How do I go about studying abroad?

What do I do once I am accepted into my international study program?

What should I consider when choosing a program?

Can I apply to multiple programs?

Can I apply to a program before I receive approval from Mills?

Who is my international study advisor?

How can I get more information about specific programs?

How likely am I to get into the program I want?

What if Mills isn't affiliated with the program I want?

How much will international study cost?

Can I go abroad the first semester of my senior year?

Can I do a summer program?

Are there international programs for graduate students?

Can I study abroad after I graduate?

I have a physical and/or learning disability. Can I still study abroad?

I have a child. Is it possible to study abroad and bring him/her with me?

How do I go about studying abroad?

Talk with your international study advisor to make sure that studying abroad will not interfere with the completion on your major and/or your graduation date.

• Look at international study program information on the Mills web site to decide where to go and what program to choose.
• Fill out the Mills Application for International Study. NOTE: This is NOT an application to the actual program! A separate application is required for that.
• Complete the application IN ORDER and make sure you sit down and meet with your academic advisor, international study advisor, and financial aid officer.
• Turn the application in to the M Center by March 1 for Fall term or yearlong programs and October 1 for Spring term. NOTE: These deadlines are tentative, but the application must be turned in approximately two weeks before the application deadline for the actual program.
• Turn in any applicable petitions (i.e., waiver of senior residency requirement, waiver of study abroad GPA requirement).
• When Mills approves you to study abroad, pick up an application for your international study program or school from the International Study Resource Center or download an application from the program web site. NOTE: Mail this application directly to the program. Do NOT turn it in to Mills.
• Notify the M Center as to whether or not you have been accepted by the program and whether or not you plan to go.

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• Provide the M center with a copy of your acceptance letter.
• Pay your deposit directly to the program. (This is the only time you will be paying the program directly.)
• Provide the M Center with your address abroad (if known. If not, email the address to Cristina Wallace at cwallace@mills.edu as soon as it is known).
• Cancel your PO Box, or have your mail forwarded to your home address.
• The M Center will send you an intent to enroll letter, which you must sign and return to the M center. By signing this letter you are also agreeing to fill out an evaluation of your program upon your return to Mills.
• Once you arrive at your study abroad center, please email Cristina Wallace at the M Center at cwallace@mills.edu so that Mills will be able to contact you quickly while you are abroad.
• NOTE: Registration materials will be sent to your mailing address as listed in the M Center computer database. Please stop by the M Center before your departure from Mills to make sure they will be sending your materials to the correct address.

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What should I consider when choosing a program?

• Will you be able to take classes in your major/minor? Do you need to be able to take these classes?
• Is the program an island program (i.e. a separate study center just for American students) or a direct enrollment program (i.e. you will be taking most or all of your classes at a local university)?
• Is the program conducted in a foreign language or in English? If it is conducted in a foreign language, how many semesters of study in that language are required to participate in the program?
• What is the program location like? Urban? Rural?
• Does the program offer internship opportunities?
• What will your living arrangements be like? Apartment? Dorm? Homestay?

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Yes. You will need to fill out a separate Mills application for each program you are applying to, however. If you are applying to multiple program locations within the same program (e.g. CIEE programs in Spain and Cuba), only one Mills application is necessary. Once you decide which program or program location you will be attending, you MUST notify the M Center so that the databases can be updated.

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Can I apply to a program before I receive approval from Mills?

Students are welcome to investigate study abroad programs on their own but are not permitted to apply to those programs directly without first completing the Mills application and securing Mills'approval for them to study abroad. Applying directly to study abroad programs before completing the Mills application procedure may result in the immediate suspension of their study abroad applications.

We offer programs in 63 different countries on 6 continents. Odds are you’ll find a program in your country of interest. Please consult the list of study abroad and international exchange programs by Country available in the International Study Resource Center and on the International Study website.

