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Study Abroad through
Marymount Manhattan College

Contact:
Office of Academic Affairs
Marymount Manhattan College
221 East 71st Street
New York, NY 10021
Office phone: 212-517-0520;
Fax: 212-517-0528

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

Studying abroad is a rewarding and life-changing experience. Students who incorporate overseas study into their academic careers deepen their knowledge and understanding of international, political, and cultural affairs. You may return from your sojourn abroad with a better perspective on world issues as well as a broader understanding of the U.S. and its way of life. Most significantly, when you spend time in another culture you learn a great deal about yourself. Regardless of what major you are pursuing, from Biology to Theater Arts, you can benefit from study abroad.

ELIGIBILITY

To obtain permission to study abroad you must:

have completed at least 30 credits at MMC by your departure. (Transfer students must have completed 15 credits at MMC.)
have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Check this on MMC Connect.
have declared a major.

The credits and grades you earn abroad will appear on your transcript and be calculated into your GPA.
You may take a maximum of 30 credits on study abroad, 15 credits per term.
You may not take study abroad courses on Pass/Fail basis.

HOW TO CHOOSE A PROGRAM

Take some time to answer the following questions to assist you in choosing a study abroad program.

Why do you want to study abroad? You may want to learn about another culture, to enhance your education, or to improve language skills.
Where do you want to go? Why?
How much time do you want to spend abroad?
How will study abroad fit into your academic program? Will the courses you take fulfill your major requirements or count as electives? Will going abroad alter your graduation plans?
How will you finance your study abroad?
Do you want to attend classes with students from the host country, or mainly with other Americans? Do you want classes to be on the American model, or on another model that may involve more independent work on your part?
Do you want to live with a family, with students from the host country, or with fellow American students?

WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?

You have a wide range of programs to choose from: including summer programs, programs for a full-time semester abroad, and opportunities to spend a full year abroad. Some programs are sponsored by U.S. colleges and universities; others are sponsored by private organizations focused exclusively on study abroad; finally, you may participate directly with a foreign college or university. For the most part, academic credit from institutions and organizations offering study abroad programs is transferable to your transcript at MMC. In all cases, to ensure the credit you earn will apply to your MMC degree, you must receive appropriate permission for each of the courses you will want to transfer.

Many factors may influence your choice of program, such as course content, location, your financial situation, your degree requirements, language proficiency, and the amount of time you have available. Keep these factors in mind as you evaluate the programs in which you are interested. Listed below are some of the major types of programs you may consider.

Programs sponsored by a U.S. college or university
Many MMC students have participated in study abroad programs organized by other American colleges. Transferring academic credit is most easily arranged in these programs. Program sponsors usually make some or all of the academic, housing, and travel arrangements for students. One good example of a U.S. university that has such programs is Syracuse University, which has programs in England, France, Hong Kong, Italy and Spain, among others. There are many such colleges and universities that make programs available.

Programs sponsored by an organization other than a college or university
Non-profit and proprietary (for-profit) organizations, both American and foreign, sponsor study abroad programs. Some of these organizations have agreements with colleges and universities that allow students to be registered on their home campuses. Other organizations indicate that academic credit is available or transferable but expect students to arrange or verify the credit themselves. An example of this type of an organization is the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE), a non-profit organization that offers programs in thirty countries. Information is available at www.ciee.org. The American institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) is a for-profit organization offering many and varied opportunities for study abroad. Information is available at www.aifs.com Though AIFS programs are accredited and usually of high quality, the cost is often higher than that for study through non-profit institutions and organizations.

Programs at foreign universities
Students may enroll directly at foreign universities and colleges. Some programs sponsored by foreign universities are especially designed to meet the needs of English-speaking students, with courses offered in English as well as the language of the host country. Some foreign universities will admit undergraduates as special students, which is similar to taking classes in the country as an auditor or part-time student. In these cases transferring credit from foreign universities may be more difficult.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDY ABROAD

There are many opportunities for funding your study abroad but you will have to start early and be persistent, A list of scholarships and awards for study abroad may be found by logging on to www.nafsa.org/students.sec/u.s._study_abroad_scholarships.

THE PROCESS TO OBTAIN PERMISSION TO STUDY ABROAD

Begin planning as soon as possible - a year is not too early! First, review the Study Abroad Passport and the Financial Aid application, Attachments A and B at the end of this page or from the links at the left, and then start the process that is outlined below.

Make an appointment with the study abroad advisor in the Office of Academic Affairs Office on the 3rd floor Main by calling 212-517.0520. You can review any questions you have about study abroad during this meeting. If you have selected a study abroad program already, bring all of the information with you.
Select a study abroad program. An accredited educational institution must sponsor the program you select. It is strongly advised that you select at least one alternate program in case your faculty advisor does not approve of your first choice. Print all of the course descriptions and other relevant information from the program's website. If you have any questions about a program or the institution that is sponsoring the program, seek additional help from either the study abroad advisor or your faculty advisor.

