St. Edward’s University’s Office of International Education, OIE, offers four types of study abroad programs intended to fulfill students’ many wants and needs. 

“Every student that comes in here wants something different out of it,” said Esmeralda Hoang, the OIE’S International Coordinator.

The OIE offers students a chance to study abroad through a partnership formed with the International Student Exchange Program, ISEP. The OIE also offers short-term summer faculty-led programs, semester long or year-round programs in Angers, France or the chance to study abroad with third-party providers such as International Studies Abroad, ISA. 

ISEP is a program in which the OIE has a partnership with universities all over the world. St. Edward’s can send and receive students through this exchange program. However, there are specific places the student may study within this program.

Students who travel abroad through ISEP pay tuition through St. Edward’s, and all of their financial aid applies, Hoang said.

“It’s definitely more for the student that’s ready to do it independently,” Hoang said.

Hoang said students who do the exchange program show up to the airport alone and have to figure out how to get to their dorm.

Students in ISEP enroll in that college’s classes. So, students who go to a campus in Italy will have classes taught in Italian, for example. However, there are some campuses abroad that offer courses taught in English.

There are also third-party provider programs, which is another way to study abroad independently. These are outside programs that the OIE has partnered with. Although there are only certain programs, such as ISA, there is a longer list of places students can go, Hoang said.

Studying abroad through third-party programs can be a lot more work for students. Students have to have classes pre-approved before they go abroad.

Through third-party providers, the only type of aid that applies is a student’s financial aid. These programs tend to be less expensive. The cost of going with ISEP, for example, could even out once federal aid is applied, Hoang said.

Another option is faculty-led programs,  which are normally short-term and in the summer. This program is more structured because students travel with a St. Edward’s professor and St. Edward’s students. Students take typically one St. Edward’s class, such as Cultural Foundations. Students who go to Spain, for example, enroll in Spanish at the local university. Hoang said students’ financial aid does apply; however, financial aid works differently for summer programs.

The places students can travel are limited because it depends on where professors submit to study abroad at and what programs are approved.

The last type of program is the year-round or semester long program at Université Catholique de l’Ouest in Angers, France where students take classes taught by St. Edward’s professors. Students take a full course load  of 12-18 credit hours and pay tuition through St. Edward’s, so all financial aid applies. Hoang said students also pay a program fee that includes health insurance, excursions and dorm fees. One of the biggest choices that comes into play when students decide they want to study abroad is whether or not they go alone or with a group.

Stephanie Keinz, a junior, is currently studying abroad with a faculty-led program in Angers, France. As a global studies major, completing an internationally focused internship or studying abroad is part of her degree.

“This past summer I completed my internship, but I have always wanted to spend a semester abroad,” Keinz said.

Keinz chose the faculty-led option because she heard the most about it.

“At times, I wish that I had done the other [program] for the sake of fully immersing myself in the French culture, but I have already made some strong friendships with the other Americans and French students who I have met,” Keinz said. 

Caitlin Ahlemeyer, a sophomore double majoring in Environmental Science with Policy and Global Studies, is planning to go abroad next fall with ISEP-Direct. However, she will not know if her request has been approved until March or April. If she is approved, she will be doing the direct program, which means the program wouldn’t have to exchange a student with St. Edward’s, Ahlemeyer said. 

Ahlemeyer wants to study abroad in Brussels, Belgium because her Global Studies sector in Europe and European policy is more concentrated in Belgium.

Ahlemeyer decided she would get more from the experience if she went alone.

“I’ll get a more in-depth experience of every day Belgium life,” Ahlemeyer said.