STUDY ABROAD
Take the trip of your dreams. Enjoy the benefits in the real world.
Experience “pura vida” and conduct research in the rainforest in Costa Rica. Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef and try a Tim Tam in Australia. Learn in Japan for a semester or study in Sweden for three weeks.
Explore the hundreds of possibilities to study abroad here at UW-Whitewater. We’ll tailor your journey – whether it’s one week or one semester – to your interests and find an opportunity that helps you achieve your goals and dreams.
Students who return from studying abroad are independent, adaptable, and confident. Employers and professionals recognize the enhanced critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, and flexibility of job candidates who’ve studied abroad. They work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and see things from multiple perspectives.
CAN WE BRAG A LITTLE?
UW-Whitewater offers hundreds of study abroad programs in more than 50 different countries. Semester-long, year-long, summer and winterim options are available.
Why study abroad at UW-Whitewater?
Develop new perspectives
Improve foreign language skills
Grow personally, professionally and academically
Develop valuable professional skills
Global Experiences Fair
Held once per semester at UW-Whitewater, the Global Experiences Fair allows students to learn about the many international opportunities available, including:
- Study abroad and exchange programs
- Faculty-led travel study programs
- International student teaching programs
- International internship and service learning/volunteer placements
Fair attendees can pick up information materials on all programs and speak with program representatives, faculty directors, and past study abroad participants.
Contact studyabroad@uww.edu or 262-472-5759 with any questions.
Steps to study abroad
Are you ready to apply to a study abroad program at UW-Whitewater? Start your journey to the destination of a lifetime by following the steps below.
Check your eligibility
Applicants must have at least a 2.5 grade point average and be in good academic and disciplinary standing. Some programs may have eligibility requirements above and beyond the basic requirements, such as a language or course prerequisite. If you’re not sure if you’re eligible to study abroad, contact the Center for Global Education to speak with an advisor.
Attend a Global Pathways advising session
This in-person or virtual session covers how to find a program that will complement your academic and professional goals, the application process, and financial aid and scholarships available for study abroad. Sessions are scheduled regularly and last approximately 35 minutes. To schedule an in-person session in McCutchan 201 or a virtual session, contact studyabroad@uww.edu or call 262-472-5759.
Research program options
Determine your goals and priorities for study abroad. Then, browse our program search to find a program. There are many types of programs, so make sure you understand how they differ. Visit the Center for Global Education resource room in McCutchan 204 to browse hard copies of the materials and visit with peer advisors who recently studied abroad at UW-Whitewater.
Seek advice
Talk to peer mentors, global education coordinators (study abroad advisors), and your academic advisor to determine how your preferred programs will meet your academic and personal goals. Peer advisors and global education coordinators are available to answer your questions — contact studyabroad@uww.edu or 262-472-5759 or stop in McCutchan 204 to schedule an appointment.
Apply
Once you’ve chosen a study abroad program, you’re ready to begin the application process. Use your UW-Whitewater Net-ID and password to log in. (Non-UW-Whitewater students should create their own credentials.) In the program search section, select “Apply Now.” This will be located within the program brochure for your program and will include an application checklist. Deadlines vary based on the type of program you select.
Common questions about studying abroad
UW-Whitewater offers hundreds of study abroad programs that range in cost. Some programs have a cost of attendance very comparable to studying at UW-Whitewater.
Students can plan ahead by saving for their experience, applying for financial aid and scholarships, and considering program cost as a factor when selecting a program. All programs listed have been approved by UW-Whitewater, which allows most financial aid to apply to study abroad.
There are also a number of UW-Whitewater scholarships and external scholarships available specifically for study abroad participants.
No. The majority of study abroad programs are designed for students of all language levels or are taught in English. To find programs taught in a specific language, specify a “Language of Instruction” and/or a “Target Language” when searching for programs.
Not necessarily. Many students study abroad and still graduate in four years. Students earn credits toward graduation requirements while abroad, and with proper approval, these credits can satisfy major, minor, or general education requirements.
College is a unique time in your life that allows you to spend up to a whole summer, semester, or year immersing yourself in a new culture. It can be difficult to find time after graduation to study or travel in another country.
