The Office of International Education held its annual Global Opportunities Fair on Monday morning. The fair filled the first and second floors of Moody Hall with representatives, brochures and curious students looking to learn more about St. Edward’s emphasized global perspective.

For the 2012-2013 school year, the University had students placed in 24 different countries — a number the Office of International Education expects  to continue growing in semesters to come. 

The GO Fair offers programs ranging from short, six-week excursions to longer trips that last for an entire semester. There is a diverse list of options for anyone looking to leave their country and comfort zone.

St. Edward’s has 14 partnership universities and also uses University-sanctioned providers that offer a variety of programs dispersed across 90 countries. The GO Fair also showcased faculty-led, summer programs and St. Edward’s satellite campus in Angers, France.

“I haven’t really been looking at any country in particular, but it’s surprising how many are available,” said freshman Rae Plaza. “I really didn’t know that this would be such a big display. Spain looks fun.”

The GO Fair showed students that opportunities for foreign study are not only limited to languages. There are programs that grant credit for a variety of different degrees, including Accounting and Women’s Studies, for example. 

“The turnout has been just fantastic, and there’s a ton of students that want to go out and gain these cultural and travel experiences. The cool thing to me is that no matter the major, no matter the economic standing, no matter the destination, we have the power to make it happen for you,” Office of International Education staff member Mike Merrill said.

To those interested in any of these study abroad programs, there are a few requirements. Applicants must not be on academic or disciplinary probation and must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher. For freshman and transfer students, this must be established after one complete semester of enrollment at St. Edward’s. Special scholarships and grants are also available to applicants who qualify. 

For those who wish to apply for the Spring 2014 semester, applications are due on or before Oct. 9.