Summer Study Abroad
Studying overseas during the summer can be an excellent introduction to life abroad. A five to eight week program is also an alternative for those who do not have the resources or flexibility to study abroad during the academic year. The following items highlight the process to receive approval for summer study abroad.
If you would like to get Brandeis credit or use courses for requirements from a summer study at an American university or program here in the United States, you should fill out the Summer School Credit Petition from the Office of the Registrar.
Summer Programs
There is no official Brandeis summer study abroad approval list as there is during the academic year. However, many of the institutions on the academic year Approved Program List also sponsor summer programs. We strongly encourage Brandeis University students to seek admission to programs offered by the schools and program providers on this list. Brandeis has had a particularly strong relationship with the IES Berlin summer program and occasionally Brandeis faculty teach on this program.
You can download a list of summer programs that Brandeis student have used in the past.
You may also find online directories such as GoAbroad.com, or StudyAbroad.com helpful. You can search for programs by location or field of study. Students can also reference the book entitled Short-Term Study Abroad for the information about hundreds of study abroad programs. This book is located under the bulletin board in the Study Abroad Resource Library.
The Study Abroad Resource Library in Usdan 127 also contains many brochures and application forms for summer programs.
Requirements for Receiving Credit
Summer courses outside Brandeis, including those you may take overseas, cannot be counted toward academic residency. You can however use those courses for "purpose" (placement, pre-requisites and some university and departmental requirements), even if you are not officially getting Brandeis credit. In other words any "purpose" credit that you earn over the summer can be used to fulfill a general education requirement or a specific requirement within your major or minor but it will not count towards the 32 course credits you will need in order to graduate.
(More information about the academic residency requirement can be found in the Brandeis Bulletin.)
Internships
If you would like to fiulfill a requirement by getting "purpose" credit for an internship overseas during the summer, please make sure that you bring your course work and papers back to Brandeis. You may need to provide these documents to our office in order to receive Brandeis University "purpose" credit.
Summer Study Abroad Applications
A Brandeis Summer Study Abroad Application should be completed and turned into the Office of Study Abroad by 12:00 noon on March 13th for the summer of 2009. Please note that you must include detailed course information before final approval can be granted. For each course, you must submit the following information:
- Detailed course description or syllabus
- Number of contact hours
- Number of weeks
You should contact your study abroad program directly if you are not able to find this information on the program's website.
Also, it is highly recommended that you turn in your summer application even earlier than the deadline, especially if you are interested in departmental credit in your major or minor.
The Summer Study Abroad Application may be picked up in Usdan 127.
Course Guidelines
Any course taken abroad during the summer, for "purpose" credit, must meet the following criteria:
- The course must last a minimum of 5 weeks.
- The contact hours must be a minimum of 37 for a regular course and a minimum of 52 for the equivalent of level 10 or 20 foreign language course.
- Students must pass the course with a B- or better in order to receive credit.
- The overseas institution must be formally accredited in the US or abroad and cannot be a language school.
- Students may only claim 2 "purpose" credits per 5 week session. Students may claim a maximum of 3 "purpose" credits each summer.
Deadlines and Timing
Brandeis Study Abroad Application Deadlines:
• 12:00 noon, March 13, 2009 for Summer 2009
It is highly recommended that you submit your application even before this deadline, especially if you are applying for departmental credit in your major or minor. Late applications will be read on a case-by-case basis and may still be granted approval.
Study Abroad Program Deadlines:
• Will vary by program, students should review the programs’ websites
Many summer study abroad programs have a rolling admissions policy with a final deadline around March 1st. Check with your overseas program to learn of their deadlines.
Be advised that popular locations may fill up before the published deadline so students are encouraged to apply earlier in the spring semester. It is a very good idea to be in contact with the administrators of the program you are interested in to ask them how full their program is at that point in time. Some programs have that enrollment information available on their website.
We also suggest that students apply to the study abroad program(s) of their choice and fill out the Brandeis University Study Abroad Application at the same time, even if the published deadline for the program is not until weeks after the Brandeis study abroad deadline. You should not wait to hear if your Brandeis application has been approved before you apply for your study abroad program. The Brandeis study abroad staff works hard to get you the results of your application in a timely manner but some programs may fill up during that time.
We strongly encourage students to contact the programs that you are interested in, early on in the planning process. Staff at study abroad programs are used to answering questions about their programs and can be an invaluable resource.
External Program Approval Forms
Often study abroad program applications include a section that requires a Brandeis study abroad advisor’s signature. It is recommended that you meet with Melissa Matsubara, Study Abroad Advisor before you request that these forms be filled out. You can bring the form with you to your appointment. If you have already met with the advisor, please feel free to drop these forms off in our office and be sure to let the staff know if you would like the form sent directly to the program or if you will come pick it up to include with the rest of your application. The study abroad office requires at least one full business day to complete these forms, please plan accordingly.
Financial Information
During a summer overseas, students will be billed some or all of the following charges from their study abroad program. All study abroad programs are different though and you should check your program’s site-specific information. Some programs do not arrange for these goods and services and you will have to arrange some of them independently.
- program deposit
- program tuition
- room & board
- flights
- books
- visa, entry & exit taxes, passport fees
- local transportation
Many institutions will offer grants and scholarships for students studying abroad on their program. Check with your individual program to see if they offer any merit and/or need-based scholarships.
External Scholarships
Unfortunately, few outside scholarships are available for undergraduate study abroad. Please refer to the study abroad website for specific procedures on applying for financial aid. The study abroad resource library in Usdan 127 has information on outside funding, scholarships and grants. You may want to browse the study abroad scholarship webpage for information on the scholarships below and various online databases on undergraduate scholarships abroad.
We have also provided a few options for funding below.
Brandeis Scholarships
• Sachar Scholarships for study abroad are available from Brandeis for students receiving need-based financial aid.
• Helen Ke Scholarship is available to Brandeis students interested in studying the Chinese language in China.
The deadline for the Brandeis scholarships is very early and thus summer study abroad students must plan to apply over a year in advance. The deadline for Summer 2010 is March 6, 2009. Application materials are posted in the scholarship section and are also available in Usdan 127.
Supplementary Loans
These loans are not need-based and are designed to supplement the parent/ student contribution to your educational costs. They can be used alone or in conjunction with need-based financial aid to finance your study abroad costs. Supplementary loans require additional applications. If you are interested in a supplementary loan, please make an appointment to speak with your financial aid counselor in the Office of Student Financial Services (Usdan, 781-736-3700).
Ethics Center Student Fellowship
A three-part program for Brandeis University undergraduates integrating academic work in intercommunal coexistence with a summer internship in the U.S. or abroad. For more information, please see the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life.