Exchange and Affiliate Programs
During an Exchange or Affiliate program, you will take classes through one of our approved partners in another country and the credits transfer back to your degree at 蘑菇短视频. Exchange and Affiliate programs are different from Faculty-Led Programs.
The Office of Global Engagement is committed to supporting students in their educational experiences abroad and has developed a guide of frequently asked questions and academic policies. Please see below for information to help get you started!
Students looking to get started or have questions are encouraged to or attend a Study Abroad 101 or schedule an appointment with the Office of Global Engagement by contacting global@wcu.edu
Exchange/Affiliate Program Deadlines
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General FAQs
In general, students participating in study abroad programming must meet the following requirements...
- Must be a Sophomore by Status (30 completed credits) by the time your program begins
- Must have a cumulative 2.75 GPA at the time of applying
- Must be in Good Academic and Disciplinary Standing
Some programs may have additional admissions requirements depending on the host institution or program. Students interested in participating in these programs are expected to meet those as well the ones listed above.
Students at 蘑菇短视频 are eligible to participate in exchange/affiliate programming during most of their time at the institution. The only two semesters that students are not allowed to participate in study abroad programming are their first and final semester at WCU.
Most students participating in study abroad programming do so their sophomore or junior year. Every student has different personal and academic requirements that may influence when they go abroad. Students are encouraged to consult with their advisors and the Office of Global Engagement before applying to determine when the best time to go abroad would be.
Yes! You can apply financial aid to studying abroad, regardless of the location, duration, or type of program that you participate in. Students interested in using their financial aid package should consult with the Office of Global Engagement and the 蘑菇短视频Office of Financial Aid for more information on how it applies to their direct situation.
Students who are needing to be CPOS compliant are strongly encouraged to meet with the Office of Global Engagement to discuss implications of those regulations.
Students interested in studying abroad are encouraged to start that conversation with their advisor and the Office of Global Engagement at least one year before their program begins. The Office of Global Engagement processes applications on a semester-to-semester basis, meaning you will apply for your program the semester before you go! Students will have to apply internally and then be accepted by their host institution!
Approvals for exchange/affilaite programs are issued shortly after the application deadline. Students will still be responsible for following up with their program for any applications/processes that need to be completed for formal admission into the program. Additional instructions will be provided about those processes once you've been approved for your program.
In most instances, students applying to exchange/affilaite programs are granted approval for their first exchange/affilaite option. Occasionally, we are unable to place students in some exchange programs due to administrative limitations. Students who are unable to be placed in their top choice will be contacted with additional options.
Yes! Students can study up to three full semesters during their time at Western Carolina Univeristy. Students are encouraged to book an appointment with the Office of Global Engagement to discuss logistics if so!
No! While studying abroad is a great way to improve language skills (and we encourage you to explore language study as part of your experience), the Office of Global Engagement offers a number of programs that are exclusively in taught in English.
Living arrangements for your program depend on the structure your program. While most programs offer living arrangements similar to what's availble at Western (such as dorms or apartments that you share with other international or local students), some locations also offer the opportunity to live with a local host family. Students are encouraged to review the living situation of their program as they apply.
Students be covered by a special travel health insurance plan that is mandatory for all students studying abroad. It costs approximately $1.55 - $1.75 per day. While some domestic plans may include some travel insurance, our policy is more comprehensive and covers things such as emergency evacuation in case of a medical condition and political unrest. This health insurance is organized through the Office of Global Engagement and charges for this insurance will be added to a student's bill.
Our provider, , has doctors throughout the world. Their website includes a search engine to locate local medical services as well as travel safety and health information about most countries and major cities of the world.
Students participating in ISEP Direct or ISEP Exchange programs are exempt from having to purchase this insurance. ISEP will organize international travel insurnace directly with 蘑菇短视频students.
Students with registered accommodations through the Office of Accessibility Resources at 蘑菇短视频 should contact the Office of Global Engagment at global@wcu.edu for more information.
Academic FAQs
蘑菇短视频 students are expected to take a full course load while abroad. For students participating in exchange and affiliate programming, students should be enrolled in a minimum equivalent of 12 US credits per semester. Different universities have different credit systems and class structures that may not perfectly translate to the credit system at WCU, meaning you could be taking more (or less) classes than you typically would here at WCU.
Students are encouraged to consult the Office of Global Engagement during the course approval process to ensure that credits have been appropriately translated.
Credits earned from participating in Exchange and Affiliate programming are treated as transfer credit, meaning that these course are treated as pass/fail and have no impact on your GPA at WCU.
Credits earned from Faculty-Led Programming are treated as 蘑菇短视频credit, meaning these courses will be graded and will impact your GPA.
On average, it takes 12 weeks from the conclusion of your program for student transcripts to arrive at WCU. Depending on the program, it may take up to 10 months for your grades to be confirmed and your official transcript to be distributed to WCU. The Office of Global Engagement can only accept transcripts directly from host institutions/programs; transcripts submitted by students are considered unofficial and will not be accepted by WCU.
Once we receive your transcript, it takes 4-8 weeks for processing internally before those grades are reflected on your student account and degree plan. Timetables can vary depending if there are issues with you course approval form. The Office of Global Engagement will contact students directly if action is needed on your form.
The Office of Global Engagement discourages students from taking online courses at 蘑菇短视频or their host institution while they are abroad. Students who need to take an online course in order to maintain their track to graduation or for CPOS compliance should contact the Office of Global Engagement at studyabroad@wcu.edu to discuss their situation during the application process.
Please refer to the "International Course Planning" module in the 蘑菇短视频study abroad portal. This module will become available once you have been approved for your program.
Students are not allowed to audit courses at 蘑菇短视频or their host program while abroad.
Students participating in semester exchange & affiliate programming do not need to take honors credits abroad in order to remain in the Brinson Honors College. Students with questions should contact the advisor in the Brinson Honors College for more information.