A number of publications about study abroad programs, such as Peterson's Study Abroad, are good sources of information. The websites listed below are a good start � they are not all alike so it is best to look through two or three of them:

http://www.petersons.com/ugchannel/landing.asp?id=838&path=ug.fas.go
This guide lists most of the programs that are offered by other colleges and universities including ones that are not always listed on other websites.

http://www.studyabroaddirectory.com/search.cfm
GoAbroad.com provides a good site on international education and alternative travel.

http://www.studyabroad.com/
StudyAbroad.com is another good site that even offers a Parent's Guide to Studying Abroad!

http://www.iiepassport.org/
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the established leader in the exchange of people and ideas for over 50 years.

For students with physical disabilities, an additional resource is MIUSA:
http://www.miusa.org/
Schedule an appointment for a review of your academic record or degree audit. What's a degree audit? It will tell you what courses you have already completed and what courses you need for graduation. This will help you select study abroad courses that will apply to your degree program and allow you to graduate on time. With this information, your faculty advisor and the staff in the Center for Student Services can better advise you as to what courses you should take on your study abroad program.

If you have 75 or more credits, make an appointment with Ruth Falconer, Associate Registrar in the Center for Student Services (on the lower level of Nugent) for an official degree audit.

If you have fewer than 75 credits, make an appointment for an unofficial review with one of the counselors in Academic Advisement Center (on the lower level of Nugentl).

Please ask the person who conducts the audit to sign the first page of the Study Abroad Passport.
at the end of this document.
Review your plans with your faculty advisor. If your faculty advisor agrees with your plans, please ask him/her to sign the first page of the Study Abroad Passport.
If you have not done so already, apply to the program of your choice.
Get permission from individual faculty members for each of the courses you intend to take abroad. Your course of study must be approved to ensure that your courses abroad will be accepted and transferred to MMC. Your faculty advisor may be able to give you the approval for some of the courses in his/her own department. For all of the other courses you may need to consult the Chair of the Division offering the MMC equivalent of the course for approval. The Division Chairs will either approve your courses or tell you who can help you.

Dr. Vandana Rao (Accounting and Business Management)
Dr. Mary Fleischer (Fine & Performing Arts)
Dr. Peter Naccarato (Humanities)
Dr. Ann Jablon (Sciences)
Dr. Rosemary Nossiff (Social Sciences)

In order to receive all of the necessary approvals you may have to talk with several people so please start early and do not attempt to do this during vacation periods.

Fill out the second page of the Study Abroad Passport.
On the left-hand side write in all of the courses you plan to take abroad. Select a few alternate courses just in case the ones you want are not available once you get abroad. Bring all of the information you have about the study abroad courses with you when you seek a professor's permission. The professor will indicate what the study abroad courses will fulfill toward your MMC degree requirements.
Complete all of the information on Attachments A and B . Make an appointment with study abroad advisor. Submit these documents to be put into your file. You will be registered as a study abroad student for the time you are away from MMC.
If you are currently receiving financial aid and would like to apply it to your study abroad experience, you need to do ONE more very important thing. Complete the Study Abroad Financial Aid Application (Attachment B).

In order to use your Federal or State grants or loans to pay for study abroad, please remember:

You must take a full load of courses, at least 12 credits.
You must take courses that you need to complete your degree program. You cannot take courses that will not move you toward graduation.
If you fail a course while you are abroad, you may jeopardize your financial aid depending on the type of aid you receive.
Course may not be taken as Pass/Fail.
All coursework and grades earned through study abroad, including "F" grades will be recorded on your MMC transcript.

Make an appointment to speak with the Associate Director of Student Financial Services, (office 212-517-0481) in the Center for Student Services. She/he will help you determine what financial aid is available to finance your study abroad. Bring the Study Abroad Financial Aid Application and the letter of acceptance from the study abroad program. Please do this as soon as possible � it may take up to 4 weeks to complete the process to have your financial aid sent to the study abroad program.

Please be advised that your entire financial aid package may not apply to study abroad. MMC scholarships and grants are not applicable, but federal and State grants and loans may be used.

PASSPORTS

You can obtain an application for a passport at any Post Office including the one on 70th Street (between 2nd Ave. and 3rd Ave). If you already have a passport, please check that it will not expire before you plan to RETURN home from your study abroad program. If you have to apply for the first time for a passport, please apply early � it could take four to six weeks � even longer during the peak travel season. Please check with the State Department for instructions and an application:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

VISAS

A visa is an official document granting permission by a foreign government to enter and reside in their country for a specific length of time and for a specific purpose. Not all countries require student visas, so check with the consulate or embassy of the country you are planning to visit to determine whether or not you will need one. If you plan to study in a country that requires a visa you may obtain one from the nearest embassy or consulate of the country concerned. Applications for visas sometimes require a letter from the home College. Some embassies and consulates process visa requests quickly, but many do not. Please check with the consulate of the country in which you are going to study for visa requirements. The NYC Mayor's office maintains an online list of all of the consulates in New York City: http://www.nyc.gov/html/unccp/html/consular/nyc_list.shtml

NOTE: Consulates usually have very useful information about their country on their websites such as, political leaders, geography, history, weather conditions, latest domestic news and trends, etc. Please familiarize yourself with the conditions of the country you are visiting.

