A study abroad experience is a great addition to a college education. Beyond the academic benefits, the experience exposes students to a different way of life and culture, broadening their horizons and allowing them to see the world from a different perspective. Gaining experience by living and studying abroad is a sought-after skill amongst global employers. Often, people who spend time abroad have increased communication skills; a greater ability to react to new situations, scenarios, and stressors; a broader sense of humor; increased flexibility; and easier adaptability as well as an amazing opportunity to travel and see the world.
For Global Experience and Maymester study programs, HPU students are eligible to study abroad as early as the end of their freshman year. Some courses may require prerequisites. Others may be limited to upperclassmen. See Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs for individual program requirements.
For semester study abroad, HPU students may study abroad during their sophomore year, junior year, or during the first semester of their senior year. Due to residency requirements, students studying abroad during their senior year must study through an HPU program. At least the last 32 credits must be completed at HPU. See Semester Study Abroad for individual program requirements.
For summer programs, HPU students may study abroad as early as the end of their freshman year, depending on specific program requirements. See Summer Programs for program requirements.
The possibilities are endless! Schedule an appointment with a study abroad advisor to discuss your options and interests. In the meantime, check out the lists of HPU Global Experience & Maymester programs, Semester Study Abroad partners, and Summer Programs available to HPU students.
Consider the following questions to help you determine where to study:
- What are my reasons for studying abroad?
- What goals (academic, personal, or professional) do I hope to accomplish?
- Do I want to live in a big city, a smaller town, or a rural area?
- Do I want to immerse myself in one culture or do I hope to travel from country to country, spending only a few days in each place?
- How important is it for me to be in classes with local students or other international students?
- What is my level of independence? What amount of support do I need while abroad?
- Do I want to take classes that include group field trips to theaters, concerts, museums, and other important sites in the area or do I prefer to explore these sites on my own?
- Do I want to experience the local culture by living with a local family?
- What is my budget?
Both HPU exchange and HPU affiliated semester programs will offer you a comparable semester program abroad, the difference lying in the financial makeup of the program and whether or not our agreement permits the host university to “exchange” their students with ours.
It’s important to not confuse a college semester exchange program with a high school exchange program. You’ll enroll in classes at the university abroad and live in housing arranged per our agreement, in a residence hall, an apartment, or with a homestay family. The host university’s students will enroll in classes at HPU and live in HPU housing.
HPU students receiving aid as part of an institutional program (e.g., the Presidential Scholarship, departmental aid (including Media Fellows), tuition concession, HPU need-based aid) can use their aid towards an HPU exchange program, but not an affiliated program. See the Financial Aid Policy on Study Abroad for more information and further guidelines and requirements.
In some cases, yes. Since HPU students must earn the last 32 credits of their degree from HPU, an unaffiliated study abroad program during the senior year is not an option. Most often, students seek out these unaffiliated programs to study in a country where HPU does not have a study program. The credits must be earned from an institution that is recognized by an accredited international university, or another accredited university in the U.S. Students should research thoroughly the unaffiliated programs they are considering. Review the unaffiliated programs information page for a list of questions and important things you should know when researching and applying to an unaffiliated program. HPU strongly discourages enrollment in programs in areas under U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings.
Keep in mind that students’ financial aid packages may change for unaffiliated study abroad programs. For more information, review the information on the Financial Aid for Study Abroad page, including the Financial Aid Policy on Study Abroad, then contact the Office of Financial Planning.
Not necessarily. Policies, as well as levels and types of support, vary by university, culture, and local laws, among other things. While HPU’s Office of Global Education is diligent about seeking out partner institutions who are reputable, accredited, and provide student support, we are not able to guarantee that the services offered will be at the same level as they are here on campus. This is seen most when working with disability support services, as the laws that govern HPU to provide support to students with documented disabilities are federal laws and have no bearing on universities abroad. We have built strong working relationships with our colleagues abroad. While you will be supported at your host university, you may experience different response rates to your inquiries, office hours atypical to U.S. norms, varying levels of empathy to your academic or personal needs, greater or lesser degrees of flexibility, and the need to take more responsibility for your academic and personal success abroad.
