Advising Students on Overseas Programs

This page has been designed to help faculty who are advising students considering one or more study abroad programs. The information here is organized alphabetically by topic.

If you do not find the answer to your questions here, please feel free to call Overseas Study Programs for additional information: 541.346.3207.

Choosing a Program.

There are many things to consider when advising students about choosing a program. Some of the major considerations include:

• Length/term(s) of program: some program run for one UO term, some are very short-term (for example, four weeks in the summer), and some last for entire semesters (sometimes two UO terms, depending on scheduling), or academic years. Some of the programs in the Southern Hemisphere follow the Southern academic year calendar (February to November).


• Type of program: there are many gradations of program type, but the major categories include: island programs, direct-exchange programs, field-study programs, language-immersion programs, and internships. You can read more about the program types here.


• Student’s academic goals: is the student hoping to make rapid progress in their academic major(s) while overseas, complete foreign language requirements, gain internship experience and credits, or simply have an immersion experience in a different cultural setting? There are programs available to help meet most students’ goals.


• Cost: there are varying scales and models of program cost structures, from programs that are comparable to total costs for on-campus studies (with living costs in Eugene), to programs that are far more expensive than on-campus study. Students (and you) should remember, though, that financial aid applies to the required costs in approved UO overseas programs.


• Accommodation options: some programs offer only one guaranteed form of accommodation, while others have the full range. The three major options are: residence halls, home-stays with host families, and shared or studio apartments.

Crediting

• All courses taken in approved UO overseas programs receive UO credit, just as if taken in residence at the Eugene campus. Therefore, UO seniors are eligible to study abroad and do not need to worry about the overseas credits causing them to fail to meet the residency requirement.


• Courses in approved UO overseas programs are evaluated for crediting by OIP and the respective academic departments. OIP determines the total number of credits awarded, as authorized by the Registrar’s office, and the academic departments determine the course level, plus whether and how courses apply to departmental requirements. A representative of the Registrar’s office determines whether and how courses apply toward general education requirements.


• For students who directly enroll in partner universities, course-crediting evaluation occurs while the student is overseas. Faculty should advise students in advance about how courses will likely be counted by the relevant academic department, but the final processing occurs after students send in syllabi and/or Course Description Forms from their overseas study site.

Disabilities

• Students with disabilities often assume that they cannot study abroad, but this assumption is faulty. While there may be some practical limitations, particularly for students with mobility-related disabilities, there are workable options for most students, even if not always their first choice of program site.


• Students with documented learning or reading disabilities should consult with an Overseas Program Coordinator early in the planning process. In some programs, all instruction is arranged by the UO and/or other U.S.-based academic institutions and, therefore, the ADA is fully applicable, and students may receive essentially the same academic accommodations to which they are accustomed.


• Students who would like to request accommodations in overseas study programs must provide documentation of their disability status and the approved accommodations up to 9 months in advance of their program start date, so that OIP and its partners have time to make arrangements. Every reasonable effort is made to provide adequate accommodations, though not all accommodations are reasonable in every study site.


• Students with mobility-related and certain other disabilities may need to prepare themselves for cultural differences in disability accommodation. In many cultures, rather than providing infrastructure for people with disabilities to be fully independent (as in the North American model), local residents instead assume some communal responsibility for accommodating people on a case-by-case basis. For example, in India, male passers-by will usually carry someone in a wheel chair up a flight of stairs, over a curb without accessible cutouts, or onto a bus or train.


• Students with mobility disabilities may also benefit from the expertise of Mobility International, located right here in Eugene. http://www.miusa.org/


• Students with vision-related or similar disabilities who need the assistance of an aid animal should be advised that aid animals often require their own visas and are simply not permitted in some countries. Animals also present additional challenges for finding suitable housing in many programs. Students with aid animals should start talking with an Overseas Program Coordinator up to one year before they hope to study abroad. (Note: Pets are not allowed in overseas programs, only certified aid animals.)

Financial Aid.

• Financial aid is applicable toward the required costs of all approved UO overseas programs. (Travel and entertainment are not required costs and cannot be covered by financial aid funds.)


• The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships will automatically adjust the financial aid award packages of UO students participating in approved UO overseas programs once OIP or Summer Session has registered the students for the overseas credits. For many students, this can lead to an increase in the amount of aid funding offered.


• There are limits on the “good” sources of federal aid (federal grants and federally guaranteed student loans), but students with additional need have the option to use external student loans (secured through private lenders) to meet the costs of studying abroad.


• Students should not anticipate covering 100% of the costs of studying abroad through financial aid, since aid funds are insufficient to cover the total budget of most overseas programs. The limits on aid funds are particularly low for undergraduate students in the summer term.


• There are a number of special sources of funding (scholarships, etc.) specifically targeting students who study abroad. See our Funding page for more information.

General Questions.

For students who have general questions about UO overseas programs, you may refer them to the Overseas Study Handbook, or to make an advising appointment by calling 541.346.3207.

Note: Students considering departmental programs should contact the appropriate department or faculty member directly.

Group/Multicultural Requirements.

Students who need to complete group and/or multicultural requirements while studying abroad, should select pre-approved courses that are already designated as fulfilling these requirements. OIP uses the standard UO notations (>2, >IP, etc.) in its course equivalency sheets, to help students plan their progress in general education credits. Equivalency sheets are available in each program’s section of this website. Click on the “Search” menu above, and locate the program in question by region or term.

Important: Students taking new courses (courses not yet approved for UO credit) should NOT anticipate meeting group or multicultural requirements with those new courses.

Internships

Students who would like to complete internships while overseas may choose from a full-time (12-credit-per-term) internship through the IE3 Global Internships program, or a handful of study programs that offer part-time internships.

Language Study/Prerequisites.

Some approved UO overseas programs require that students have anything from one term to three years of college-level course work (or the equivalent) in the local language prior to acceptance into the program. Many programs, however, have no formal language prerequisites—including some programs in countries in which English is not the national language. Information on language and other prerequisites may be found in the individual program’s brochure, available in this website.

Note: students may apply prior to completing language requirements as long as they anticipate completing the requirement before the overseas program begins.

Passports

Students considering overseas study options should be encouraged to apply for (or renew) their U.S. passports ASAP. Passports are required now for all countries, including Mexico! Students may begin at the passport website.

Visas

Some programs necessitate that students obtain student or other classes of visas before leaving the United States or immediately upon entering the host country. OIP or the faculty member leading the program will advise students about visa application processes and, in some cases, assist students in each step of the process for the countries with more difficult requirements.