General Information

Policies and Procedures

From the Director

Students and Parents ...
An international learning experience has become an invaluable part of a complete undergraduate education. We encourage you to consider the many choices Fairfield offers and to spend a semester, a year, a month, or just ten days abroad earning academic credit and gaining the kind of knowledge only an on-site experience can provide. Our programs are well established, widely respected, and carefully planned and coordinated. They combine quality instruction with exceptional opportunities beyond the classroom - living arrangements, support services, excursions, and events that make  your experience abroad enjoyable and meaningful. The result is a highly personal encounter with life in another country and powerful new perspectives on the world and yourself.

Students from more than 120 colleges and universities, including Clark University, Indiana University, Loyola Marymount University, Muhlenberg College, Providence College, Rollins College, and St. Joseph's University have attended Fairfield University study abroad programs.

We hope you'll visit our website - www.fairfield.edu/studyabroad - for more information. We look forward to seeing you in the Study Abroad Office, and to exploring the possibilities!

Susan M. Fitzgerald, Associate Dean
Director, International Programs

Policies:

An overall GPA of 2.8 is required to study abroad. A student must be in good standing with the Dean of Students at the time of application. Individual programs have their own criteria and may require higher GPAs. Exceptions to stated GPA policy may be made upon appeal to the Study Abroad Advisory Committee. All sophomores who wish to study abroad during junior year must submit a Statement of Intent to Study Abroad by February 1, 2008.

Financial Aid:

As a general rule, federal and state financial aid can be used toward study abroad programs. Institutional aid, scholarships, and monthly payment plan eligibility through Sallie Mae's TuitionPay plan will be applied ONLY to Fairfield University and affiliated programs. Neither athletic scholarships nor work study monies may be applied to study abroad programs. With the approval of the program director, International Studies and Modern Language majors may use Fairfield University grants/scholarships for two semesters abroad.

For students participating in the following programs: Florence and Syracuse, Italy; Rouen, France and Managua, Nicaragua, where the program fee is less than the corresponding Fairfield University fee, Fairfield University grants/scholarships will be reduced by a comparable percentage.

"Study abroad changed my outlook on life in differing ways. It allowed me to open up and realize that all people are basically the same even if they don't speak the same language. Study abroad, I believe, has made me into a more accepting, independent, free thinker. I am now more likely to try new things, and take chances that I may not have had the courage to without my study abroad experience that."

Kerry Mannix, class of 2008, finance

Nicaragua

Managua, Nicaragua
Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), a Jesuit university in Managua, hosts Fairfield's newest study abroad program. Perfect your Spanish, enjoy Nicaragua's pristine natural beauty, and meet the warm and hospitable people of one of Central America's safest countries. Choose from a variety of courses at UCA (including ecology, environmental science, gender and social justice, economics, arts, and more) and enrich your semester with an internship or your summer with a service project in your area of interest.

France

Rouen, France
The medieval city of Rouen, France offers an ideal setting for a modern-day exploration of current European business practices. Founded in 911, Rouen is home to magnificent cathedrals, museums and half-timbered houses, and careful conservation program preserves its medieval character. Institute de Formation International (IFI), the undergraduate division of Groupe ESC, is genuinely international with students from all over the world attending its innovative, learner-focused programs. It is the second oldest management school in France (1871) and was awarded the prestigious EQUIS accreditation in 2002. The Fairfield University Dolan School of Business is accredited by AACSB - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Florence Campus
Amid treasures of art and architecture, experience the glory of the Renaissance and the flavor of Italian life in one of Europe's most beautiful cities.

Fairfield University's Florence program offers a comprehensive package of academic programming, cultural events, and support services designed to ensure an outstanding semester or year in Florence. All students enroll in a 3-credit Italian language course; all other courses are presented in English. Students choose from a wide variety of offerings, including humanities, business, and science. The program includes housing in shared apartments in the historic city center.

Syracuse, Sicily
The Mediterranean Center for Arts and Sciences welcomes students who want to discover the city of Syracuse, Sicily - a gem in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Known as the greatest classical Greek city outside of Athens, Syracuse holds a wealth of attractions for today's students of science, art, architecture, political science, classics, and history.

