From the beaches of Hawaii to the cities of Paris, London and Berlin, University students can become fully immersed in a new culture while finishing their degree.
LSU Academic Programs Abroad offers the globe to interested students through international and domestic programs. The department offers programs in six of the seven continents ranging from summer programs to semester- or year-long programs. The department also offers international exchanges or trips as short as fall or spring break.
Through studying abroad, students can master a foreign language, meet new people and take classes they wouldn’t have access to at the University.
“We recognize that it’s scary, but the result is so worth it,” Meg Sonstroem, APA exchange coordinator, says. “The nice thing about being in another university for a semester or year is that you can get immersed in a completely different culture.”
APA stresses that any student can go abroad regardless of his or her degree path. The office has several major-specific programs, such as “Art in Ireland,” “Encounter Engineering in Europe” and “Marine Biology in Alaska.”
Studying abroad is also an impressive resume booster, and is a mark in your favor to future employers.
“We know from employers that studying abroad actually makes a student more marketable,” APA Director Harald Leder said.
Below, LEGACY Magazine goes through the steps of applying for and attending an APA program.
HOW TO GET THERE
Visit the APA Office in 103 Hatcher Hall
When? Nine to 12 months in advance of studying abroad
What? Work with peer advisors– students who have studied away from LSU and can help you with the school selection process
Choose your school abroad and begin application process
When? Six months before studying abroad
How? Schedule an appointment with one of the International Exchange Coordinators, Meg Sonstroem or Marissa Baham
What? Walk through the curriculum requirements, financial concerns and exchange
availability
Complete application online through LSU Abroad Portal
When? The deadline will depend on the program
Then what? You’ll be notified of your acceptance four to six weeks after submitting
SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE
French and history senior Emily Owen spent her fall semester of sophomore year in the United Kingdom.
While in England, she attended the University of Nottingham, which proved to be such a worthwhile experience it made her want to return to Europe for a second study abroad trip, she says.
She then participated in “LSU in the French Alps,” a language immersion program, in the summer of her junior year.
Owen, along with seven other LSU students, lived for most of the summer in Barcelonette, a small town in the valley of the French Alps. The group didn’t speak any English for the entirety of their stay. The students also participated in internships, where they became apprentices to several locals.
“If you’ve never been abroad before and you do it through a University program, I think it definitely opens up the way you look at the world,” Owen says. “I think it really does make you think that the world you live in is a lot smaller place, and it’s more possible [to travel] afterwards.”
Mass communication and French senior Mikala Sanders spent this past spring in southern France.
Sanders loves the culture and language of the French people, so she made it a point to immerse herself in it by dressing and eating like they do.
“I tried to be French and take in every single moment and experience of being in France,” Sanders says.
While she’s visited other countries, Sanders says studying in France made her realize she wanted to live there eventually. Her visit solidified her love of travel, so much so that she’s considering joining the Peace Corps.
“You’re meeting so many different people from all these different cultures, so you learn so much about their countries and how they live their lives compared to us,” Sanders explains. “I think study abroad definitely helps you see if you could fit in somewhere.”
Perks of Studying Abroad
While living in a foreign country may seem expensive, it can actually be cheaper than staying in Baton Rouge.
APA offers study abroad scholarships, and students can apply their TOPS and any financial aid to their program costs.
“Very often we find that the cost of living at the partnering universities is actually lower than the cost of living here,” Leder says.
Below are breakdowns of the tuition costs and programs fees to some of the APA programs:
LSU in the French Alps
Program Fee: $4,525
In-state tuition: $2,509
Out-of-state tuition: $6,613
Encounter Engineering in Europe
Program Fee: $3,300
In-state tuition: $1,059
Out-of-state tuition: $1,911
Art in Ireland
Program fee: $3,900
In-state tuition: $2,509
Out-of-state tuition: $6,613
Semester-long International Exchange in Nice, France
In-state tuition: $5,379
Out-of-state tuition: $13,717
Room and Board: LSU Room and Board, varies
