WANT TO STUDY ABROAD? HERE ARE THE STEPS TO TAKE…
1. Meet with your faculty advisor to discuss your plans and learning goals. Begin discussing your plans with your family as well.
2. Meet with an advisor at the Office of Career and Life Planning (CLP) to determine the proper procedures for undertaking and approving this experience. It is easy for you to begin making the most out of this exceptional learning opportunity. You will need to have:
- a minimum of 30 credits in residence at New England College. Transfer credits from other colleges will not normally be applied to this credit total.
- sophomore status or above.
- good academic and social standing, including a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.5 in credits earned at New England College.
3. Research and select a program in a country of your choice. An advisor at the Office of Career & Life Planning (CLP) will help you begin. NEC has well-established relationships with programs in:
- Canada/Quebec, England, France, and Japan
NEC also maintains affiliations with the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) and SUNY Cortland. Through these affiliations, you have options in a much, much broader range of countries! These include:
- Australia, Austria, Belize, China, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, India, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Russia and Spain, along with many others.
For brief descriptions of all of these programs, and their web addresses, see the "NEC Study Abroad Options" link.
4. Have FUN looking at your different options! Visit study abroad program websites (A CLP advisor will help you find one that's best for you.). While you’re looking at the possibilities, check for application deadlines, process and forms, costs, and any application procedures associated with a particular program.
5. Once you’ve decided where you want to go, go on their website and begin looking at the kind of courses you could take that will count toward your degree at NEC. Check with your faculty advisor, Academic Advising staff at Pathways, and the Registrar.
6. Apply! An advisor at CLP will help with any essays (usually minimal), forms, etc. An application to a study abroad program typically includes:
- An application form,
- Transcript from the Registrar (no cost),
- Personal statement (help available from CLP),
- Course selection worksheet (This will be done after actual acceptance in most cases.), and
- Recommendations from professors and/or employers (required in most cases).
If you are applying for an internship abroad to go with your academic experience, you will also need a resume and “cover letter”, and a completed and approved internship contract. Again, CLP can help with this.
7. Fill out the NEC Course Approval Form (available from CLP), and take this to the Registrar.
8. After receiving your acceptance packet from the study abroad program, you will need to accept the offer by submitting all necessary forms along with a program deposit fee, and a housing fee when applicable. And here is some GOOD NEWS for you and your parents!
- Normally, NEC students enrolled in semester-long study abroad programs will continue to pay the standard NEC tuition, room, and board fee to New England College, which will in turn pay the tuition, room, and board expenses at the study abroad location. This means that…
- …New England College students studying abroad in an approved program continue to be eligible for most of their federal financial aid!
Student Financial Services can fill you and your parents in on the details.
9. After receiving your completed acceptance and housing forms from the study abroad program of your choice, your place in the program will be reserved. Most of your questions concerning your study abroad will now be answered by a representative of the program you have chosen. But as always, your faculty advisor, CLP staff, the Pathways staff, the NEC Registrar, and Student Financial Services staff are available to answer any question you may have.
10. Sign the liability waver form, complete the contact information form, and give CLP copies of your passport and proof of medical insurance before you go! See CLP for details.
11. Continue reading the rest of this website for information and tips on studying abroad!
