David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies

International Study Programs

Welcome to International Study Programs! To see a specific program, use the navigation on the menu to the left.

Study Abroad

2007 Programs

2008 Programs

Direct Enrollment

2007 Programs

Students are integrated into an international university, taught by faculty native to the country, and are not accompanied by BYU faculty.

Internships

Short-term, on-the-job apprentice training to provide students practical application of academic work. Internships are individualized, independent, and not accompanied by a BYU faculty member. 2007 Programs

2008 Programs

If you are willing to host BYU interns in your organization, please see Internship Brochure (PDF) for more information.

Already found your own internship, looking for an international internship, or can't find what you're looking for? Find out more about an Individual Internship.

Field Studies

2007 Programs

International Field Studies Forum (fall) and Inquiry Conference (winter)

All students who participate in a field study receive faculty mentoring, an invaluable contribution to students' academic development and completion of their research paper—the culminating field study experience.

Abstracts are submitted for the forum held each fall semester. Papers are then submitted for review and conference presenters selected each winter semester.

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Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles

Mission

The Office of International Study Programs serves students, faculty, and departments by facilitating the development and implementation of quality international academic experiences.

Vision

We seek to promote and facilitate the best possible academic experience in an intercultural setting. Students, faculty, on-site contacts, and the local LDS community will work together in an environment of maximum mutual benefit. We will focus on:

• quality academic experiences
• cultural immersion and exchange
• life-long service and learning
• character development and spiritual growth.

Guiding Principles

• All university sponsored, international credit-bearing experiences will be administered by departments through the Office of International Study Programs.

• Education abroad includes the full range of academic experiences available to students, including group study, work internships, and individually tailored research.

• All programs are academically sound with strong co-sponsorship by departments and interested faculty.

• All programs include a meaningful relationship between students and faculty mentors.

• All students and faculty will participate in meaningful cross-cultural preparatory activities.

• Students earn credit that will fulfill requirements for their major, minor, upper-division electives or general education and which contribute to their timely graduation.

• All programs will feature one or more meaningful service opportunities.

• International Study experiences provide professional development for faculty directors/ mentors through teaching, research, and collaboration with colleagues both on campus and abroad.

• All students must pay BYU tuition for International Study Program-administered credit.

• All program costs charged in excess of tuition are justifiable and reasonable and based on approved budget policies and procedures.

• We will follow all professional accounting and record keeping standards.

• We will continually look for ways to provide high-quality programs for less cost.

• We will increase endowments to make more money available for program discount discounts and new program development.

• International Study Program program discounts and grants are discounted based on merit and financial need.

• We will share our knowledge and experience with other universities through regular academic conferences and publications.

ISP Student Application

We apologize for inconvenience. The previous application process is being replaced by a new and more updated system.

Any application in the previous system will be saved and will be available for you when the system comes up again.

The new application process should be available by Monday the 14th.

Please come back to visit our site at that time. If you have concerns or questions please contact us at isp@byu.edu , 280 HRCB, (801) 422-3686.

Program Discounts

Financial Aid and Scholarhips

Number One Myth: International study programs cost more than most students can afford.

Reality: Among the wide range of available programs, many are comparable in price to a semester on campus. All students register for international study through the university and are therefore eligible for financial aid: Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and university and department program discounts usually transfer to cover the costs of your international experience. Please notify the Financial Aid office, A-41 ASB, (801) 422-4104, and the International Study Programs (ISP) accountant, 237C HRCB, (801) 422-6621, of any financial discount you plan to apply to the cost of your international study program.

STUDY ABROAD
All Study Abroad program discounts are based on financial need and academic performance. Only currently enrolled BYU students with a minimum 3.0 GPA are eligible. Students must submit a Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) by the deadline listed below..

Deadlines
Deadlines are posted on the current online application.