Most students who meet the minimum qualifications and complete the application process are accepted to study abroad. UW-Whitewater will work closely with you to find the program that best meets your needs and qualifications.
Students can request UW-Whitewater transcripts online from the UW-Whitewater Registrar’s Office. There is a small fee for ordering official transcripts. Transcripts can be mailed — either to you or directly to your program, and standard postage is included in the fee — or you can request to pick up your transcript at the Registrar’s Office in Roseman Hall, room 2032.
The Registrar’s Office cannot e-mail transcripts. If your program requires you to upload or e-mail your transcript, you should request an official transcript, pick it up or have it mailed to yourself, and then scan it. Alternatively, if your program indicates that an unofficial transcript is acceptable, you can access your unofficial transcript in WINS and either print and scan it, or “print as PDF.”
Rock County Public Health Services:
3328 North U.S. Highway 51
PO Box 1088
Janesville, WI 53545-1088
608-757-5440
Yes! When UW-Whitewater receives your host university transcript upon completion of your program, UW-Whitewater will cover the credits and grades you received at your host university to U.S. credits and letter grades (if your host university utilizes a different credit and grading system than those used in the U.S.), and those U.S. credits and letter grades will appear on your UW-Whitewater transcript.
If you are taking a UW-Whitewater course abroad (e.g., a UW-Whitewater faculty-led travel study course), you can select S/NC as a grading option in WINS as with other UW-Whitewater courses.
If you are taking courses at another institution (i.e., on a study abroad/exchange program), UW-Whitewater will convert your study abroad grades to U.S.-style letter grades, and those U.S. grades will appear on your UW-Whitewater transcript. The only way to have a study abroad course come back to UW-Whitewater as S/NC is if your host university offers the option to take a class on a pass/fail basis (note that not all universities offer this option) and you follow your host university’s procedures for signing up for that option.
If you are considering taking a course abroad on an S/NC basis, there are some UW-Whitewater policies regarding S/NC courses that will be important for you to keep in mind.
Your study abroad coursework will be recorded on your UW-Whitewater transcript only after the Office of Global Experiences receives a transcript from your host institution. Please note that it may take up to three months after the completion of your study abroad program for your transcript to arrive to our office. Many – not all – study abroad programs will arrange to send students’ transcripts to their home university automatically. If your host university or study abroad provider needs you to complete a transcript request form or asks you to confirm where your transcript should be sent, please have it sent to the following address:
Center for Global Education
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
McCutchan Hall 217
800 W. Main St.
Whitewater, WI 53190
USA
Exceptional engagement. Successful outcomes.
Students who study abroad build skills that get noticed by employers. Many earn jobs or are admitted to graduate school before they receive their degree.
Dominika Szeliga, from St. Charles, Illinois, earned a BBA in marketing and Spanish and was hired as an opportunity development representative with Equinix in Amsterdam.
"I am most proud of graduating as a first-generation college student and making my parents immigrating from Poland worth it, becoming fluent in Spanish during my semester abroad, and winning multiple national sales competitions and being able to train younger students who also have a passion for sales."
Jay Taylor, from Naperville, Illinois, earned a B.S. in biology and was hired as a chemist with Bureau Veritas in Romeoville, Illinois.
"I'd like to thank Dr. Brian O'Neill for expanding my knowledge and skill set in the field of ecology and leading me to study abroad in Australia. He was a great professor and truly made me enjoy learning. And Dr. Paul House for leading me into the chemistry field. He is the reason I decided to minor in chemistry and provided a reference for me when I obtained my position as a chemist. The only reason I learned to love chemistry is due to his teachings."
Makenna Clark, from Joliet, Illinois, earned a B.S. in communication sciences and disorders and Spanish and was accepted to graduate school at Lewis University.
"I participated in a community-based learning class where I had to translate from Spanish to English, and I'd like to acknowledge Lourdes Martínez-Nieto for her kindness, patience and insight. Alicia de Gregorio has been an amazing advisor throughout my undergraduate degree and inspired me to travel abroad and pursue a Spanish major. ¡Muchas gracias Profesora!"
Want to learn more about studying abroad?
262-472-5759 | studyabroad@uww.edu
