A Parent's guide to Study abroad

Should my student study abroad? After all, studying abroad has never been a more accessible or popular opportunity as it is now; however, even with numerous locations available for international education, many students and families find studying abroad a very difficult decision and process.  Students and their parents often bring valid concerns to the table including, but not limited to, finances, academic and career plans, delayed graduation, and safety. Through various partnerships and collaborations, Millikin University’s Center for International Education (CIE) strives to make studying abroad as affordable and as easy as possible.  We completely understand that committing to education abroad represents an enormous investment in time, effort, and patience for the family, but we deliver on the promise that an international education is life changing in so many ways.

One of our main goals at the CIE is to prepare students for productive engagement in the 21st century global society.  We strongly believe that for students to be successful they need to be engaged with the world, and that the value of a significant international experience can prove crucial to a student’s career and future understanding of themselves and our world. We attempt to place students with international education opportunities (in both semester-long, and two-to-three week international immersion courses) that provide a deep understanding of what it means to be a democratic citizen in a global environment.  It’s our responsibility to make students and their families not only comfortable with the idea of studying abroad, but also to be advocates of the personal growth, academic enrichment, and the professional edge all gained from an international education experience. With your help, we are hoping to reach many more students and encourage them to consider studying abroad as part of their undergraduate career.

Benefits of Studying Abroad

Personal Development: Students who study abroad return with a new perspective on their role in the world.  They not only gain confidence by knowing that they can navigate an unfamiliar place, but they also will make lifelong friends from around the world.

Academic Enhancement:  Millikin University takes great pride in performance learning.  There is nothing more fantastic than firsthand experiences complementing what is learned in the classroom. Studying abroad will give the opportunity to visit historical sites, witness international business practices, and to be fully engaged in a foreign language.

Professional Advantage: Studying abroad allows your student to demonstrate his/her ability to interact across cultures and to effectively thrive out of their comfort zone.  To be successful — personally, intellectually, and professionally — students must become a "global citizen," skilled at interacting in and between multiple cultures and capable of analyzing issues on a global level.

MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY STUDY ABROAD FACTS

1. Studying abroad will ignite your student’s education by leading to new academic interests, and instilling a new dedication to academic success.

2. MU offers study abroad programs that will fit into any major or minor, and that WON’T delay graduation.

3. MU Study Abroad Programs function in many ways just like an on-campus semester: grades and credits for the courses students take will appear on their transcripts. (But while students' credits and grades work just like they do on campus, their off-campus experience will be anything but typical.)

4. MU students can study abroad for a full semester beginning their junior year; however, freshman through seniors can participate in our international immersion courses lasting a few weeks during the winter or summer terms.

5. The costs of an MU study abroad program are similar to what students would pay for an on-campus semester. In almost all cases, students pay standard MU tuition. Students would then not pay MU room and board, but would pay the room and board at their international host institution.

6. MU has agreements with over twenty institutions worldwide!

7. Study abroad increases self-confidence, enhances cultural tolerance and understanding, and facilitates lifelong friendships in the pursuit of becoming a global citizen.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Will it delay my student’s graduation?

Most all of Millikin Students who study abroad will graduate on time.  Coming to the Center for International Education office to start planning early is key!  This will help ensure that your student’s study abroad coursework is relevant to their degree program that it will fully transfer back to Millikin.

How much will it cost?

Cost will always depend on the type of program, its location, and the duration your son or daughter chooses to stay abroad.  Millikin University does offer International Fellowships. The International Fellowship Program provides endowed funds for students with financial need to study abroad during their sophomore, junior, or senior year.  Each spring and fall, students will be informed that they may submit a proposal outlining their intent to travel, the desired location, and course of study. Students may also apply for study abroad scholarships, such as the Gilman Scholarship, the Pell Grant, and for various scholarships through Diversity Abroad.

Requirements

Eligible study abroad students:

  • Must not be on academic or disciplinary probation
  • Must be at least 18 years of age
  • Must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Must be a junior or senior, for a semester abroad
  • Must be in good financial standing with the University

Safety and Security

At MU, we have a very careful and considered approach to student’s safety abroad that includes monitoring the security situation in the countries where our students study. In addition, we discuss issues of personal safety with students throughout the study abroad preparation process. We also ask that all of our students register their travel with the U.S. Embassy in their host country.  Doing this will provide students with real-time updates to any security issues that may pose a threat your student’s well-being.  Please know that Millikin will not send a student to a country that is currently on the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Warning List.

Staying Involved

  • Talk with your student about his or her study abroad goals
  • Convey the importance of a global education
  • Encourage your student to come and speak with us at the Center for International Education (CIE)
  • Keep in touch with the CIE if you have any questions or concerns

STUDYING ABROAD WILL CHANGE YOUR STUDENT’S LIFE

According to nearly 4,000 study abroad alumni*:

  • 96%  Indicated that studying abroad increased their self-confidence
  • 94%  Stated that the experience influences their interactions with people from different cultures
  • 95%  Stated that it has had a lasting impact on their view of the world
  • 90%  Said that studying abroad influenced them to seek out a greater diversity of friends
  • 87%  Claimed that studying abroad influenced subsequent education experiences
  • 76%  Reported that they acquired skill sets that influenced their career path

*Findings from the IES Abroad Alumni 50-year Longitudinal Study.

Types of Programs Available Through Millikin University

Millikin is affiliated with many universities all over the world.  Millikin approved programs will allow for all credits to transfer and are approved by the Center for International Education.  Students can choose among several ways to study abroad and we guide students through the following options:

Semester-long Exchange Programs

  • Argentina: Universidad Nacional de Lanus, Buenos Aries
  • Chile: Universidad del Pacifico and Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago
  • Dominican Republic: Instituto Cultural Dominico – Americano, Santo Domingo
  • France: Ecole Superiuere de Gestion et Commerce International (ESGCI), Paris; CEFAM (School of Business and International Management), Lyon.
  • Italy: The University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano
  • Mexico: Escuela Bancaria Y Commerical (EBC), Mexico City
  • Taiwan: Tunghai University, Taichung
  • Spain: Universidad de Lleida, Lleida; Universidad de Murcia, Murcia

Affiliated Programs

The following programs offer Millikin University student discounts:

  • Italy: John Cabot University, Rome
  • Austria, Geneva, Netherlands, Thailand: Webster University International Campuses

Faculty-led Programs

Each winter and summer term Millikin professors from disciplines across campus organize international short-term immersion courses.  The following destinations are used for international immersions:

  • Chile
  • China
  • Dominican Republic
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Portugal
  • South Africa
  • Spain
  • Taiwan

 

Choosing a study abroad program is a vital component of the Millikin experience. Students are urged to take advantage of the study abroad programs at a Millikin affiliated institution. For more information please contact the Center for International Education, by email: CIE@millikin.edu or by phone at: 217-424-3758