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Description

Faculty-Led programs are arranged and coordinated by a UIW faculty member who wish to teach the entire course or part of the course abroad.

Benefits

• Scholarships: Yes
• Internships: Occasionally
• Independence: Students travel with a group of UIW students led by a UIW faculty member.
• Time Length: Students are not away for a long period of time, which is ideal for students with family or work.
• Cost: Low cost with possible high academic, personal and possible professional impact

Cost

Average $2,000 - $9,000*

*Includes all related costs

Length

One week to one semester

Eligibility

Students wanting to study abroad on a Faculty-Led program must be enrolled students with a 2.5 GPA or higher.

Good academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 are required to apply to study abroad on a Faculty-Led program; some programs stipulate a higher GPA. If admission is conditional, students must satisfy all conditions. If students do not meet the academic requirements to study abroad, including good academic standing, or they violate academic integrity prior to study abroad, permission to participate will be revoked, at the student's expense, even if admission has been granted and travel arrangements have been made.

Faculty may also set their own eligibility requirements based on academic prerequisites, year in program, language proficiency and more.

Application

Students need to apply directly with the faculty member or designated contact for the Faculty-Led program.

Description

Exchange programs occur at UIW's 140+ Sister Schools, UIW-Mexico City and UIW-Bajio, as well as UIW-Strasbourg. These programs have set agreements between UIW and the host university.

Benefits

• Scholarships: Yes
• Internships: Occasionally
• Independence: Students travel, live and carry out daily tasks on their own.
• Time Length: Students are away for one to 12 months, allowing them to immerse themselves in the surrounding culture.
• Cost: Average cost is equal to or less than UIW when compared to students who live on campus.

Cost

Average $18,000 - $25,000*

*Includes all related costs

Length

Students may participate in a UIW Exchange program for a summer, fall and/or spring semester.

Eligibility

Students wanting to study abroad must be enrolled full-time undergraduate students with a 2.5 GPA or higher. Students may not study abroad their first or final semester and may only complete up to 30 credit hours abroad. Students must meet eligibility requirements at the Sister School as well (foreign language skill may be required).

Good academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 are required to apply to study abroad; some programs stipulate a higher GPA. If admission is conditional, students must satisfy all conditions. If students do not meet the academic requirements to study abroad, including good academic standing, or they violate academic integrity prior to study abroad, permission to participate will be revoked, at the student's expense, even if admission has been granted and travel arrangements have been made.

Students who enter UIW as a freshman must complete at least one semester of full-time study in San Antonio and be enrolled at UIW the semester they study abroad in order to be eligible to participate in an independent study abroad.

Transfer students must have completed at least one semester at UIW before being eligible to participate in an independent study abroad program. Students must be enrolled at UIW while participating in the study abroad semester.

Petitioning for an exemption from these policies is an option if there are compelling academic and intellectual reasons. Students should contact the Study Abroad Coordinator to discuss petitioning. All exemptions are on a case-by-case basis. The International Affairs Office reserves the right to deny a student's exemption request.

Application

UIW Sister Schools will often set their own eligibility requirements as well. Students are responsible for learning and abiding by additional requirements.

Students may apply via the UIW Study Abroad online application, which includes in-person advising sessions, paper forms and the online application.

Description

Virtual Study Abroad programs allow UIW undergraduate students to take online courses (3-18 credits per semester) with some of UIW's 140+ Sister Schools. These programs have set agreements between UIW and the host university.

Benefits

• Scholarships: Possible
• Internships: Possible
• Independence: Students travel, live and carry out daily tasks on their own.
• Time Length: Students are taking their course(s) online for one semester/term.
• Cost: Average cost is equal to or less than UIW when compared to students who live on campus.

Cost

Students pay UIW tuition and are responsible for their own living costs whether living at home or traveling.

Length

Students may participate in a UIW Virtual Study Abroad program for a summer, fall and/or spring semester.

Eligibility

Students wanting to participate in Virtual Study Abroad must be enrolled full-time undergraduate students with a 2.5 GPA or higher. Students may not participate in Virtual Study Abroad their first or final semester and may only complete up to 18 credits through the Virtual Study Abroad program. Students must meet eligibility requirements at the Sister School as well (foreign language skill may be required).

Good academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 are required to apply to study abroad; some programs stipulate a higher GPA. If admission is conditional, students must satisfy all conditions. If students do not meet the academic requirements to study abroad, including good academic standing, or they violate academic integrity prior to study abroad, permission to participate will be revoked, at the student's expense, even if admission has been granted and travel arrangements have been made.

Application

UIW Sister Schools will often set their own eligibility requirements as well. Students are responsible for learning and abiding by additional requirements.

Students may apply via the UIW Study Abroad online application, which includes in-person advising sessions, paper forms and the online application.

