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Parent

"Mom, Dad, I am going to study in Uganda!"

Sound familiar? You have just adjusted to having your student away at college when you learn the commute will take a bit longer. They have discovered the world of opportunities that await them at Messiah University.

Understanding you may have some questions and concerns about this exciting educational opportunity, Messiah University has developed this web site to help you prepare for this adventure.

As your student discovers a whole new world, so will you!

How will this experience help my student?

 

 

 
Studies show that international education helps students to grow in four areas:
  • Personal development
  • Academics
  • Intercultural competencies
  • Career development

What are the financial implications?

 
Messiah works hard to keep costs in line with what students pay to study at Messiah. Some programs have an off-campus program fee. Cost formula is listed on individual program pages.

Are there scholarships available?

 

 

 

 

 All state and federal grants and loans as well as Messiah institutional aid will apply when students study with Messiah-approved off campus study programs. Moreover, there are some additional scholarships available for students who study abroad. The deadlines are early and the paperwork can be a bit lengthy, so students are encouraged to start early. Follow this link to a listing of some scholarships for which some Messiah students have applied.

How does Messiah prepare students to study abroad?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Agape Center for Local and Global Engagement has designed a Four Year Plan that outlines steps students should be taking to prepare (from the time they arrive on campus) for a semester off campus. You may want to read through this so you know the steps your son or daughter is taking to prepare for his/her experience.

Students who are accepted to study abroad are required to enroll in EXPR 010 - Exploration of Off-Campus Study course the semester prior to their off-campus semester designed to prepare them for their international experience.

How does Messiah monitor safety?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Messiah takes the safety of our students studying abroad very seriously. Following are just a few of the ways we monitor safety.
  1. Program approval - all programs go through an approval process that explores a number of issues, including safety. One of the criteria to approve programs is: Will the students be in a safe learning environment?
  2. Daily monitoring - The study abroad professionals on campus monitor safety daily, including scanning daily news, receiving announcements from the State Department, and receiving updated from the Overseas Security Advisory Council.
  3. Orientation - One of the mandatory orientation sessions deals specifically with safety. Students watch a video developed by the U.S. State Department and are encourage to do as much reading as possible about the location where they will be studying.
  4. International Risk Management Committee- The Committee-comprised of senior universityadministrators--meets each semester to review safety in all locations where students are studying. Additionally, periodic meeting are convened if specific concerns arise.

Course equivalencies

 

 
All students are required to complete an Off Campus Study Course Approval Form BEFORE THEY LEAVE to study abroad. This form allows them to list courses that they plan to take and to obtain university approval for courses that they wish to meet specific requirements.

Grades

 

 

 

 

 
  1. All courses taken off campus come back with a letter grade.
  2. Our program providers inform students of grade conversion scales. Please check individual program pages to see the scale listed for your son's or daughter's program.
  3. It typically takes AT LEAST two months for grades to appear on transcripts.
What are the University's expectations of my student while studying off campus?
All students sign a Study Abroad Contract (for international Programs or an Off-Campus Study Contract for domestic programs). These documents outline Messiah University's expectations of our students and what students can expect from Messiah.
BUT I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS!
We have tried to anticipate the most frequently asked questions. However, we may not have answered yours. Feel free to contact the Agape Center for Local and Global Engagement with questions or suggestions, agapecenter@messiah.edu.