International Education

Welcome!

The International Education Office provides students and faculty opportunities to participate in academic and cultural programs around the world.

The goals of the International Education Office are:

Increase study/travel abroad opportunities for faculty and students
Prepare faculty and students to travel abroad with pre-departure guidance and resources
Identify funding sources to increase opportunities
Maintain productive partnerships with international universities
Assist faculty in the creation of new study abroad academic course offerings

The Fall 2024 DSU Goes Global Passport Grant application will open on Monday, September 16 at 8 AM. The deadline to apply is 11:59 PM on Friday, September 20.

About the DSU Goes Global Passport Grant

Delta State University’s International Student Services Office is excited to offer 10 DSU Goes Global Passport Grants to eligible Delta State students who have never had a U.S. passport. Thanks to donations from generous Delta State University alumni and friends of DSU, we are able to offer this kind of grant to students.

The award amount is $180. The $180 will cover the costs for (1) the application fee of a U.S. passport book ($130), (2) the execution/acceptance fee ($35), and (3) passport photos ($15). This award will not cover other fees, which may include expedited delivery fees or travel expenses to submit application materials at the nearest passport application processing center. This award will not reimburse for a passport card.

Applying for the grant does not guarantee every eligible student will be approved.

HOW IT WORKS

DSU International Student Services will award reimbursement for the regular passport service fees for eligible applicants applying for their very first U.S. passport on a first eligible, first serve basis.

To apply for the study abroad grant:

1. Complete the DSU Goes Global Passport Grant application and submit. If your application is approved, you will be informed by DSU International Student Services.

2. If your application is approved, you will receive a grant agreement. Once you sign the grant agreement, you will complete a passport application (available at the post office) or at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html. Or, you can come to the International Services Office in Union 200 for assistance.

3. Passport applications require 2 passport photos. You can receive FREE passport photos by attending a DSU Passport Photo Day. Also, passport photo service can often be found at Walgreens, CVS, and other businesses for a fee. The U.S. Post Offices can also take passport photos for a fee.

4. Go to the main U.S. Post Office in Cleveland at 210 S. Chrisman Avenue, your hometown post office, or your county records office (check to see who processes passports in your area) to apply for your passport.

5. Bring proof of U.S. citizenship (a certified birth certificate, for example) with you to the post office when you apply for your passport.

6. Checks (personal, certified, cashier’s) and/or money orders are the accepted forms of payment for passport processing. The total cost as of March 8, 2024 is $165 (excluding photos). There will be an additional fee ($15) if a U.S. Post Office also takes the photos. The Cleveland post office does not accept credit cards as a form of payment, so make sure you have an alternate form of payment (checks seem to be the best form of payment). For more information on accepted forms of payment, see http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/fees.html

7. Show a photo ID (i.e. driver’s license) when you apply.

8. KEEP ALL RECEIPTS. Make sure to save all receipts, as costs cannot be reimbursed without receipts. Once you have applied at the post office, come to the International Student Services office with your receipts as proof for your reimbursement. You will be issued a check for the regular passport service fees and USPS photo service fees you have paid. Check issuing may take up to two weeks upon verification of passport receipts.

9. Bring your passport to the International Student Services Office after you have received it (average passport processing is 8-10 weeks).

For questions and more information, including assistance with the passport application, please contact Michelle Johansen, Assistant Coordinator of International Student Services, at mjohansen@826306.com or stop by the ISS Office in Union 200.

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.

To be eligible for the Gilman Program, applicants must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship.

A selected student may receive up to $5,000.00 to study or intern abroad.

The Institute of International Education has administered the program since its inception in 2001.

For more information, please contact Gilman Scholarship Adviser Michelle Johansen at mjohansen@826306.com.

Magellan Exchange Program

Participating in a Magellan student exchange program is the ideal way to learn about another culture and country. The future requires global knowledge and being at ease in other cultures, and this is the perfect opportunity to develop these skills. Students are fully immersed in the educational and social life of the host country, providing experiences they could never have any other way.

Benefits of Studying Abroad through DSU and Magellan

You may apply to study abroad for a semester or an academic year. Summer and other short-term programs are available in some locations. In addition, some locations can also offer internships in conjunction with classes.

The common language of instruction among Magellan schools is English, so you’ll find a selection of courses taught in English at all schools. If you are proficient in the host language, you may generally also choose to take courses taught in the local language. At the conclusion of your program, you will receive a transcript; your home school will then determine how to apply the credits to your current degree.

Explore Semester and Year-Long Study Abroad Options

Explore Summer and Short-Term (1-3 weeks) Study Abroad Options

Magellan locations for include: Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom

Costs

With Magellan, you do not pay tuition at your host school; you will pay tuition at Delta State, as usual (if applicable). This means your scholarships and financial aid will generally apply! You will be responsible for your housing expenses abroad, as well as your transportation, passport, visa/residence permit, and personal expenses. International Student Services can assist you with determining a budget.

All Magellan applications require a non-refundable application processing fee of $165 (semester/academic year programs) or $75 (short-term programs). Refer to the Magellan Student Guidebook for more details.

Deadlines

Semester and academic year applications will be processed after the deadlines. Placements are generally confirmed within 1-2 weeks. Short-term program placements will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will only be processed after they are submitted/approved and the application processing fee is received.

Short-Term Exchanges | Varies by Program
Academic Year Exchanges | March 15
Fall Semester Exchanges | March 15
Spring Semester Exchanges | October 15

Contact International Student Services for more information.

Eramus+

The Erasmus+ program is the European Union program for education, training, youth, and sport. It offers opportunities for mobility (travel) of students, staff, and faculty. DSU is one of three partner universities in the United States with an Erasmus+ partnership with KUL.

Check out the Eramus+ webpage for details!

Check out the Japan Outreach Initiative webpage for details!

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an immersive summer opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America’s engagement with the world.

Each summer, American undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities across the country, spend eight to ten weeks learning one of thirteen languages at an intensive study abroad institute. The CLS Program is designed to promote rapid language gains and essential intercultural fluency in regions that are critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity.

CLS Spark, an initiative of the CLS Program, provides opportunities for American undergraduate college and university students to study Arabic, Chinese and Russian virtually at the beginning level.

Designed to leverage best practices in online language learning, CLS Spark provides students with the opportunity to study critical languages virtually when they may not have access to studying these languages on their campuses.

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by American Councils for International Education.

For more information, please contact CLS Adviser Michelle Johansen at mjohansen@826306.com.

Want to study, research, or work abroad after graduation?

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program expands perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. Fulbright creates connections in a complex and changing world. In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers unparalleled opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.

During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. Through engagement in the community, individuals will interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.

Grant lengths and dates vary by award.

For more information, please contact Fulbright Program Adviser Michelle Johansen at mjohansen@826306.com.