INSURANCE FOR STUDENTS GOING ABROAD

Being insured while you are abroad is very important. Health insurance will cover you in case of an illness or accident. Travel insurance will cover your luggage and flight/trip cancellations. Sometimes these types of insurance may be purchased together in a package.

The study abroad program sponsoring your study may include the cost of insurance in the cost of the program. Or you may have to buy a separate, short- term insurance policy for travelers or purchase a short-term extension ("rider") to yours or your parents' regular policy for health and/or travel while you are out of the country.
If you have to purchase insurance there are several things to consider:

Your age
Length of time you will be abroad
Country or countries to which you will be traveling
Possibility of you going home for a visit during your study abroad period
Requirements for health coverage set by the country to which you are traveling

Here is a list of five insurance companies that offer insurance to students. There are many others. All of these companies have a wide range of insurance products, so please be careful that you select the policy suited to your needs. Be sure to purchase insurance covering "Evacuation and Repatriation."

HTH Worldwide Insurance Services, www.hthworldwide.com
International SOS, www.internationalsos.com
Medex International, www.medexassist.com
Marsh/Gateway International, www.gatewayplans.com
Wallach & Company, Inc., www.wallach.com

U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES ABROAD

If you are a U.S. citizen, you should register with the U.S. State Department before you leave the U.S. or at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your host country after you have arrived there. This is very important. Should there be an accident, attack or natural disaster, the Embassy will be able to contact you. This step is meant as a safeguard for you.
US State Department travel registration: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/
To find a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/embassies/embassies_1214.html

STAY CONNECTED TO MMC WHILE YOU ARE ABROAD THROUGH MMC EMAIL!

You will have to register for classes for the semester following your time abroad. To do so you will need to email your course selection for the next term to your faculty advisor for his/her permission. Let your faculty advisor know where you are.
Space in student housing is very tight so do not wait until you return from abroad to apply for housing at MMC.

If you want to live in MMC housing in the spring and you are away in the fall, contact the Residence Life Office by November 1 at residencelife@mmm.edu

If you want to live in MMC housing in the fall and you are away in the spring, contact the Residence Life Office by February 1 at residencelife@mmm.edu

TRANSCRIPTS

Courses taken for Pass/Fail will not transfer to MMC transcripts nor count toward graduation. The grades you receive abroad will be calculated in your cumulative MMC grade point average. It is very important for you to arrange to have the transcript of your grades from your study abroad program sent directly to MMC. MMC cannot request your transcripts for you � only you can do this.
Please be advised:

You must pay all of your bills before the school abroad will release your transcripts.
Without your transcripts MMC cannot process any further financial aid for you.
If you complete fewer than 12 credits while studying abroad you may forfeit some financial aid.

MMC needs to receive letter grades from the school abroad. If the school gives grades in some other form (some schools give number grades), ask for an explanation of how to convert the grades to letters. If the MMC Registrar does not receive your study abroad transcripts within a month of the end of the MMC semester, you will be contacted.

Have the study abroad institution send the official transcript to:
Marymount Manhattan College, Center for Student Services, 221 East 71st St. New York, NY 10021.

THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ID CARD (ISIC)

STATRAVEL: http://www.statravel.com/ (Click on Deals and Discounts)

The ISIC offers savings on airfares, trains, buses, accommodations, museums, cultural events, and entertainment for students ages twelve and over who are currently enrolled at an accredited institution and matriculating towards a diploma or degree. Continuing education and language school students are not eligible. The card costs $22.

INFORMATION ON YOUR DESTINATION

How much do you know about your destination? Are you familiar with the current social and political issues of the country? What are the important issues facing college students in that country? What do you know of the history, literature, and artistic traditions of the country? These websites can give you some basic information and link you with more:

U.S. State Department's Background Notes (country information), www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/Overviews compiled by the U.S. diplomatic services.

Yahoo's Directory of Countries, http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/countries
This website offers you numerous links organized by country, into almost two dozen subcategories such as cities, regions, arts & humanities, education, health, news & media, etc. Links to websites in the language of the host country are available. There are also links to ABC and BBC News Country Profiles, the CIA World Factbook, and more.

¹ Programs must be accredited by the U.S. Commission on Higher Education.

Study Abroad through Marymount Manhattan College