While participating on an HPU study abroad program, you will still be able to access, from a distance, the support provided at HPU (e.g., library reference assistance, academic advising, Office of Global Education). Due to the distance and local policies and procedures, however, you may find that some support from HPU is limited.
Not necessarily. HPU offers top-notch housing options to our students and offers a number of beds available to house the majority of our student population.
While abroad, you may find yourself living in campus dormitories located on or off campus, dormitories housing students from a number of universities, off-campus apartments, or homestay accommodations. Some universities abroad will guarantee housing to incoming students, some may not, while others may not offer housing services at all. In all situations, you will be provided assistance to find housing, ranging from a local office that will secure your housing on your behalf, to referrals to student housing providers. Accommodations will offer a range of amenities, and may or may not include single or double accommodations, private or shared bathroom facilities, access to cooking facilities, furniture, linens, and convenient access to public transportation. You may find your accommodations are within walking distance to campus or may be a 30+ minute daily commute to your classroom buildings.
More than likely, you will not be living in accommodations as modern or luxurious as HPU’s accommodations. But you should find your accommodations will more than meet your housing needs while experiencing a new culture during your studies abroad.
This depends on the program. Some programs target foreign language majors and require a certain level of language proficiency. Foreign language majors typically have a choice between courses taught in English and those taught in the local language. However, most opportunities—even those in countries with a different language—offer courses taught in English, although the course selection may be limited. Language requirements are discussed during study abroad advising appointments and are noted in the lists of HPU Semester and Summer programs.
For semester study abroad, students pay HPU tuition and fees, as well as a non-refundable $500 Study Abroad Application Fee. Typically, housing expenses are paid abroad. Pre-paid meal plans are rarely available, so students should plan to pay for meals out of pocket while abroad. Students will also need to plan for the costs of airfare and accommodation security deposits, if applicable. For more information about the costs and inclusions/exclusions, view the program brochure on the Study Abroad Portal, powered by ViaTRM, and then talk with your study abroad advisor.
For unaffiliated programs, students pay the program cost directly to the program provider or institution sponsoring the study program. Students will pay HPU for the non-refundable $500 Study Abroad Application Fee. Keep in mind that students’ financial aid packages may change for unaffiliated study abroad programs. For more information, review the information on the Financial Aid for Study Abroad page, including the Financial Aid Policy on Study Abroad, then contact the Office of Financial Planning.
Program fees for Global Experience and Maymester study programs vary with each program due to travel costs, length of stay, cost of living, and venue prices. In addition to the program fee, students also pay a non-refundable $50 Study Abroad Application Fee. Check Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs for more specific information.
Program fees for summer programs also vary based on tuition, housing, airfare, etc. Students pay the program cost directly to the program provider or institution sponsoring the study program and pay HPU a non-refundable $250 Application Fee. Keep in mind that financial aid options for summer may be limited. For more information, review the information on the Financial Aid for Study Abroad page, including the Financial Aid Policy on Study Abroad, then contact the Office of Financial Planning.
Additional expenses for all study abroad programs may include local transportation, immigration visa, passport, international medical insurance, trip cancellation insurance, internet access, textbooks, and personal travel and expenses.
The different types and amounts of financial aid vary. Depending on the type of aid, all, some, or none of a student’s financial aid package may be able to be used for a study abroad opportunity.
Before applying to any program, review the Financial Aid for Study Abroad page and the Financial Aid Policy on Study Abroad, then contact the Office of Financial Planning. Financial Planning counselors can discuss the different types of financial aid and whether they can be applied to study abroad programs.
