EMILY SCHULTZ-CONE
Special to The Leader
If you are a student looking to study outside the country, it is never too early to start planning.
On Monday, Feb. 23, SUNY Fredonia’s Office of International Education (OIE) celebrated International Study Abroad Day.
At Fredonia, nearly 10% of students will study abroad in their college career, and the OIE is designed to help students plan for their experience.
Jessica Gatto, the Associate Director of Global Citizenship, held two informational meetings.
There, students were encouraged to ask questions, grab pizza and enter for a chance to win a bag of foreign snacks.
“The meeting helped me narrow down where I might want to go and the program that would be best for me,” Ryan Osborne, a student who attended the meeting, said. “It also gave me more information about the financing options available.”
Gatto reviewed the various types of programs, including their requirements, scholarships and the application process.
If you’re curious about studying abroad, but didn’t get the chance to attend the meeting, you’re in luck.
Students at Fredonia currently have access to over 600 programs offered throughout the SUNY school system.
With options in over 60 countries, there is something for everyone.
The programs are broken into three categories: study abroad, exchange and faculty-led.
Study abroad is the most common way for students to study outside of the country.
This program typically extends throughout the entire semester but can be extended to last even longer.
With all international study options, students will get needed credits towards their major, minor and/or Fredonia Foundations.
Full-time programs, including study abroad, award 12+ credits per semester.
It, however, has the potential to be the most expensive option out of the three.
With study abroad, students are subject to the foreign universities’ tuition prices.
These prices are typically more than those offered here at Fredonia. Gatto said the most expensive trip she approved through study abroad came out to over $40,000.
But, of course, it depends on which university/country you plan on visiting.
Another way you can travel abroad through SUNY is with faculty-led programs.
Students who join a faculty-led program will receive 3 to 6 credits.
These programs typically consist of a few weeks abroad over summer or J-term.
Since they are shorter in length, the price often ranges between $4,000 and $5,000, making it a more affordable option.
If you want a longer program but the cost of study abroad scares you, don’t worry! There are plenty of scholarships and financing options available.
However, if you’re still uneasy, the exchange program may be a better fit for you.
The exchange program also stretches the length of a semester, allowing students to really get a feel of where they’re staying.
With this program, universities partner with foreign universities. For every student sent from one school, another must be sent back.
This way, students only have to pay their Fredonia tuition in order to experience study abroad.
The downside is that it’s harder to get into, and you may also be waiting a while for an opportunity to open up.
Gatto said they send students through the exchange program as often as they can.
Still, usually only one student is sent every semester, or every other semester.
Fredonia has a partnership with Niigata University in Japan. Niigata University is located in Niigata Prefecture on the west coast of Japan’s Honshu Island.
If you are a student interested in studying in Japan, now may be the perfect time to start your research.
On Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5, Niigata University’s Dr. Hadley, a professor of sociolinguistics and Western culture studies, returned to Fredonia to join Gatto in two informational sessions.
The two discussed our exchange program and studying abroad in Japan.
If you were unable to attend either meeting, you can always reach out to the OIE at fredonia.edu/academics/international-education.
As for future meetings, their team holds them periodically throughout the year and on the first Wednesday of every semester.