Description

Students may choose to study, intern, volunteer, conduct research or present at a conference abroad with a non-affiliated business, university or government program. These are unique experiences that UIW Study Abroad is available to help advise on.

Benefits

• Scholarships: Possible
• Internships: Possible
• Independence: Varies
• Time Length: Varies

Cost

Varies*

*Includes all related costs

Length

Varies

Eligibility

Varies

Application

All non-credit bearing programs are applied for independently of UIW.

Students choosing to study abroad at a non-Sister School or UIW center/campus will not be registered at UIW for the duration of the semester in which they are abroad. In addition, these students will not be able to receive financial aid through the UIW Office of Financial Assistance. Students must complete and submit a Request To Study at Another Institution form to the Office of the Registrar before they depart.

The Enrollment Policy for Studying at Another Institution is as follows:

After matriculating at the University as a degree-seeking student, a student must obtain prior written approval to transfer any additional credits from other institutions. The Request To Study at Another Institution form is available on the Office of the Registrar webpage and must be approved before enrolling for credit elsewhere. Transfer work approved on this form will be accepted and applied toward the degree indicated if the grade earned is a "C" or higher. It will be the student's responsibility to furnish the Office of the Registrar with an official transcript reflecting completion of the coursework. All institutional policies will be observed when considering all requests to study at another institution. Approval will not be granted if an equivalent course is offered at UIW.

Upon returning from your sojourn, students must apply for re-admission to UIW. Students can visit the Office of the Registrar webpage titled Re-Admission to UIW in order to download or submit the required paperwork online.

Do you have your passport? If you already have a passport, be sure to check the expiration date. Many countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months after you plan to arrive.

• Instructions on applying for a passport for the first time
• Instructions on renewing your passport

• Must be enrolled as a full-time student at the time of studying abroad.
• Have successfully completed 12 hours at UIW.
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.4 (some Sister Schools may require a higher GPA).
• Cannot be abroad the semester you intend to graduate, unless attending a UIW satellite campus/center.
• Cannot enroll in more than 30 credits abroad.
• Must meet eligibility requirements of the Sister School.

Study Abroad 101 sessions inform students of study abroad basic (such as types of programs available) and how to apply, and also allow for in-person advising and questions.

Affording Study Abroad sessions go into detail on program cost predictions and coverage. Learn more about how your current financial assistance and scholarship can help cover your experience as well as additional study abroad scholarships you can apply for!

Meet with your Academic Advisor to let them know you are interested in going abroad. Together, determine which courses will be best for you to take abroad (electives and core courses are best) and which semester works best with your degree plan.

Be prepared to log in to your DegreeWorks page to allow the Study Abroad & Exchange Coordinator to view which courses you still need to take. You may also bring a list of courses provided by your Academic Advisor. You may schedule an appointment with the Study Abroad & Exchange Coordinator.

Note: Please refer to the eligibility requirements before scheduling an appointment.

Research UIW Sister Schools, UIW-Strasbourg, UIW's two campuses in Mexico and available Faculty-Led programs to determine which program is most beneficial to your personal, academic and professional goals.

After reviewing your choices and determining your study abroad goals, you should choose which study abroad program you would like to participate in. Each Sister School has their own application deadline and may have additional requirements. Please refer to the specific Sister School website or ask the Study Abroad Coordinator for more details.

Create an account in the online application system. Once you've created an account, UIW Study Abroad is able to view and edit all content you've entered or uploaded.

The UIW Study Abroad online application consists of multiple parts:

Applicant Information: Enter your general information. This can be completed before you've officially selected a study abroad program.

Program Selection: Enter your program term and location of choice.

Policy Agreement: Please read through the Policy Agreement carefully, then sign and date each section. (This can be completed before selecting a program.)

Emergency Contact Information: Please provide at least one emergency contact. This person will be contacted in case of emergency while you are abroad. UIW Study Abroad can only provide information during an emergency to those listed. (This can be completed before selecting a program.)

Upload Documents (PDFs only):

• Passport: Upload the photo and signature pages of your passport.
• Unofficial Transcript: Unofficial transcripts can be saved as a PDF from Banner Self Service.
• Request to Study Abroad Form: This form may take the most time of your study abroad application. You may download it here or from the Upload Documents section of the online application.
  • Academic Advisor Signature
    • Ensures that the student is taking courses that adhere to their degree plan.
  • Dean/Department Chair Signature
    • Reviews course outlines from the host institution to ensure that the courses are transferable.
  • Financial Aid Advisor Signature
    • Bring the Consortium form, which you obtain from the Study Abroad Office, to this meeting.
    • Meet with the Financial Aid Advisor to learn how your grants, scholarships and aid will help cover your experience!
    • Ensures the student understands how their FAFSA award, personal loans, scholarships and other aid may cover the experience abroad.
  • Study Abroad Coordinator Signature
    • Reviews the courses and signatures.
  • Office of the Registrar Signature
    • Your Request to Study Abroad form will be left with the Office of the Registrar and students will not obtain a signature. UPLOAD THE FORM BEFORE turning it in to the Registrar.
    • Verifies academic eligibility.
    • Registers student to study abroad block for requested semester.
  • Student
    • Verifies that they will enroll in the courses listed. Should a student decide to enroll in a course not listed on the Request to Study Abroad form, the course is not guaranteed to transfer to UIW.
• Consortium Form: This document ensures students understand the charges possible when agreeing to participate in a UIW study abroad program. This document is obtained during your Study Abroad Advising session with the Study Abroad Coordinator.
• Additional Uploads: Use this file upload section to upload any additional documents that are requested by UIW Study Abroad or that you want to keep handy for yourself that are related to your application (visa, travel details after you're advised to purchase, etc.)

