Points for Parents

Program Approximately 50% of Skidmore students study abroad at least once during their four years at Skidmore. Through Skidmore's own international programs, students have the following choices --  Skidmore in India, Skidmore in London, The Shakespeare Programme, Skidmore in Madrid, Skidmore in Alcalá, Skidmore in Beijing, Skidmore in Paris, and the Paris Fall Seminar. In addition, Skidmore has approved several non-Skidmore programs ("Approved Programs") that offer students opportunities across the globe, with course offerings ranging from Aboriginal studies to zoology. The possibilities are endless! Please read the program-specific descriptions for more details on each of these options. Eligibility Skidmore expects study abroad applicants to have a strong academic background. Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA to be eligible. Some programs demand more competitive standards and/or require special academic preparation, including course prerequisites and foreign language competency. A student must also be in good social and financial standing at the time of study. When Students Go Students may study abroad during their sophomore, junior or senior years. Skidmore also has a London program for first-year students. We urge students to consider a full year of study to achieve stronger integration with the host culture and to benefit from a wider range of course offerings; however, many students nevertheless elect a semester abroad. Short-term study programs are also available during January, March and the summer.

QUICK GLANCE Areas of Study: Skidmore and Approved Programs offered for all majors Humanities, arts, business, social sciences, sciences Cost & Aid: Comprehensive fee Financial aid applies for all programs Some programs offer their own financial aid Things to Consider: Academic fit and course offerings Other options such as internships and volunteering Level of interaction with host country nationals On-site support Housing options

Credits and Grades

Most students receive major, minor, and elective credit for their time off-campus through careful planning in selecting courses and obtaining faculty and Registrar approvals. Credits earned through Skidmore’s Madrid, Alcalá, Paris, India, Beijing, and Shakespeare programs are Skidmore resident credits and the grades earned are calculated into the Skidmore GPA. Credits earned on Skidmore’s spring London program and on all non-Skidmore Approved Programs are transfer credits; students must earn a C or above for Skidmore to accept the credit. Transfer credit grades are not calculated in the Skidmore GPA but all courses appear on the Skidmore transcript.

How Students Fare Abroad

Skidmore students who study abroad nearly always say, “This was the most important thing I have done in my life.” They usually earn grades abroad comparable to their grades on the home campus and their studies are enriched by the faculty and facilities of other nations. They also acquire international perspectives of extraordinary value and grow immeasurably in personal confidence, self-reliance, and academic independence.

Safe and Sound

We understand that parents may be apprehensive about having their child study abroad. At the Office of Off-Campus Study & Exchanges, we are committed to students’ safety. Now more than ever, we are working to ensure that students enjoy a rewarding and safe semester or year abroad. We ask students to consider a program’s safety record as well as US State Department travel advisories for the country they are looking to study in (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html). Beyond that, we work with students to orient them in effective safety precautions. We send a contact list to the students that includes our office’s contact information, as well as information for the embassies in major countries and a place for the students to fill in their program’s contact information. We also strongly suggest that students register themselves at the local U.S. Embassy upon arrival overseas. Please see our web link on health and safety for additional information.

Cost

Students studying off campus will be charged the Skidmore comprehensive fee for their semester or year away. This fee is equal to Skidmore's tuition, room at the Scribner Apartment rate, board, as applicable and mandatory college fees. If the program does not include room and/or board, or only includes partial board, the Skidmore fee will be adjusted accordingly.  Skidmore's billing for room charges will reflect students selecting the mandatory homestay option. Students participating in the National Student Exchange or Washington Semester Program will be charged Skidmore tuition and fees, when applicable. The Skidmore comprehensive fee also covers medical insurance and any other mandatory program fees, as required by each program. Students are responsible for their own airfare, text books, personal expenses (including passport and visa charges), accommodation upgrades, and voluntary field trips and excursions. Please see “Finance FAQs” for details.

Applying

We encourage students to start exploring program possibilities late in their first year at Skidmore and to submit their applications early as well. Typically, a program's application deadline falls during the semester prior to participation, however there are some programs that require applications to be submitted one year in advance. Each Skidmore program has a deadline that falls during the semester before participation, while non-Skidmore approved programs require students to adhere to 2 deadlines. Students applying to a non-Skidmore approved program must first submit an “Approved Programs” application to Skidmore's Office of Off-Campus Study & Exchanges. Typical deadlines for the Approved Program application are mid-March for fall or academic year programs and mid-October for spring programs, however the actual deadline will rely upon the non-Skidmore program's own deadline. See our Application Deadlines page for more information.

Application deadlines for short-term programs vary by program and can often be set a full year in advance.

Additional Resources

There are various resources available to students and parents. The most popular ones are:

• OCSE web site: http://cms.skidmore.edu/ocse/ (semester-long and short-term programs run during the academic year, as well as information on applying, pre-departure, announcements regarding programming and health and safety issues, etc.).
  
• Special Programs web site: http://cms.skidmore.edu/odsp/ (short-term programs run during the summer and international guests and lecturers).
  
• Internships abroad: http://intern.studyabroad.com AND www.internabroad.com/search.cfm AND www.skidmore.edu/administration/career/interncentral.htm (Skidmore’s Career Services).
  
• Volunteering abroad: www.avso.org/members/members.html (Association of Voluntary Service Organization) AND www.idealist.org AND www.volunteerinternational.org AND www.peacecorps.gov.

More Information

The Office of Off-Campus Study & Exchanges is located in Starbuck Center 202. We encourage you to send your student to see us and use our off-campus library between the hours of 8:30 AM-12 Noon and 1:00-4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. We also offer many Off-Campus Study Workshops and Interest Meetings throughout the year; an event listing is available on our Web site.

Parents may also wish to review our Pre-Departure Information section for additional information. Please contact the Office of Off-Campus Study & Exchanges with any questions.