Some recipients of HPU Scholarship Awards receive a stipend to offset some costs associated with a Global Experience and/or Maymester study program. This stipend cannot be used for summer or semester programs. Some departments (e.g., World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures) provide study abroad awards to outstanding students majoring in the department.
Currently, High Point University does not offer scholarships to students studying abroad for a summer or semester. However, Financial Aid for Study Abroad contains information to help students research off-campus funding opportunities.
This depends on the program. For most summer and semester programs, students choose the courses they want to complete, typically in their major course of study. Sometimes a language or cultural course is required. Some programs have very limited coursework available, especially in non-English-speaking countries. A study abroad advisor will help you determine what departments are represented in each program abroad. Regardless of major, students should be able to find a program that offers courses in their major. Students who are receiving Federal Financial Aid can select only those courses that are required for their degree. Financial Planning counselors can provide more detailed information. See Planning for Academics Abroad for more information.
With Global Experience and Maymester study programs, students enroll in the course(s) offered by the program.
Approved credits earned abroad in a summer or semester program are received by HPU as transfer credits. That means students must earn a grade equivalent to a C in the U.S. for the course to be received by HPU; however, the letter grade will not appear on the HPU transcript. Courses with grades of C- or lower completed abroad will not transfer to HPU. Courses may count as general education credits, major credits, or elective credits. The application process includes a means to have potential courses reviewed in advance, so students will know how their courses will be received before the term abroad begins.
NOTE: Not all courses offered abroad will be recognized by HPU. Keep in mind for study abroad credit transfer:
- Courses taken abroad cannot duplicate credit previously received at HPU.
- Foreign language courses taken abroad cannot be lower than, or duplicate credit previously received at HPU.
- Courses for personal enrichment or vocational skills (e.g., culinary arts, wine tasting, or floral design) that fall outside of the traditional liberal arts and sciences disciplines will not transfer to HPU.
- Courses used to satisfy General Education (Core) requirements must earn at least 3 credits.
- While most courses at HPU carry a value of 4 credits, courses of a different credit value may be transferred to HPU; however, a 3-credit course will be received as a 3-credit course, 2-credit as 2-credit, etc.
- Check with your academic advisor about the specific courses you are interested in taking abroad.
- Credits earned during a Global Experience study program are High Point University credits and will show on the HPU transcript, including the letter grade.
See Planning for Academics Abroad for more information.
Students who have completed an academic course of study (whether affiliated, unaffiliated, Global Experience, or Maymester) outside of the U.S. lasting at least four (4) weeks, conducted through an accredited institution, and bearing at least three (3) credits recognized by High Point University have the Global Studies requirement waived automatically. No additional credit is awarded simply for studying abroad.
Contact the Office of Global Education at (336) 841-9280 or stop by Cottrell 142 to schedule an appointment with a study abroad advisor. We suggest that you begin planning your study abroad program about a year before you plan to depart. Talk with your academic advisor to determine how and when studying abroad best fits your schedule. Keep in mind that courses in some majors must be completed at HPU, and some courses are available only during certain semesters.
All Global Experience and Maymester study programs have a minimum 2.0 GPA requirement and one academic year completed at HPU prior to participation in the program.
All semester opportunities offered by HPU have a minimum application requirement of at least a 2.75 GPA and sophomore standing. Due to the academic rigor of some programs, however, a higher GPA may be required. Specific GPA requirements are shared during the advising appointment and are available on the program brochures in the Study Abroad Portal. Please note: meeting the minimum application requirement for any program does not guarantee nomination or acceptance into that program.
To apply for a summer or semester program, first, contact the Office of Global Education to schedule an appointment with a study abroad advisor. During your individualized advising appointment(s), you’ll work with your study abroad advisor to narrow your choices and decide on which program will best fit your goals.
To apply for a Global Experience or Maymester study program, attend the study abroad fair and/or an interest meeting for the program(s) in which you are interested.
Applications will be available in the Study Abroad Portal, ViaTRM, and can be found by navigating to the program’s brochure and scrolling down to the Terms section.
