This year brings many changes for AU Abroad, including moving its offices onto the main campus and offering a wider selection of international universities where students may study. AU Abroad offers study abroad programs in international cities and organizes the overseas semester, according to its Web site.
Last spring, the AU Abroad staff was busy negotiating new partnerships and enclaves with universities around the world. "We are always in the business of 'program development,'" said Sara Dumont, AU Abroad director.
New programs have been added in Kenya (beginning spring 2005), Australia, New Zealand, the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and Oxford University in England. AU Abroad is currently negotiating with several more universities in Europe and plans to extend its selection to universities in Latin America, Asia, Africa, Scandinavia and the Netherlands, according to Dumont.
South Pacific
Although AU Abroad has added more universities to its list of approved programs, it is also removing some. Many students are shocked that AU Abroad has canceled its popular World Capitals Program in Australia. Eric Jost, a recent participant in the program in Sydney, said he had a wonderful time there and would move to Sydney "in a heartbeat."
However, with the new partnership programs, students have the option of studying at one of six universities in Australia and three in New Zealand, an option not previously available, Dumont said.
"Instead of being restricted to a small number of courses taught just for AU students, as was the case with the World Capitals Program, our students may now take regular classes in any subject they need or desire, alongside Australian or New Zealand students, at top-ranked universities," Dumont said.
Students will also have the option of living in university housing with native students as well as with other international students, as opposed to soley with AU students, as was the case with the pre-existing program.
Unlike the World Capitals Program, where AU students took classes together and participated in events organized by the program, partnership programs offer a "full range of university clubs, athletics, and other extracurricular options," as well as an office at each university "whose job is to take care of things for their visiting U.S. students, so our students will be supported in their study abroad with a complete infrastructure," said Dumont. These offices will also be able to help students find jobs or internships not provided by AU.
Many students are already planning their semesters abroad with these new options.
Sarah Bilodeau, a sophomore in the School of Communication, said she has always wanted to travel to New Zealand, and was going to apply to the World Capitals Program in Australia because it offered a weeklong excursion to the neighboring island.
"Now I have the opportunity to study [in New Zealand] for an entire semester, instead of going there for only a week during spring break," Bilodeau said. She plans to apply to the University of Otago, New Zealand's oldest and most prestigious university, for an upcoming semester.
Europe
Similar to the new Australia/New Zealand partnership are programs at Oxford University and the University of Edinburgh.
"We feel that especially when there is no real language barrier, our students can have the best experience through enrollment at a first-class university abroad," Dumont said. "[Students will] have a wide range of courses of study to choose from, will be able to easily meet and become friends with students from the host country ... and can also experience a different educational system for a time, while still having their successful coursework count fully towards their AU degree."
Like the programs in Australia and New Zealand, students at Oxford and Edinburgh will have the option of taking any classes that they want and will be able to live in university housing.
"All courses students take at a partner university will receive AU credit," Dumont said. "The real question, however, is what kind of credit the student will get."
Before studying abroad, students must get their proposed courses equated to an AU course by the appropriate academic department here at AU. However, if students register for something different once they are abroad, they need to get the approval via fax or e-mail at the start of their semester. When AU offices know what classes students are taking abroad, they can determine what type of credit the student will receive. Dumont said that "if there is no exact equivalent, [the course] will appear as upper- or lower-level credit within a certain department."
While a "chosen course abroad [might] not be equated exactly as the student [wishes]," all completed courses taken abroad will transfer for AU credit, she explains. In order to clarify confusion about which classes are appropriate for a student's needs, Dumont strongly encourages students to meet with their academic adviser well before studying abroad.
Dumont also said that admission requirements for Oxford University are significantly higher in comparison to other AU Abroad options (most require a GPA of 2.75). Students planning to study at Oxford must have a GPA well above 3.5. One main reason for such high requirements is that the number of spaces available at Oxford will be as low as six students per year, Dumont explained.
Students studying at Oxford are required to attend for a full year and will not have a one-semester option.
Another reason for such high requirements is because the Oxford University system is structured very differently than most other universities. In addition to obtaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5, students must have a good background in the subject they propose to study there.
"[Oxford University] does not offer courses," Dumont said, "but rather students will study one or two subjects intensively in tutorial for the entire year ... [ and while] this is an incredible experience ... there are many excellent AU students for whom this kind of program will not work."
