Ready to Discover!

The Center for International Programs  would like to congratulate the SUNY New Paltz students who have been accepted to study abroad this summer and fall!

Our Accepted Student’s Night is a great way for accepted students to meet each other, hang out and ask our study abroad alumni and staff questions while enjoying a slice of pizza!

Check out the event photos here!

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Congratulations to Marianne Kramer ’14 (Biology)

Marianne paragliding over Interlaken, Switzerland

Marianne paragliding over Interlaken, Switzerland

After she graduates this spring, Marianne will begin her PhD in Biology at the University of Pennsylvania with full funding.

When Marianne attended interviews for graduate programs, the first thing she was asked about was her study abroad experience.

Marianne spent fall semester 2013 conducting cancer research at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

Marianne’s story is yet another example of how study abroad can open doors and create opportunities!

Marianne on a hike in France

Marianne on a hike in France

Can freshmen and seniors study abroad? YES!!!

Study abroad is offered to EVERYONE!

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Students completing their first year can study abroad on a semester program during  second semester of freshman year, although this is not typical and only offered for a select handful of programs. However, freshman students are welcome to apply for winter intercession programs and/or summer programs after their first year is completed.

Students are welcome to apply for an academic year, semester or summer study abroad program during their sophomore, junior or senior year. View specific program requirements on the program brochure pages.
Seniors or final-semester students are eligible to participate on study abroad programs. Any student in their 4th or final-semester of study should consult with their study abroad and academic advisers prior to submitting an application to study abroad.
If Not Now When

Financial Aid CAN be used for Study Abroad!

If you are currently receiving financial aid in the form of a scholarship, grant, or loan from your home campus, you may be able to continue to receive that same financial aid to apply towards billed expenses to study abroad.

You can review your financial aid on my.newpaltz.edu

Any excess aid would get refunded to you to help pay for the non-billed expenses listed on your budget sheet (e.g. airfare, etc.). Refunds are issued by the Office of Student Accounts.

Each New Paltz program varies in cost and fees for each program are listed on each program brochure page under “Budget Sheet” as well as “Program Cost”.  The budget sheets are meant to be used as a guideline since costs are subject to change and can fluctuate based on exchange rates.

For additional information on Financial Aid, please contact the SUNY New Paltz Financial Aid office.

The Wanderlust Has Definitely Been Caught!

Hi I’m Ellie, your guest blogger for today!

I’m a graduate student assistant here at the Center for International Programs. I’m going to talk a little bit about what I do here at the office and my study abroad experience (and why you should study abroad too)!

So first, a little bit about my job here at the office. I am the Graduate Assistant at the Center for International Programs and I’m in charge of entering all of the forms from students who are applying to study abroad, I create folders, do filing, check off received documents and email students to keep them up-to-date on the status of their application.

Secondary duties include assisting answering the phones at busy times, talk with students about their plans to study abroad and general administrative assistance around the office.  It’s a fun job and I’m glad that I can do it while also having time to take my classes and finish my degree.

The good news for future graduate students who are interested in working in an international environment is that the Center for International Programs will be looking for a new Graduate Assistant next semester!

Be on the lookout for emails about this job opening and definitely apply if you’re interested. For more info and to apply, visit www.newpaltz.edu/studyabroad.

Okay, now on to a bit about my study abroad experience…

I studied abroad four years ago, in the fall of 2010 in London, England.

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That’s me falling in love with Greenwich, a section of outer London.

To say that London changed my life would be an understatement.

The city is incredibly rich in history and learning opportunities. The school I attended was great. I was able to stay in dorms on campus, take part in student union activities, attend class and be just a 10-15 minute Overground ride to the center of London.

Because I was a Psychology student, it was easy for me to find classes in the liberal arts college.  The classes were set up a bit differently than the American classes I was used to at home. Independent reading was a must when the class only met once a week.

The best part about my academics while abroad was the different perspective I was able to get on topics that I had covered briefly in my home campus’s classes.

When I wasn’t in class or the library getting work done, I was making trips into the heart of London and taking everything in!! The ease of travel from one place to another, even one country to another, was incredible.  I was lucky enough to go to Scotland by train and Italy by plane while I was abroad.

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My friends and I took a trip to Rome over our November break – and it was a perfect getaway.  We were able to see not just the Sistine Chapel, but the inside of the Vatican, parts of Tuscany (in Siena, Italy), Venice and Florence. This was accomplished in four days!

Needless to say, when I returned home from my semester abroad, I was ready to go travel to a new country and see more of the world…

The wanderlust had definitely been caught!

Well, that’s all I’ve got for today.  I hope you’ve enjoyed reading along with me!

Don’t forget to stop by the office if you’ve got questions about studying abroad.  Hope to see you soon!

–   Ellie

Discover You. Discover the World.

Hi! I’m Sam.

I work for the Center for International Programs at SUNY New Paltz as the Study Abroad Marketing Assistant.

Remember to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter #newpaltzabroad

Study Abroad Twitter

You have heard it all before: “Study Abroad is… AMAZING, life-changing, crazy, exciting… and that if you could, you would do it all over again.”

Well, I am not going to tell you any different.

But I will be telling you about scholarship opportunities, the kind of study abroad programs we offer, where we offer programs, how to apply, that Financial Aid CAN be applied to your study abroad experience… and that Studying Abroad is amazing, obviously.

Blog you later,

Sam