Map Out a Plan at the Education Abroad Fair

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 31, 2011) − Have you ever thought about doing an eight week internship in Madrid? How about learning to speak Japanese in Osaka? On Wednesday, Feb. 2 you can turn these thoughts into a reality at the Education Abroad Summer Programs Fair.

The Education Abroad Summer Programs Fair will be in the University of Kentucky Student Center Small Ballroom from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be open to all UK students. The fair will be mainly for programs this summer but there will be information for the fall as well. Summer programs are an excellent option, because they allow students a jumpstart towards graduation.

Students from all majors are encouraged to come explore the idea of education abroad. A great way for students to truly learn about education abroad is to talk to a peer advisor. There will be 16 peer advisors at the fair who are UK students that have studied abroad. Peer advisors will be there to tell students about their own study abroad experience and to give advice. In addition to the peer advisors, advisors from the Office of International Affairs and faculty will be on hand to answer and provide information to students. Faculty members at the fair will give students a breakdown of the education abroad experiences they will be leading. Beth Barnes, director of UK's School of Journalism and Telecommunications, is among the faculty that will be in attendance. Her upcoming summer program, "CIS Advertising in the World's Largest Market," is a two-week program that will take place in China. There will be many of these programs offered this summer.

While at the fair, students should think about their major and their interests, then find a program that aligns the two. Students should also consider that summer is a good time to use the education abroad experience to fulfill USP credits. Use education abroad as a time to test out new areas like learning Spanish. "Shop around, think of it as an exploration," said education abroad advisor Rochelle Keesler.

On average about 600 UK students go on an education abroad experience per year. The numbers are expected to increase due to a doubling of faculty-led programs this summer.

There are a number of myths out there discouraging students from studying abroad. Despite what you may think, research has shown that students who do go abroad are more academically successful when they return, and they do, in fact, graduate in four years.

Education abroad is not only for juniors; any student can study abroad any time after freshman year. You also do not have to know a foreign language to study abroad; speaking a foreign language is just a bonus, and, who knows…you might learn something new.

The most common myth of all is that an education abroad is extremely expensive. What students may not know is that there are numerous scholarship and financial aid opportunities that they can look into and apply for.

UK has over $100,000 in scholarships and financial aid that has been raised by students for students to study abroad for summer and fall of 2011. UK is one of only a few universities with such huge student support. For fall and spring education abroad experiences, students can look into other financial aid opportunities as well, such as federal aid.

Education abroad gives students the opportunity to receive credit and distinguish themselves from others in the future. Students can receive credit abroad by taking classes, doing a summer international internship, service-learning working at a school Guatemala for example, or doing fieldwork. With an education abroad experience, students distinguish themselves when applying for jobs, graduate school, and other future opportunities. Recruiters see that the student has had an international experience and it makes the student stand out as a potential candidate.

The education abroad programs are endless, and the places to go are endless too. "UK students can study almost any discipline, in any place in the world for almost any duration of time," said Education Abroad Director, Anthony Ogden.

The deadline to receive scholarship money for summer and fall programs is March 1. The deadline to apply for summer and fall education abroad experiences through the Office of International Affairs is April 1.  

After attending the fair, students should attend a first step session. The first step sessions are in 207 Bradley Hall on Mondays and Tuesdays from 4-5 p.m. and on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3-4p.m. To see other events that the UK Office of International Affairs is hosting, become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UKInternationalAffairs. By “liking” them on Facebook, students have the opportunity to win prizes throughout the year.

For more information on the Education Abroad Summer Programs Fair or for more information on an education abroad experience visit http://www.uky.edu/IntlAffairs/.