Hey! My name is Desmond and I am one of the graduate assistants within the Study Away Programs office. I completed three semesters abroad in Mexico and am now in my third year working for Study Away Programs which makes me qualified to talk to you about going abroad! To get the conversation rolling, we’re going to do a bit of role play. I’ll pretend that your child has decided to stop by our office to learn a bit more about how Missouri State Bears can study away. We’ll cover some common questions that both students and parents have about Study Away. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions!

What does it mean to study away?

Study away simply means to pursue academic credit anywhere that is not your host institution (which will hopefully be Missouri State)! Students can opt to pursue credit anywhere domestic or international, but we’ll talk more about that later. Typically, students receive course pre-approval before going abroad so they know the classes they take abroad will count in their degree plan. Study Away or your academic advisor can assist with this.

If a student wants to apply for a study away program, is the tuition paid by Missouri State?

For most of our programs, tuition is not paid for by Missouri State. Students can use any financial aid that is listed on their FAFSA to be used towards their study away program. That money will then be applied to the institution or third-party provider where the student is going, and they will pay nothing to Missouri State except a small administrative fee. Students can use most scholarships when going abroad and we always encourage students to research additional funding sources. Students receiving the Board of Governors (BOG) scholarship, Provost scholarship, or Deans Scholarship will have access to a $1,000 Study Away voucher. Additionally, students meeting scholarship criteria can apply for Study Away College scholarships awarded for each term.

~Desmond Warren, Graduate Assistant, Study Away