Admission to Oxford is not guaranteed, warns Dumont, so students should also apply to other schools. One AU student will be studying at Oxford this year, Dumont said.
"[Admission depends] on the number of places available that year, as well as the availability of tutors in various subjects," a variable that is out of AU's control, she said.
Although some study-abroad options are easier to get into than Oxford, students should always "think about study-abroad early to find out as much as they can so they will be able to think about every opportunity," said Merry Mendelson, the assistant dean for student services in the SOC.
Even though students will enroll directly in AU's partner universities, they will still be paying regular AU tuition, although there are "differences in costs among AU Abroad programs and the various sites due to different arrangements for housing and meals," said Thomas Ingold, Operations Administrator for AU Abroad.
"In the Oxford and Edinburgh programs, students pay a $500.00 program fee to AU, and will pay Edinburgh or Oxford directly for their housing, meals, and other incidental expenses," Ingold said. "[In most cases] students can select from more than one option for housing and meals and will pay the host university's quoted rate for their chosen options."
Prices for each partner school vary, Ingold said, and it is best to consult an AU Abroad adviser while arranging study-abroad plans.
"All students considering study abroad should consult an AU Abroad adviser early in their planning process to review all factors and to have the most complete information regarding the many program offerings," Ingold advises. "Once students and their AU Abroad advisers have determined the best program choices, we will work with them to address the financial and other practical concerns."
While applications are not yet available for Nairobi, Kenya, 25 students will be participating in other new partnership programs this fall semester, according to Dumont.
Unfortunately, for students wishing to study abroad in Fall 2004, the deadline for applications has already passed. The deadline for spring 2005 study-abroad students is as early as October 1, but "some of our partner universities have later deadlines to receive our students' applications ... and so for those [programs] we will ask students to apply with AU Abroad two weeks prior to the host university's deadline," Dumont said.
The new study-abroad options in Australia/New Zealand, Oxford and Edinburgh are available to students this academic school year, and some developing programs in other countries are still in negotiation.
As to whether or not these schools will be partnership or enclave programs (like pre-existing World Capitals Programs), Dumont said, "That decision is made based on a combination of factors, such as what we aim for in the program to accomplish, the structure of universities in the country in question and of course language issues."
Beginning after Labor Day, the AU Abroad office will be located in the Rockwood building. The new office will have computers for Internet searches as well as a resource library for students.
"It will be a more student-centered environment," Dumont said. "Since many of the new programs require students to talk with us more, moving on campus is a crucial aspect to the program. We want to be able to see students and provide as much assistance as possible."
AU Abroad has tripled the number of available places to study around the world over the past academic school year. With all of the new options, "we want to help students find the best one," she said.
Abroad at AU
While AU Abroad is constantly sending AU students around the world, it is now in negotiations to bring the world back to AU.
Associate Director of Marketing and Recruitment Mark Hayes said that by fall 2005, AU will be the first U.S. institution to bring in 50 international students by way of an exchange program.
"We're currently setting up specific bilateral agreements [with other countries]," Hayes said. Abroad at AU will give students the option to directly enroll or to study on exchange with an AU student, according to Hayes and Dumont.
If an AU student wants to study on exchange, a student from that university will be able to study at AU while still paying his university tuition. "Abroad at AU will give foreign students who want and can't afford a U.S. education for four years to study here," Hayes said.
Exchange students will take one of two new classes, "What is America?" or "How Washington Works" (available fall 2005) alongside AU students. Abroad at AU creates a "broader range for AU students," as well as a "different type of educational experience, creating a more diverse institution," Hayes insisted.
As always, Dumont encourages students to give input to AU Abroad about studying abroad. "We are always interested to know what students think," she said. "What areas of study abroad we currently don't serve would appeal to our students? We'd love to know."
On Wednesday from 12 to 4 p.m., AU Abroad will host its first Study Abroad Fair on the Quad. Representatives from the various AU Abroad partnership and enclave programs will be available for student questions throughout the afternoon.
For more information about studying abroad, partnership and enclave programs and deadlines, students can visit the new AU Abroad office in the Rockwood building (beginning after Labor Day), attend the Study Abroad Fair, or visit the AU Abroad Web site at www.worldcapitals.american.edu/public/index.cfm.
