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Why study abroad

Study abroad offers you valuable cross-cultural experience. You can improve your language skills, learn to live and work in culturally diverse surroundings, and improve your value on the job market. You can travel, make new friends, and broaden your horizons.

As a UW Engineering student, you can choose from more than 50 programs in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe.

Study in a foreign language, or in English!

You can choose from programs that will develop your language skills or from those that offer instruction in English, so language need not be a barrier to your studying abroad. For programs that require foreign-language proficiency, you will need four semesters of the target language.

Study abroad for a summer, a semester or a year

Most programs offer you the flexibility to study abroad for a semester or a year. IESP also offers summer programs for any time after your freshman year.

You can choose a length of program that fits with your academic plans or other considerations. Depending on the program, you can go abroad at any time after your freshman year, and you can even graduate abroad, as credits earned on IESP programs count as "in residence," which means your enrollment in a program abroad is considered to be equivalent to being enrolled and attending classes at UW-Madison.

If you plan ahead, study abroad programs can fit with your current academic timeline so that you don't necessarily have to graduate later than students who don't go on study abroad. The overseas institutions where IESP has its programs offer courses that can count toward UW students' engineering majors and graduation requirements. Study abroad enhances students' resumes, especially in today's global society.

Remain enrolled at UW-Madison

While on IESP programs, you are considered "in residence" at UW-Madison, which means that you maintain your student status, earn residence credit for courses taken abroad, and qualify for UW financial aid. The majority of programs are exchange programs, which means you would pay tuition at the UW-Madison rate.

Choose courses toward your major, or branch out!

The courses you complete abroad can help you make progress toward your engineering degree or allow you to explore additional academic areas.

While abroad, you are required to enroll in the equivalent of 12 to 18 UW-Madison credits. You can take engineering courses toward your major or non-engineering courses as well. You can fulfill major and graduation requirements abroad, and taking electives abroad gives you maximum flexibility when choosing courses.

Courses taken abroad toward an engineering major are posted to your UW transcript with pass/fail grades. The number of credits is determined through a scale developed for each institution.

Plan for the costs of studying abroad and find ways to fund it

Tuition on the majority of the study abroad programs costs the same as studying at the UW. You can also apply for scholarships, and you may be eligible for additional financial aid to cover the cost of living abroad.

Information on tuition, available scholarships and estimated budgets is available on our web site. Information on estimated budgets is on program-specific pages in IESP's web site. Information on scholarships is found on IESP's scholarship information page.

Build your resume with a Certificate in International Engineering

Courses in language, culture and other local subjects taken abroad (as well as in Madison) can count toward a Certificate in International Engineering, which demonstrates your knowledge of a specific country or region. This credential appears on your transcript, strengthens your resume; and testifies to your preparation for an international career.

To obtain the certificate, you must meet minimum course requirements in language and/or area studies, have an international study or work experience (for which a study-abroad program would count), and take a course focusing on international engineering. Detailed information on requirements is available on the certificate web page.

Know the requirements

GPA requirement

For most semester- and year-long programs, the requirement is a cumulative GPA of 3.0. The requirement for summer programs is a cumulative GPA of 2.5. This varies somewhat by program; check with IESP for particular programs.

Academic standing

You must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory academic progress to study abroad.

Deadlines for application

October 1 for spring programs
Mid-December for summer programs
March 1 for fall or academic-year programs

Choose a program

As you think about studying abroad, you may want to consider what language or region interests you, the kinds of courses you might want or need to take, the length of programs, and the timing of study abroad in relation to your academic career. For more information on choosing and applying to study abroad, consult the list of programs.