More than one-third of students studying abroad this semester are student-teaching, the coordinator of the Study Abroad Office said. 

Kelly Holland, the coordinator of the Study Abroad Office, said the Study Abroad program currently has 21 students traveling this semester.

Normally, the bulk of students study abroad during the summer, and 21 students in the fall is about average. In the last five years, the fall numbers peaked at 39 students in 2008.

Of these 21, eight are student teaching.

“The way that this program works is there are 10 students a year, so right now there’s a lot going in the fall,” Holland said. “They’re all over the world.”

Some of the countries where Eastern students are student teaching include Ireland, Australia, China, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand and Germany. 

Holland said the majors of these students vary from English, art, history and kinesiology sports studies.

The students applying to student-teach overseas go through a rigorous application process and 10 students are selected, she said.

 “We are the only school in Illinois that participates in the consortium,” she said. “The consortium is run out of Kent State in Ohio, and there are 15 member schools.”

The remaining students are studying abroad in England, Spain, Costa Rica, Ireland and South Korea.

“The other ones are partner programs with places such as Harlaxton College,” she said.

Holland said the number of students that study abroad from semester to semester does vary.

“Spring is usually the more populated time to study abroad,” she said. “It really does depend on what students are looking for.”

Holland said a lot of seniors study abroad the first semester of their senior year.

“Some students may be reluctant to miss out on the last semester of their senior year, but we do see some where students will go in the fall and decide to stay for the spring as well,” she said. “A lot of it depends on their curriculum.”

Students can receive scholarships to study abroad, and funding is rewarded through the Study Abroad program.

Holland said there are various deadlines throughout the year for students to apply for study abroad scholarships.

“The $100,000 that the Study Abroad Office has is applicable to any kind of programming,” Holland said. “It includes Spring Break, the Winter Break, the academic year, the semester, the student teacher, as well as merit and financial need.”

Holland said the group that is currently studying abroad is a high-achieving group.

“The way the funds are distributed has a lot to do with the application itself,” Holland said. “The GPA is the foundation of the application.”

Out of the group currently studying abroad, Holland said three of the 21 received endowed scholarships, three merit awards and four financial-need awards.

“We also had one exchange waiver for Ajou in South Korea,” she said. “They send us students, and we send them students as well.”

Holland said out of the 300 students Eastern sends abroad, almost 200 students go in the summertime. 

“It’s hyper-competitive,” she said. 

Out of the 21 students currently studying abroad currently, Holland said three have a 4.0 GPA, and many of the others have above a 3.6 as well.

“I think we’re only going to see the numbers rise because it’s a very busy season,” she said.

Holland said the next biggest event is the Study Abroad Fair, which is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 12 in the University Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Robyn Dexter can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].