Application deadlines are as follows:
| Program Term | Application Opens | Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Global Experience Faculty-Led Study Programs | October 1 | November 15 |
| Maymester Faculty-Led Study Programs | October 1 | November 15 |
| Summer (non-faculty-led) Study Abroad | Late January/Early February | March 01 |
| Fall Semester Study Abroad | Late January/Early February | February 15 |
| Spring Semester Study Abroad | Late January/Early February | April 15 |
For all international programs, a valid U.S. passport is required. The U.S. State Department requires passports to be valid for up to 6 months after a traveler’s scheduled return to the U.S. Some countries (Russia) require a passport to be valid for up to a year after the scheduled return to the U.S. If you do not have a passport or your passport is expired or about to be expired, plan to obtain or renew your passport early. Passports can take up to several weeks/months to be returned. More information can be found on the Passport Information page. For the most up-to-date information, visit the U.S. Department of State website. See the Passport Information page for a list of local passport acceptance facilities.
The Office of Global Education will send follow-up materials, and preparations will begin to be made for pre-departure. Students should resolve any passport or visa issues and plan to participate in the required pre-departure orientation.
Students on semester programs have a number of steps to complete in addition to the HPU application: passport, immigration visa (if applicable), institution application, housing application, airline arrangements, airport shuttle, etc. Students should NOT make airline arrangements until they are instructed to do so. Students on HPU-partnered programs will work directly with staff at the partner institution to complete these steps.
Note: The official acceptance for semester study abroad comes from both HPU and the partnering school abroad. HPU’s “acceptance” step is a “nomination” to the host university. Being moved to this application step does not guarantee acceptance, but is a step in the right direction. When applicants receive the official acceptance letter (email or physical) from the host university, they are considered “accepted” to study abroad. Ask your study abroad advisor if you have questions.
Circumstances may require a student to withdraw from a study program after paying for part or all of it. Program providers have different refund policies. Be sure to ask about refund policies before you apply.
Semester study abroad applications require a $500 non-refundable application fee paid at the time of application. The fee is non-refundable unless a qualified student is not accepted into the program by the institution abroad. Students who wish to attend classes at HPU must register during regularly scheduled registration periods and pay applicable late registration fees. On-campus housing options may be limited for students who apply late, and fees may apply.
Global Experience and Maymester programs require a $50 non-refundable application fee paid at the time of application. This fee is non-refundable and is used to hold the student’s place on the trip. In the event that travel arrangements cannot be modified or canceled, additional fees (e.g., the cost of airline tickets, hotel accommodations, pre-arranged group meals, activity fees, and entrance fees) may apply or be non-refundable.
For semester and summer programs, housing is provided and typically reserved before departure. In some cases, students may choose between several options (e.g., apartment, residence hall, homestay; single or shared room; catered or self-catered). Specific information about housing options and meal options will be discussed in your individualized advising appointment and is listed on the Semester and Summer program pages.
For Global Experience and Maymester study programs, housing will be included in group arrangements and may be in hotels, hostels, residence halls, homestays, or other formats. Depending on the program, meals may or may not be provided, partially provided, or not provided. Check Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs study programs to see what is and is not included with the program fee.
Local law governs equal access to people with disabilities. Some countries may not be as accommodating as others. In some countries, mobility is restricted by sidewalk conditions and public transportation, and accessible housing options are scarce. Please feel free to discuss your needs with the Office of Academic Resources and Support and the Office of Global Education before applying to a specific program.
While High Point University cannot guarantee safety and security while studying abroad, we will do everything we can to offer and suggest reputable study programs, providers, and destinations as well as help students prepare for various known and unforeseeable situations.
