CORNELL ABROAD
GENERAL INFORMATION
WWW home page: http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/cuabroad
Study abroad is an integral part of a Cornell education. We live in an increasingly global society in which knowledge, resources, and authority transcend national and regional boundaries. To help students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for global citizenship in the twenty-first century, Cornell Abroad offers a broad range of international study opportunities that reflect the fundamental educational goals and objectives of the university. Study abroad is a continuous experience with study on campus, enabling students to make regular progress toward the degree, at a cost that is generally no greater than for study on campus.
Qualified students study abroad through programs administered by Cornell and other American institutions, and by enrolling directly in foreign universities. Among the many study abroad programs available, students select programs with thoughtful planning and apply with the approval of their colleges and faculty advisers. In all cases, students must apply through Cornell Abroad, whose staff services the planning and application process.
LOCATIONS ABROAD
Cornell students majoring in a broad array of fields in all seven undergraduate colleges regularly study in approximately 40 countries. The following list includes those programs chosen most frequently by students with college approval; those locations preceded by an asterisk (*) are programs run directly by Cornell.
AFRICA
Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya: School for International Training;
Ghana: University of Ghana (through the Council of International Educational Exchange, CIEE);
Kenya: East Africa Program (Friends World Program); Kenya Semester Program (St. Lawrence University);
ASIA
China: Peking and Nanjing Universities through CIEE;
Hong Kong: Chinese University of Hong Kong;
Indonesia: Institut Keguruan Dan Ilmu Pendidikan (IKIP) in Malang (CIEE);
Japan: Kyoto Center for Japanese Studies through a Stanford University-led consortium, and various other university programs;
Korea: Yonsei University;
*Nepal: Cornell-Nepal Study Program (Samyukta Adhyayan Karikam Nepal) at Tribhuvan University;
Thailand: Khon Kaen University (CIEE);
Vietnam: University of Hanoi (CIEE)
AUSTRALIA
Australia National University, Canberra; University of Sydney; University of New South Wales, Sydney; University of New England, Armidale; The University of Wollongong; University of Western Australia, Perth; School for International Training.
EUROPE
Denmark: Denmark's International Study Program (DiS);
*France: EDUCO (Cornell and Duke in Paris) at Universite de Paris VII, Paris I, Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po); Critical Students Program at the University of Paris (CIEE);
Germany: spring engineering semester at the Technical University of Hamburg, Harburg; various university-based study abroad programs;
Greece: College Year in Athens;
Ireland: University of Limerick; Trinity College, Dublin;
Italy: Cornell College of Art, Architecture and Planning Program in Rome; Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome;
Russia: St. Petersburg University (CIEE);
*Spain: Cornell-Michigan-Penn program at the University of Seville;
Sweden: Agricultural College of Sweden, Uppsala; The Swedish Program at the University of Stockholm;
*Switzerland: Cornell program at the University of Geneva and affiliated institutes;
United Kingdom: University of Bath; University of Birmingham; University of Bristol; Cambridge University; University of East Anglia; University of Edinburgh; University of Glasgow; University of Lancaster; University of Manchester; University of Nottingham; Oxford University; University of Reading; University of St. Andrews; University of Sussex; University of Warwick; University of York; University of London: King's College, University College, Imperial College of Science and Technology, and the London School of Economics and Political Science, School of Oriental and African Studies, School of Slavonic and East European Studies.
Students studying at British universities enjoy admissions, advising, and counseling services, as well as an array of cultural activities provided by the Cornell-Brown-Penn London Centre.
LATIN AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THE CARIBBEAN
Costa Rica: School for Field Study;
Ecuador and Jamaica: Partnership for Service Learning;
Honduras: Escuela Agricola Panamericana (Zamorano);
Mexico: Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey; Universidad de las Americas-Puebla (UDLA); Universidad Iberoamericana;
MIDDLE EAST
Egypt: American University in Cairo;
Israel: Ben-Gurion University; Haifa University; Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Tel Aviv University;
Morocco: School for International Training
Other Locations
Cornell students are not limited to the locations listed above. In recent years, they have also studied in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, India, New Zealand, the Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Turkey, Venezuela, and elsewhere.
Who Studies Abroad
Students from all seven undergraduate colleges and from all major fields study abroad; they are generally expected to have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above. More than 500 undergraduates studied abroad last year. Because the colleges usually require that students complete at least sixty hours of undergraduate credit on the Ithaca campus, students who transfer to Cornell as juniors are usually unable to count student abroad credit toward their Cornell degree.
When Students Study Abroad and for How Long
Students may study abroad their sophomore, junior, or senior year. Junior year is the traditional choice, but second semester sophomore year or first semester senior year is increasingly popular. To ensure preparation, it is important to begin planning for study abroad in the freshman year. Although semester-long programs are usually available, academic year programs are highly recommended, especially for students enrolling in non-English speaking universities.
Application Process
Applications for all study abroad programs -- Cornell programs, as well as those administered externally by other institutions in this country and abroad -- are available in the Cornell Abroad Office, 474 Uris Hall, where students are encouraged to consult the library of study abroad materials and to ask preliminary questions of the staff. Students meet with the study abroad advisers in their colleges to choose programs that fit the needs of their degree programs. Each applicant completes a one-page written statement of academic purpose outlining goals for study abroad and the program of study that will be followed. Applications are signed by both college study abroad and faculty advisers and are returned to the Cornell Abroad office, with the exception of Human Ecology and Industrial and Labor Relations students whose applications are submitted to their college for forwarding to Cornell Abroad. Cornell Abroad reviews all applications and forwards them to programs and universities as necessary. All students who wish to receive academic credit for study abroad must apply through Cornell Abroad and their undergraduate college.
