2021-22 exchanges under the hope that border restrictions will ease in time. With that being said, it is essential to remember to keep your timeline flexible if you would need to postpone the study abroad program until it is safe enough to travel internationally without causing significant disruptions to the rest of your degree planning. SMU’s decisions about the safety of travellers, including the decision to cancel programs and travel plans, are made regarding the following advisories issued by the Government of Canada:
Upcoming Event:
This may seem like a lot of information to take in. Fortunately, Global Intercultural Learning is hosting an event with six global ambassadors and the International Program Assistant Emily LeRoux. On March 25th, from 2:00 PM- 4:00 PM, the team has an exclusive and interactive event prepared for SMU Students via Zoom.
You might ask, what are global ambassadors? These are students who are part of University Canada’s Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program. They help coordinate the program for students to help other students study abroad. Global ambassadors aim to provide everyone, including those with disabilities and indigenous backgrounds, with intercultural competency and encourage them to try the study abroad program. Currently, global ambassadors are working on reaching out to societies and communities at SMU to extend the international learning program to all.
This upcoming event extends to all students at SMU and also includes a special interactive session at the end for commerce students who wish to study abroad. The commerce students’ session will be led by Amanda Cadeau, guiding students on the beneficial courses/ electives they could take abroad to better their career path. You will also get to hear from students who are currently studying abroad and have the time to listen to their experiences. There will also be a question-and-answer session towards the end. The guest speakers who will share their first-hand experiences at the event are:
Rudy Bartlett studying at the University College Cork, Ireland (Fall 2019)
Jenna Levangie studying at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences in the Faculty of Business and Economics in the Netherlands (Fall 2019)
Drew McCarthy studying at Justus Liebig University in Germany (Fall 2019)
Sarah Little studying at the Metropolitan University Prague in the Czech Republic (Winter 2020).
There is so much to gain from studying abroad and experiencing new cultures. Studying abroad is one of the single most effective ways of changing the way you view the world. The hosts of this event want to show you just what you’re missing out on by staying within boundaries. Registration is free of cost, and you can register here. If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact me (fernnash15@gmail.com) or Emily LeRoux (global@smu.ca). I would love to see you there along with some friends you bring with you! À bientôt!
