Imagine going to school in another country where the culture is different and everything seems strange.

Eastern is hoping to inform more students on study abroad and has set a goal this year to raise enrollment in study abroad programs.

“Approximately 200 students a year study abroad,” said Elyse Lyons, an International Students Office coordinator.

Jerrod Woodruff, a senior philosophy major, studied abroad in Germany from 2003 – 04. One of the reasons he chose Germany was because his favorite philosophers are German.

“I wanted to be able to read original text in its original language,” he said.

Students get to meet people from all over the world, said Jaime Gorny, a senior speech communications major.

“I think there was almost someone from every continent, except Antarctica of course,” Gorny said.

There are four study abroad programs, including exchange programs, direct enrollment (affiliations), direct enrollment (other institutions) and short-term programs.

Students pay Eastern tuition and fees to participate in exchange programs. The only money the student pays to his or her host institution is for room and board.

Direct enrollment can last for a semester or a year. Students involved with this program register for their classes with help from the Educational Assistance Office but pay their tuition and fees at their host institution.

“(Direct enrollment with other institutions) is keeping your options open,” Lyons said. “There are a lot of students that want to go to other places.”

Eastern is affiliated with 10 universities around the world from which the Study Abroad Office has gathered information during site visits. Students interested in studying abroad are not limited to these colleges and can ask for assistance in finding other host universitys through the Study Abroad Office.

Two different short-term programs include faculty-led and independent visits over spring break or summer vacation. Students pay Eastern for faculty-led short-term programs and pay the institution they attend for independent programs. During these short-term trips, students generally take about three to six class hours, Lyons said.

For each of the past three semesters 22 students have studied abroad, Lyons said. Currently, there are Eastern students studying in England, Italy, Argentina, Hungary, Spain, Ireland, Australia, Sweden, Wales and the Netherlands. She has hopes the program will gain popularity in the future, and said next semester there will be about 30 students participating.

Any student of any major that has been at Eastern for more than one semester is eligible to study abroad if he or she wishes to do so, as long as the student has at least a 2.0 grade point average and has not been on disciplinary or academic probation, Lyons said. The host school may have its own requirements the student must also meet.

“Some schools have higher standards,” Lyons said.

Most people who decide to study abroad look into the programs and plan a year in advance, Lyons said.

“You can never do enough research,” she said. “There are so many places to go.”

Students who decide to study abroad must participate in one First Step meeting, where they learn the basics about study abroad and hear from a panel of other students who have experienced the program.

“That’s a really good way to find out about study abroad,” Lyons said.

Once students decide when they are definitely going to study abroad they must attend a departure orientation to get them pumped about the trip. There are also reentry orientations for people who come back and experience “reverse culture shock,” because the cultures are so different, Lyons said.

Classes that students take while abroad must be pre-approved by their major’s department chairs, and holds are put on students’ accounts so they are still registered as Eastern students.

Many students worry their classes will not count toward their majors, but Lyons said there is no need to worry.

“If they get their classes pre-approved they will get EIU credit,” she said.

Scholarships are available for students who study abroad, and students can use loans, financial aid and some grants to pay for the experience, Lyons said.

Studying abroad also looks good on resumes, because “It sets you apart” from other job applicants, Lyons said.

“I didn’t want to be just another student coming out of a university,” Gorny said.

Students have a chance to make memories that will last a lifetime.

“I have students e-mailing me from all the places they’ve been,” Lyons said.

There will be a study abroad international forum held from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Jan. 26 in the Charleston/Mattoon Room of the Martin Luther King, Jr. University Union. The forum will include a panel of study abroad students as well as general information about the summer programs available.

Direct Enrollment Affiliations

-University of Cape Town, South Africa www.uct.ac.za/

-Central Queensland University, Australia www.cqu.edu.au/

-Dublin City University, Ireland www.dcu.ie

-Huron University, London, England www.huron.ac.uk

-Maastricht Center for Transatlantic Studies, The Netherlands www.cmsu.edu/mcts/

-National University of Ireland Maynooth, Ireland www.may.ie

-University of Salamanca, Spain www.usal.es/

-Budapest University, Hungary www.bkae.hu/

-Griffith University, Australia www.griffith.edu.au/international/

-Malaca Institute, Spain www.malacainstituto.com

more info: http://www.eiu.edu/~edabroad/