The application deadline for study abroad in the spring 1997 semester is October 15, 1996, for all programs except Cornell's programs in Nepal, Geneva, Paris, and Seville, for which the deadline is November 1. For study abroad at Oxford and Cambridge during the 1997-98 academic year, the deadline is also November 1. For study abroad during the fall 1997 semester and academic year, the deadline for other programs is February 15, with the exception of the Cornell programs, for which the deadline is March 1. Many universities and programs admit on a rolling basis after these dates; for some, earlier application may be advisable. In all cases, it is a good idea to check with Cornell Abroad.
Registration, Credit Transfer, and Grades
Students who apply through Cornell Abroad to programs approved by their colleges, as outlined above, remain registered at Cornell during study abroad. They are eligible for financial aid and receive full academic credit for pre-approved courses of study completed with satisfactory grades. Students enroll for a full load of courses abroad, according to the standards of the foreign institution and normally receive 30 credits per year or 12 to 20 credits per semester. The colleges review coursework taken abroad and make the final decisions concerning credit transfer and distribution. When study abroad credit has been transferred, the transcript will indicate the names of the courses taken, the credits earned, and the grades received. The foreign grades are not translated into the Cornell/American grading system, nor are they averaged into the Cornell grade point average.
Foreign Language Requirements
Study abroad programs in non-English-speaking countries that offer direct enrollment in universities generally require at least two years, or the equivalent, of college-level language study. Students should make firm plans for any requisite language courses early in their freshman year. English-language study abroad programs are increasingly available outside universities in non-English-speaking countries -- for example, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, People's Republic of China, and Sweden. Cornell students who participate in such non-university enrollment programs in a non-English-speaking country with English-language course work are required to take at least one language course as part of their program of study. Students are advised to consult with their college study abroad advisers about relevant language preparation, and students in the College of Arts and Sciences should note that they are required to have studied the host country language, if taught at Cornell, prior to study abroad.
Housing Arrangements
Study abroad programs generally provide housing in the homes of local residents, in university halls of residence, or in rental apartments. Cornell Abroad will advise students of the arrangements that are available and most appropriate to their individual needs.
Costs
Students studying abroad on Cornell programs in Geneva, Nepal, Paris, and Seville in 1996-97 pay a comprehensive fee of $13,300 per semester, which covers, tuition, housing, orientation, program field trips, and excursions.
Students studying abroad on all other programs in 1996-97 pay the tuitions and other costs charged by their programs, and a Cornell study abroad fee of $2,990 per semester. The fee covers the direct and indirect costs of study abroad to the university, including financial aid for study abroad students.
Financial Aid
All students who are accepted for study abroad during the academic year or semester, having applied through Cornell Abroad, are eligible for financial aid, consistent with general university policy; this applies to all programs, whether run directly by Cornell or not.
Security Abroad and Related Issues
The decision to study in a particular region of the world must be made by each student and his or her family in light of their own interpretation of current events. The director, associate director, and staff stay in regular contact with representatives abroad and receive information regarding rapidly changing political situations through the U.S. Department of State Office of Citizens Emergency Services and other agencies. As long as the State Department does not restrict travel by U.S. citizens, Cornell Abroad does not recommend limitations on student plans for study abroad. Cornell Abroad will do everything possible to notify students immediately that they should defer plans when official travel restrictions are issued. Nothing is as important as student security and well-being.
Responsibility for a decision to withdraw from a program or return home early rests with the individual and his or her family. There can be no guarantee of credit for students who withdraw from programs sponsored by colleges and universities other than Cornell; they are advised to inquire about those institutions' policies regarding the completion of academic work and the potential financial implications of a premature departure. In the event of a disrupted semester, refunds of tuition and fees, and the appropriate number of credits to be awarded will be reviewed by Cornell and affiliated institutions on a case-by-case basis. Most institutions sponsoring study abroad programs strive to facilitate student completion of academic programs even under unusual circumstance and have tuition refund policies that contain a prorated formula.
Sources of Information and Advice Concerning Study Abroad
Cornell Abroad (474 Uris Hall):
Urbain J. DeWinter, adjunct associate professor of romance studies, director; Beatrice B. Szekely Ph.D., associate director; Elizabeth R. Okihiro, student services; Kathy Lynch, accounts coordinator. The Cornell Abroad library contains an extensive collection of university catalogs, study abroad program brochures, course syllabi and evaluations, books, videotapes, and some information on travel, summer study, and work abroad. In the early weeks of every semester, faculty, students, and staff discuss programs in a series of information meetings that is announced in the Cornell Daily Sun. Please consult our World Wide Web home page through Academic Life on CU Info or at the address given above.
College Study Abroad Advisers
Agriculture and Life Sciences: Bonnie Shelley, assistant director of Counseling and Advising, 140 Roberts Hall; Architecture, Art, and Planning: Phyllis Thibodeau, executive assistant (Rome Program), 129 Sibley; Arts and Sciences: advising office, 55 Goldwin Smith Hall; Engineering: Professor Richard Lance, 322 Thurston Hall; Hotel Administration: Professor Russell Bell, 545C Statler Hall; Human Ecology: Dr. Mary Rhodes, registrar, N101 Martha Van Rensselaer; Industrial and Labor Relations: Laura Lewis, student development specialist, 101 Ives Hall.