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• Elmaz Abinader for Middle Eastern countries and programs
• Carlota Caulfield for Italy, Spain, and Latin American countries and programs
• Audrey Calefas Strebelle for France, French-Language, and all other French-speaking countries and programs; Central and Eastern Europe
• Chiuhung Chen for Lingnan University Exchange Program in Hong Kong
• Vivian Chin for East Asia and the Pacific programs (Australia, New Zealand) and the Ewha Exchange Program in Korea 
• John Harris for SIT and SFS Environmental Programs
• Zvezdelina Stankova for the Budapest Math Semester Program
• Mary-Ann Milford for countries and programs in the UK, Korea and Asia
• Carol Theokary for the ESC-Pau Exchange Program (MBA students only)

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For specific program information, contact the international study program directly. Contact information for the programs can be obtained by going to the program web sites directly.

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Each program has its own selection criteria. Large programs such as Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) are likely to be less selective than small programs such as SIT or Antioch. To find out more about a particular program, contact that program directly. You can obtain phone numbers or email addresses for programs in from the study abroad office or from the program web sites.

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To attend a study abroad program not affiliated with Mills, you must take a leave of absence from Mills for the semester you wish to attend the program. You will not be able to use Mills College financial aid for study at an unaffiliated program. In addition, credit transfer may be more difficult.

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Mills College is unique in that students studying abroad are charged the tuition and fees of their international study program, rather than Mills tuition and fees. Because many study abroad programs cost less than Mills, international study is a financially viable option for many students.

For students participating in a Mills-affiliated international visit (study abroad) or domestic visit program, federal and state sources of financial aid will transfer to assist with program costs.  The amount of a student's federal and/or state aid available for this purpose will be determined by the M Center; federal and/or state sources of financial aid will be adjusted according to the costs of the program in keeping with federal and state regulations.  Institutional scholarships, i.e. merit-based and need-based Mills scholarships, cannot be transferred toward the cost of a domestic visit or international visit (study abroad) program.  Costs for travel usually are not included in published program fees and are the responsibility of the participating student.   

Note: A limited amount of scholarship support is available for students planning to study abroad in the Spring 2013 semester.  This support is made possible through a donation from a generous Mills alumna.  Up to four students will be selected to receive a scholarship ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 for use in meeting the tuition expenses of a Mills-affiliated international visit (study abroad) program.  Students will be selected on the basis of financial need.  There is no separate application for these scholarships.  To be considered, a student must have filed a FAFSA for the 2012-13 academic year and have submitted a complete application to study abroad by November 10.  Additional information regarding these scholarships is available in the M Center.

NOTE: Students are ALWAYS responsible for the initial deposit required by all international study programs. Mills will not pay this fee, nor reimburse students for it.

Gilman International Scholarship Program

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Yes. However, Mills does have a senior residency requirement, which requires students to be in attendance at Mills for the two semesters directly preceding their graduation. To study abroad during the first semester of your senior year you must petition to have this requirement waived. You can pick up a petition to the academic standing committee at the M Center.

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Yes. However, many programs offer their own scholarships, and many outside organizations offer scholarships for study abroad that may be applied toward summer study. One advantage to summer study, if you can finance it, is that you do not have to attend a Mills-affiliated program. However, if you need the credit for the summer program to transfer, it may be wiser to attend a Mills affiliated program in order to avoid unnecessary problems and delays. In order to facilitate transfer of credit from a summer program, you must fill out a Preliminary Credit Transfer before your program starts.

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Yes. There are not very many, but they do exist. The study abroad office at Mills caters mostly to undergraduates, but feel free to browse the program web sites in search of a program that fits your needs.

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Yes. Some programs, especially summer study programs, accept students who have recently graduated. Other programs, such as CIEE and BUNAC provide work abroad programs for recent graduates. Students must enroll in these programs by December 31st of the year they graduate in. December graduates are not eligible. For post-graduate study abroad, apply directly through the program of interest. There will be no connection to Mills and financial aid will not be available. You may still apply for outside scholarships to cover the costs of the program.

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Yes. Most study abroad programs consider students with disabilities on a case by case basis and make accommodations whenever possible. However, many countries are not nearly as progressive as the United States with regard to accessibility. You should contact the programs you are interested in directly to get more information.

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Yes. This is, however, an unusual circumstance and must be discussed directly with the program you are interested in attending. Some programs, especially smaller ones or traveling programs, may not be able to accommodate your child.

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