Typically, students experience the same type of emergency encounters overseas as they do in the U.S. Keeping a cool head and an open mind, remaining aware of surroundings, and making responsible decisions will lead to a greater sense of health, safety, and security while overseas. HPU strongly discourages enrollment in programs in areas under U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings. If a crisis occurs, HPU may recall students and faculty from an area of concern. Students are encouraged to register their trip with the local U.S. Embassy using the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, and, if necessary, students should notify the appropriate local authority and/or U.S. Embassy.
More information regarding health, safety, and security can be found on the Staying Safe & Healthy Abroad page. Detailed information about health, safety, and security will be discussed at the pre-departure orientation meeting.
Through careful planning, students may be able to participate in more than one semester study abroad program. More often, students will elect to participate in a Global Experience or Maymester study program and a semester experience. Or they can participate in several faculty-led programs, as long as the dates don’t conflict with one another. Planning ahead is key!
Immigration policy governs work and volunteerism among student travelers, and policy varies from one country to another. In some countries, students may work for pay without a special visa. In other countries, students are not even permitted to volunteer without an immigration visa that specifically allows it. Consult the Visa Information page as well as the consular website of the country of interest, as these policies are updated without notice.
There are many providers who offer volunteer and internship programs abroad. While the Office of Global Education works only with academic studies abroad, some of the programs offered include internship or service learning opportunities. The Office of Student Life also provides “alternative break” programs. Check with the Office of Student Life for more information about their Alternative Break program.
There are numerous program providers who offer opportunities for students–some are better than others. Two of the organizations that High Point University works with to provide semester and short-term programs abroad also provide internship and volunteer opportunities for students: International Studies Abroad (ISA) and the American Institute for Foreign Studies (AIFS). As with any provider, you’ll want to become familiar with their services, policies, and procedures. Be sure to ask them about insurance, health & safety, on-site support services, ground transportation, orientation programming, etc. If their answers seem vague to you, it’s best to go with someone else.
Know that immigration policy governs work, paid and unpaid internships, and volunteer experiences. Policies differ among countries. Consult the Visa Information page as well as the consular website of the country of interest, as these policies are updated without notice.
Contact the Office of Career & Internship Services for recommended methods of applying and interviewing for temporary and permanent positions abroad.
HPU graduate students can study abroad; however, graduate programs often do not allocate time for a full semester abroad and may not accept transfer credit toward completion of the degree. Graduate students who are interested in summer programs or HPU faculty-led study programs should contact the Office of Global Education and the faculty leader.
It is common for students to express dissatisfaction or frustration with their home culture after a study abroad program. Most often, they find relationships are strained because they have changed in significant ways and their friends have not. The Office of Global Education helps students with their transition back to HPU. Some strategies are discussed in pre-departure meetings. Other strategies are available after returning to campus. It is important for students to recognize the personal signs and symptoms of reverse cultural shock and to seek out assistance from the Office of Global Education, Counseling Services, and other sources of support.
The Office of Career & Internship Services can offer resources to help students identify professional skills in a study abroad experience and discuss scenarios in interviews and on the résumé. With such a powerful experience, don’t miss out on how to put those new-found skills to use in your career both before and after hire.
Yes! “Global Experience” courses are treated like any other course taken during the spring semester. However, since there is a study abroad component you will receive an incomplete grade for the course until you successfully complete the assignments associated with the trip abroad. If you have been cleared to graduate in May and walk in the commencement ceremony, the “Global Experience” course will not interfere. Once all assignments have been completed and your final grade posted, your transcript will be reviewed to confirm completion of all degree requirements. You will then be considered a graduate of High Point University and your diploma will be mailed to the address on file with the Registrar’s Office.
Yes! If you are a senior planning to graduate in May, you can enroll in a faculty-led “Maymester” study abroad course. Since “Maymester” courses begin after the completion of the spring semester, you will be considered a summer candidate for graduation and will apply as an August graduate. However, you may still walk in the May commencement ceremony provided that you meet all graduation requirements without the Maymester course or are a student in good academic standing (2.00 GPA) and have eight or fewer credits remaining to meet your degree requirements.