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Study Abroad: What parents should know
As was mentioned in the Letter from the Study Abroad Director, in today's world of deeply intertwined global relationships, the ability to move easily within and between cultures is becoming an increasingly prized job qualification. Cultural and ethnic diversity is one of the distinguishing characteristics of Baruch College. Yet studying abroad allows Baruch students to build upon their local experience to enhance the kinds of skills sought by many employers today and to give them an important competitive advantage in the job market. The Baruch College Study Abroad Office assists students from all three Baruch Schools who wish to study abroad. We hope that you will begin now to speak with your child about this valuable opportunity; planning early and planning wisely will help your child achieve the most out of a term abroad. You will find a wealth of relevant information about the aims, features and costs of study abroad in the Parent Guide, available online from Studyabroad.com.
Who may study abroad?
In principle, any student in good academic standing is eligible to study abroad. Most programs and host universities require students to have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, but exceptions are sometimes made. The emphasis at Baruch is on study abroad: all students receive Baruch College credit by studying in academically demanding programs at a foreign educational institution.
What kinds of programs are available?
Students may study abroad for as short a time as three weeks (during the January Intersession), or for as long as an entire academic year. Exchanges allow Baruch students to enroll as a visiting student for one or two semesters at a partner university abroad. Currently Baruch maintains exchanges for undergraduates with universities in Austria, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, France, Korea, Mexico, and Sweden. Exchanges are the most cost effective study abroad programs: students pay only Baruch tuition, plus travel, accommodation and personal living expenses while abroad. Baruch students may also participate in Study Abroad Programs, which offer an alternative to direct enrollment in foreign universities. Such programs, located in over 35 different countries, usually involve college-level instruction in English, and excursions and other events designed to provide students with a guided exposure to the local culture. Students may attend short-term (January Intersession or Summer Session), semester, or even year-long study abroad programs. While usually more expensive than exchanges, many such programs offered by CUNY and SUNY colleges are of high academic quality and moderately priced.
Will studying abroad delay my child's graduation?
With careful planning, no student should have to delay her or his graduation in order to study abroad. Many Baruch students who study abroad receive credit toward their majors, and all receive credit toward their degrees. But students must plan their study abroad wisely, and consult well in advance with the Study Abroad Office and the Baruch Advisement and Orientation Center to ensure that they receive appropriate Baruch credit for the courses they take abroad.
Is financial aid available for Study Abroad?
With certain restrictions, students may use their federal and New York State financial aid to study abroad. Baruch students are also eligible to apply for Gilman, Freeman, and similar nationally competitive scholarships. Many study abroad providers themselves offer limited financial aid for qualified students. In addition, a special CUNY-wide program (STOCS) provides grants to especially needy students for short-term study abroad programs. Through a generous gift from the C.V. Starr Foundation, moreover, Baruch students who study away for a semester may apply for a Starr Study Abroad Fellowship. Here as well, early planning is the key.
Is it safe to study abroad?
There is no doubt that many parts of the world have become less safe than they were even five years ago. That said, Baruch students are for the most part in no greater danger studying abroad than they are living or traveling in New York City or in many other parts of the country. Students should avoid careless behavior anywhere, and this holds true especially when abroad. However, Baruch students only rarely study in countries subject to U.S. State Department Travel Warnings, and then only with explicit parental support. Moreover, students who go abroad receive pre-departure information and an on-site orientation from their host institution about health, safety and other cultural issues.
Most Baruch students who study abroad report that the experience changed their lives unalterably. We strongly encourage parents to discuss study abroad opportunities with their children, and help them to plan big, plan early and plan wisely. The Study Abroad Office at Baruch College is always happy to answer your questions.
Richard Mitten, Ph.D.
Study Abroad Director