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Miami University students will be able to apply their current scholarships to more than 175 semester abroad program locations offered by other institutions, thanks to a new policy announced by the offices of the provost, student financial assistance and international education. Students can apply Miami's scholarships (but not Ohio Leader Scholarships or Ohio Resident Scholarships) and federal financial aid to co-sponsored programs with other study abroad providers through a new co-sponsored agreement with Miami. Programs include locations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America and Asia.
The new policy is one of a series of decisions made recently to expand study abroad for Miami students of every degree program, according to Provost Jeffrey Herbst. Currently, about one-third of all Miami students study abroad: the goal is to provide this study opportunity to one-half of all Miami students and to send half of all participants abroad on programs lasting a semester or longer.
This new policy will address the challenge faced by many students who have not been able to find scholarship-eligible programs in the locations and study fields they need and want, according to David Keitges, director of international education.
The new scholar "co-sponsored programs" are on the office of international education Web site. The programs are offered by three national academic consortia of which Miami is a member: the Institute for International Education of Students (IES), the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and the School for International Training (SIT).
Eligible scholarships are released by the office of student financial assistance to the study abroad provider and the student pays the remainder of the program fee directly to the provider. Since students are not billed Miami tuition for these co-sponsored programs, the Ohio Leader and Ohio Resident Scholarships are not eligible to be applied.
Miami also offers a recently instituted Study Abroad Airfare Grant program that provides a $1,200 package of a grant and zero-interest loans to Miami students who are eligible for federal financial aid and seek to study abroad for a semester or longer. For information about the Airfare Grant program and about how to apply financial aid and scholarships to a study abroad co-sponsored program, go the office of student financial assistance Web site.
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