Note: Your request to participate in a study abroad program may be denied, at any point during the process, by any one or a combination of academic or administrative university representative(s) due to reasons such as, but not limited to, poor academic performance and/or disciplinary issues. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility to participate in a study abroad program, visit with your academic adviser and study abroad coordinator.

Note: Once this form has been submitted to the Office of the Registrar, you will then be registered as a Study Abroad student; however, this does not register you for your specific classes at the host university. You will need to register at your host university either by submitting a course request form prior to arrival or during orientation, after arrival.

Transportation Details: UIW Study Abroad advises students to not purchase airfare or transportation for their study abroad program until they've received their acceptance letter from their Sister School. Often, proof of airfare purchase is necessary for student visa appointments.

In this section, please sign and date to note that you understand NOT to purchase airfare or other transportation to and/or from your study abroad program until you've received the acceptance letter from the Sister School.

Payment: UIW Study Abroad requires students to pay a $300 deposit to complete and submit their UIW Study Abroad application. This $300 deposit is required to apply to participate in any UIW exchange program․ Failure to pay the deposit shall result in your immediate dismissal from the program․ The deposit is non-refundable after the application deadline․

The $300 deposit will be put toward the student's account balance. However, if a student decides not to attend their study abroad program after the application deadline, the deposit is non-refundable and not put toward the student's account balance. In case of program cancellation by UIW, the $300 deposit will be refunded.

After you've submitted your UIW Study Abroad application and it's been approved, the Study Abroad & Exchange Coordinator will nominate you to the Sister School of your choice. The Sister School will send you instructions to apply as an exchange student from UIW to their institution.

Each host institution has their own application procedures. In some cases, it is an online application and in other cases you must submit a physical application. Please refer to the host school website or ask the Study Abroad Office for specific details on how to apply and what documents to submit. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that he/she meets the eligibility criteria for the host institution and to complete and submit the host institution application.

Once you've completed the Sister School application and have been accepted, you will receive an acceptance letter from the Sister School. This acceptance letter is used to obtain your student visa (if necessary).

You must have a passport in order to travel outside your home country; however a visa is different than a passport. A visa can be described as an official permission to enter a country. Each country has its own visa policy. Depending on the country where you are studying, you may be required to obtain a student visa. Please refer to the country's consulate webpage for specific requirements.

Be advised that the process to receive your visa may take anywhere from two weeks up to two months. It is important that you plan ahead by carefully reading or inquiring with host country's consulate to confirm the estimated processing time. Knowing the estimated visa processing time will help ensure you have allocated enough time to complete this process.

Most visa applications require you to submit your original passport; therefore, traveling outside the country before your study abroad sojourn must be taken into consideration, as you may be putting yourself at risk of delaying the start of your semester or even having to postpone/cancel your study abroad plans. 

For more information, refer to the International Travel section of the U.S. Department of State website. Go to the Entry/Exit Requirements section in the Country Specific Information for the country you are interested in.

UIW requires all study abroad participants to hold Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) before traveling abroad. The current rate per month is $50.74 (rev. 08/2023). The Study Abroad & Exchange Coordinator will order CISI insurance on behalf of study abroad participants prior to the departure date.

Please note that prices noted on your consortium form for transportation are based on the average or estimate at the time of advising; however the cost of the actual flight and in-country land transportation to/from the airport may be more than this amount. Though this cost is included in your budget, you are responsible for purchasing your flight.

All students are required to attend the Pre-Departure Session prior to studying abroad.

The Pre-Departure Session includes valuable information on procedures, safety, health, culture shock, keeping in touch and more. During this session, you will be asked to submit required documentation (e.g., passport, visa, flight itinerary) if you have not already done so.

People of support such as family members or a friend are welcome to attend. If your emergency contact(s) are able to attend this session, please encourage them to do so.

Enroll your trip with the nearest U.S. Department of State office. Registration allows the State Department to assist U.S. citizens in an emergency. Benefits of enrolling your trip include:

• Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
• Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest or family emergency.
• Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.