Encouraging students to ‘go away’

There are lots of good reasons for students to come to UAF. One is the opportunities they have to go away, temporarily, through the Study Away Program. “Study away” is simply a more inclusive term for study abroad, encompassing not only international programs but exchange within the U.S. as well. 

Did you study abroad as a student and have a life-changing experience? Or do you always wish you had? Help our students seize this opportunity by encouraging them to “go away” for a semester, year or summer, and then come back and share their transformative experiences. If it’s been a while since you’ve looked at the Study Away Program, check out our new website and program database. There’s even a page just for faculty and staff.

Study away opportunities

Through the National Student Exchange program, students can spend a semester or year in Canada or another U.S. state or territory. Our international exchange programs, including the north2north program and 16 individual university partnerships, allow you to spend time at partner schools in Europe, Japan and Singapore. You will also likely encounter students from these institutions studying here on campus. In addition, UAF is affiliated with several study abroad provider organizations that expand the offerings available to programs on every continent.

Studying away can be surprisingly affordable. When participating in exchange, students pay normal UAF tuition and continue receiving all financial aid and scholarships. There are also other programs that cost no or little more than a semester at UAF. Most students who study away are undergraduates, though occasionally graduate students looking to take a full semester of courses abroad will participate in exchange as well. Study away students come from all majors and go all over the world.

Study away process

Given the sometimes overwhelming number of opportunities available, students are encouraged to talk with the Study Away advisor for guidance. Study Away coffee hour, every Tuesday from 1 - 3 p.m. in Arctic Java, is a great chance to drop by to learn more or ask a question. The final application deadline for summer and fall start programs is April. It’s best to plan and apply with time to spare. Most programs are not competitive, but students must demonstrate that they are prepared for the experience.

Once students are accepted to a program, it’s important that they make a plan for what courses they will take, with back-up options, and get courses pre-approved to apply to their degree program at UAF. We’ve been working to revise and streamline this process to make it easier for all students to complete; please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about it.

How to champion study away

Of the 40 students who have already applied to go next academic year, 45% said they heard about the program from an instructor, advisor or admissions counselor. Please share your own stories of international experiences with students, or if your alma mater is part of the National Student Exchange network, share the ways in which spending just a semester there could broaden a student’s horizons. 

Reach out to invite the Study Away advisor to visit your class or office. Get in touch to discuss identifying programs that could benefit student populations you work with. For faculty interested in leading short-term international programs, we can also connect you with partner organizations that can facilitate the logistics.

Contact Anne Triest, Study Away academic advisor, at 907-474-6516 or uaf-studyaway@alaska.edu with questions or to get involved.