Galway, Ireland
In Galway, Ireland's cultural capital and fastest growing city, you will find echoes of the nation's medieval past and evidence of its dynamic present. Fairfield's Ireland program offers you semester or full year at the National University of Ireland, Galway, a distinguished 150-year-old university. The program offers study in business, engineering, humanities, nursing, and sciences.

Short Term Programs Summer and intersession programs are offered in rotation. Individual programs may not be offered every year and new programs may be added. For more information: www.fairfield.edu/studyabroad

January Experience in Florence, Italy-10 days March Break in County Clare, Ireland-10 days March Break in Florence, Italy-10 days March Break in St. Petersburg, Russia-10 days Summer in Padova, Italy-two weeks, nursing majors only Summer Campus in Florence or Syracuse, Italy-two four-week sessions * Courses taken in our programs in Italy, Australia, Nicaragua, France, and Ireland receive Fairfield University undergraduate credit and grades.

International and Domestic Affiliated Programs

Affiliated programs have been approved for Fairfield University students after a process of evaluation. Students studying in these programs:

• Earn transfer credit, meaning that grades earned will not appear on your Fairfield transcripts (exceptions noted with an asterisk). Students must earn a C or better for credit to transfer.
• Pay standard Fairfield University costs for tuition and, if applicable, room and board.
• Retain eligibility for TuitonPay payment plans and financial aid.

Approved affiliated programs include the following:
     Australia - University of Melbourne*
     CIEE - sites in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America
     China - The Beijing Center
     Costa Rica - API*
     England - Blackfriars Hall, Oxford; London School of Economics;
        Regent's College, London
     Finland - Helsinki Polytechnic*
     France - IAU, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon; IFI-Rouen*
     Germany - Baden-Wuerttemberg, nine sites
     Greece - College Year in Athens
     Japan - Doshisha Women's College, Kyoto; Sophia University, Tokyo
     Netherlands - Universiteit Maastricht
     Russia - ACTR, St. Petersburg
     School for Field Studies - Kenya, Costa Rica, Mexico, Turks and Caicos
     Scotland - University of Edinburgh
     Spain - API*, four sites: Granada, Madrid, Salamanca, and Seville; IQS Barcelona*
     Washington, D.C. - WII (internships)

* These programs provide Fairfield University credits and grades.

All students must work with the Study Abroad Office to choose a program from the approved list and to prepare for a semester or session abroad. Make an appointment with an advisor by calling ext. 4332.

Credits are granted only for academic work successfully completed on approved international programs.

Timelines

Juniors

September 2007

• Call the Study Abroad Office for a mid-September advising appointment if you plan to study abroad in spring.
• Discuss course approvals with your major chair, advisor, and dean.
• Apply! Study Abroad deadline: October 1 for spring semester abroad.

Sophomores

Fall 2007

• Call the Study Abroad Office for an advising appointment to plan for study abroad next year.
• Discuss your options with your advisor, faculty, and family and determine whether you prefer to study abroad in fall or spring.

January 2008

• File a Study Abroad Intent Form no later than February 1. All requests will be considered, but not all students will receive placement for their desired semester. Placements will be announced February 15.

February/March 2008

• Apply for fall semester abroad. Deadlines for most fall programs are between March 1-15. All applications must be turned in to the Study Abroad Office.

Freshmen

• Start now. It's not too early to consider destinations and start planning. Talk with your advisor about study abroad so you can take appropriate courses both here at Fairfield University and your destination.
• Attend the Study Abroad Fair in September and make an appointment at our office for early advisement.

Fairfield University Study Abroad Programs

• Study Abroad programs administered by Fairfield University, students earn Fairfield University credit and grades.
• On affiliated Study Abroad programs, students earn transfer credit.
• Retain financial aid, including participation in the TuitionPay monthly payment plan.
• For all programs, students will pay Fairfield University tuition, room and board fees (as applicable).

Office of International Education/Study Abroad Office
Dolan House, second floor
Fairfield University
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, Conn. 06824-5195
Phone: (203) 254-4332
Fax: (203) 254-4261
E-mail: studyabroadoffice@mail.fairfield.edu
Website: www.fairfield.edu/studyabroad