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There are four basic models of programs/universities. Understanding which model could best fit your personal and academic goals can significantly help you narrow down your options. 

Direct-enrollment: Classes are held at a host university with local and international students, with courses taught mostly in the local language (though occasionally with English-taught classes in non-English settings.) Enrolling students acclimate to the local academic environment; it has not been designed for US-based college students. For many host universities, it is possible to enroll either directly or through a study abroad program provider. Examples: University of Edinburgh, University of Cape Town, Middlebury in Chile, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Science-Po Lyon Exchange. 

Program: A program designed for US-based college students. Classes are taught by American and/or local professors in the program facilities. Depending on the program, the language of instruction may be: 

• Entirely in English with local language classes offered. Examples: the Swedish Program, Budapest Semester in Mathematics.
• A mixture of English and the local language depending on a student’s language background/interest. Examples: CIEE Seoul, IES Vienna.
• Entirely in the local language. Examples: Middlebury in Amman, CET Beijing. 

Hybrid: A combination of integrated and island models. Students take classes taught by the program, as well as enroll in local university courses (in English and/or local language). Examples: Frontiers Abroad, Hamilton in Paris, IFSA Argentina, IES Madrid. 

Field-based: Classes taught to US-based college students in various locations “in the field” relating to specific academic topics, and often featuring a culminating directed research project. Most field-based options are focused on the natural and social sciences. Cohort sizes tend to be small and English-taught (though some local language taught programs) and can involve regional or international travel relating to the program’s academic theme. Examples: all SIT and SFS programs, Sea Education Association, Ecoquest. 

No matter which program/university you select, your academic experience is likely to be quite distinct from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾.   

A small, residential, liberal-arts institution like ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ is almost exclusively a U.S.-specific educational model. Most international institutions keep academics and student life separate.  

For example, if you choose to enroll and take courses at a university, most host universities will be much larger in size and will operate within an academic model that includes large lectures with smaller tutorial sections, and fewer continuous assessments (meaning more weight is put on mid-terms and final exams). Students therefore must hold themselves more accountable for their academic progress, from selecting readings to taking notes, to studying beyond possible exam questions. Large lectures may be more of a passive experience than seminars at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ (where class participation is so highly valued), with tutorials being the place for questions and discussion. 

Alternatively, if you choose to participate in a field-based program, all of your coursework will be with other program participants. Instruction may take place in a traditional classroom, or it may take place in the field and related sites. You will also likely pursue a directed research project for one of your core courses on-site, which may require new initiative, creativity, and research and analysis skills. 

Finally, if you choose to study in a world language, you will challenge yourself inside and outside of the classroom as you grow your language skills in a culturally immersive setting. In a hybrid model, students may enroll in a combination of program courses and university courses, meaning they must navigate two different academic cultures on a daily basis. 

While acclimating to a new academic culture can be a challenge, you will ultimately complement and enrich your academic experience by engaging with new course material, distinct methodologies, and unique perspectives not offered at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾. 

Academic Accommodations Abroad 

If you receive accommodations at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ for a documented learning disability, you should contact your potential programs/universities to understand if similar accommodations can be arranged. (The OCS Office is always happy to contact a program/university on your behalf, or support your own direct outreach.) While some international universities may be able to offer accommodations, remember that assessments at many institutions are heavily weighted towards final exams.   

Once you are enrolled in a program/university, we recommend you contact Bowdon’s Student Accessibility Office early in your pre-departure planning process to request the necessary documentation. 

Studying off-campus can allow you to expand your sense of home. But with a wide variety of housing types available between different programs/universities, which types would be a good fit for you?  

Housing offerings are often enmeshed with cultural norms of a location, or in some cases, the very model of a program. A program/university may offer housing in a city apartment with a shared kitchen, in a multigenerational home with a host family, in a rustic cabin at a research station, in a large residence hall with local roommates, or in a bunk on a research vessel in the Pacific Ocean. 

When possible, the opportunity to live with locals (fellow students or a family) can provide you with a unique cultural experience and perspective, which is difficult to achieve in practically any other international travel setting. The OCS Office encourages students to reflect on how living with locals could interact with their academic and personal goals, and to consider electing a local housing option whenever possible. 

As you think through your off-campus study options, you may want to consider your preferences for the following: 

• Living with a local family, with local university students, or only with other U.S.-based college students
• Shared vs. single bedrooms
• Shared vs. single kitchens
• Meals provided in a dining hall vs. cooking for yourself 

Then, after you enroll in your program/university, you will want to pay close attention to the differences in cost if different housing options are offered. You can read more about financial considerations and what ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ students’ feedback has been in the Pre-Departure Guide. 

Finally, students should be aware students studying off-campus must live in housing organized by their program/university. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ will not approve requests to live independently unless housing is not provided.