Exchange, Semester and Academic-Year Programs
Longer term programs provide students the opportunity to study at a university overseas for a semester or even a full academic year with the advantage of immersing themselves in a different culture and possibly a foreign language. Participants develop independence and the opportunity to learn another culture from a new perspective. These programs can satisfy major/minor classes and are typically taken in junior or senior year. Participants rarely take core classes in a long term program because most countries do not have GC equivalent core classes in their curriculum. One of the best ways of learning a language can be during a long term program because the participant will be immersed 24/7 in the language.
How are these programs different from a summer program?
A summer or short term program typically combines classroom instruction with an international context while staying abroad for a small period of time in a group setting. A semester or long term program allows the participants to be more completely immersed in the culture by living in the host country for a more extended period of time. Participants will most likely be studying at foreign university taking classes there like they would at GC. Apart from the time spent abroad, one of the biggest differences for a longer term program is how much independence the participants have as they travel individually or in small groups rather than with a larger cohort of students studying and traveling together.
What is the difference between an exchange program and a provider program?
In both types of semester programs participants take courses at a university abroad with local, foreign,faculty.
With our exchange partners, participants pay tuition to GC. Airfare, housing and living expenses, such as food, and other in country costs are paid directly to the host (foreign) institution or service provider. In this model, individual participants are enrolled as exchange (transient/temporary) students at the host institution, taking courses offered by that institution. This is the most affordable study abroad experience as the cost is often very similar to that of on-campus study. Most programs are offered for a full semester or academic year. Because exchange partners can change over time, students interested in exchange possibilities should consult with a Study Abroad advisor to see what opportunities are currently available.
Beyond exchange opportunities, Georgia College has selected several high quality outside organizations (Third-party providers) such as ISA, SFS, SIT and others to provide additional semester opportunities to our students. These partners make it possible for GC students to study most anywhere in the world, and for varying periods of time, from summers all the way up to entire academic years. Referred to as direct billing partners, these organizations invoice Georgia College for the participants' program fees; fees which are then posted to the participants' GC accounts. These programs tend to be rather comprehensively packaged (usually without airfare) and offer a wide range of courses offered by the host (foreign) institution. As these programs vary in location and scope, after meeting with a Study Abroad advisor, interested students should then visit the provider's website for full details on costs, inclusions, coursework, entry visas, and other important details.
More details for each opportunity above can be found through the program search feature or by meeting with an advisor at the International Education Center. Email studyabroadinfo@gcsu.edu to set up an appointment with a study abroad adviser.
How to apply
For Semester and Academic Year programs, participants will need to submit an online application and then a second application for the proposed host university or program, pay all required deposits, pay insurance fees, and complete the course approval form. In some cases, participants will need letters of recommendation, arrange for a language evaluation, and schedule an interview with the Assistant Director of Education Abroad in the International Education Center. This process from start to finish takes much longer than applying for a short-term program. While it is never too early to start the process, we recommend beginning the search and application process for a semester experience at least six months in advance.