Available Program Discounts
Average discount:

per semester—$0–1,500
per term—$0–1,000

Mae Covey Gardner
For Study Abroad students participating in London, Paris, Madrid, or Vienna. Maximum discount:

per semester—$2,000
per term—$1,000

Mary D. Nelson
For Study Abroad students participating in Madrid, Paris, or Italy programs. Applicants cannot have served missions in these countries. Maximum discount:

per semester—$1,000
per term—$500

Study Abroad
For all Study Abroad programs except London, Paris, and Madrid. Maximum discount:

per semester—$1,000
per term—$500

INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS and FIELD STUDIES
Programs are discounted based on the following criteria:

commitment/dependability/integrity
cross-cultural skills/background
adaptability/experience/knowledge
academic ability/year in school
value and rigor of proposed study or internship
financial need
overall evaluation

Students must complete an ISP Program discount request form (received from your facilitator). Students with financial need should submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Deadlines
Deadlines are posted on the current online application.

Program discount amounts are determined by the degree to which students fill the above criteria.

Undergraduate program discount range:

per semester—up to $500
per term—up to $300

Graduate program discount range:

per semester—up to $750
per term—up to $400

OTHER AVAILABLE PROGRAM DISCOUNTS and GRANTS
On the Kennedy Center Scholarships page, view program discount and grant opportunities sent to us from outside sources that may apply to your international study or research plans. Also see BYU's Scholarship page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Students often ask questions about where they should go and what kinds of programs fit their personal needs. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before applying for any International Study Program.

Do I want my international study experience to involve research or work elements?
What are my academic and career goals, and how do I see an international experience fitting into these?
What skill, knowledge, ability, or background do I have to offer to a potential organization or program? (Language, medical, past in-country experience, or other specific skills.)
Where in the world do I want to go?
Do I want to work with a group or as an individual?
What are my financial limitations? What kind of financial aid do I qualify for?
What type of work or field of study am I interested in? Does this fit into my major?
Will the available academic classes help me toward graduation?
What type of living conditions do I require?
Have I allowed myself enough time to adequately prepare myself to live and study abroad? What are my time limits once I am in-country?
How much time am I able to invest in order to prepare for my experience? Do I have time to find a program or opportunity that best suits my needs? (Ideally 8–9 months in advance)

Generally, students who can answer the above questions have a clear idea of what they want. Those who are clear, serious, and committed are the most successful in international study programs.

Academic Content

For all programs, the academic content is set by faculty directors collaborating with and approved by the sponsoring department and in cooperation with student's educational needs. Admission to BYU's International Study Programs is available for non-BYU students, however students are required to enroll in a minimum number of credit hours per semester/term. International Study Programs' courses may not be audited.

Students enrolled in International Field Studies or Internships will make course contracts with various professors. These contracts allot a specified amount of time for the course work to be completed, most of which should be completed during the international experience. These contracts require motivated, responsible students. If students would rather have a closely supervised academic experience, they are advised to choose a Study Abroad program.

What You Can Do To Be Prepared

Study Abroad students must fulfill the IAS 201R (1 credit hour) requirement where you will learn what to do, what to bring, and what to expect.
Group Field Studies, and Internships must fulfill the IAS 360 (3 credit hour) requirement where you will prepare for the intercultural communication and other issues applicable to your host country.
Some groups also require additional prep courses: IAS 220, various language courses, history, anthropology, etc.
Orientation is required for all individuals interested in International Field Studies and Internships.
Read books and watch for current events about the host country. Learn basic geography, cultural customs, and the history of the country.
Purchase a travel guide.
Talk to people who have been to the host country you are interested in.
Select ten things you want to see or do in the host country. Focus on personal interests: language, history, museums, theaters, music, people, politics, family history, etc.
Set goals. What do you want to gain from your experience?
Ask questions. Student facilitators and the ISP staff have extensive travel experience.

How Much Money Will You Need?

Program Costs

Each International Study program is different. Make sure you know what is included in the cost of each program. Some programs may include all or partial meals, local transportation, museum entrances, etc. Costs for International Field Study or Internship experiences are determined by the student.

Airfare

Students are free to arrange transportation as their needs and resources require. You may contact your own travel agent or the BYU Travel office, 280 HRCB, (801) 422-3991 or 422-1291.

Personal Expenses

Consider your personal needs beyond program costs and airfare: laundry, extra food/snacks, souvenirs, extra travel and supplemental or optional academic activities such as concerts, plays, museums, day trips, etc. The student handbook provides estimates.

ISP Handbooks for Faculty and Students

Study Abroad Handbook

Faculty
These documents are password protected. Please contact your ISP coordinator to acquire a password. If you have a password, access handbooks here.

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