UNCW Office of International Programs

A World of Possibilities

UNCW offers more than 500 education abroad opportunities for its students with the goal of enabling every student to find a high-quality program that is a good fit with his/her academic and personal goals for the abroad experience. Use the search features below to investigate program options, review online program fliers, explore links to host university and program provider web sites, etc. Printed brochures and program catalogs from affiliated providers are also available at the Office of International Programs (OIP). You may also peruse the OIP resource library which provides prospectus booklets, videos, past participants' evaluations and other printed program information.

The approved education abroad opportunities found above fall into three general categories of programs:

UNCW Faculty-led Programs
UNCW's Direct Global Partners
Programs through consortiums and program providers with whom UNCW is affiliated. These Include:

We trust that nearly all UNCW students can find an appropriate education abroad program through this extensive menu of options. However, as we want to encourage all students to study abroad, we recognize that some individuals may wish to study very particular topics, with an eminent scholar, need special services, or have other compelling reasons to study in a city, country or at a university with which UNCW has no pre-approved option. Therefore, we invite such students to petition for approval of their program choices.

Before petitioning for approval of any program not affiliated with UNCW:

Once you have attended an OIP Study Abroad Information Session, you may also make an appointment with OIP staff to discuss your options. In order to study abroad through UNCW and be eligible to receive transfer credit from an unaffiliated program abroad, students must complete this petition. If approved, you will then be responsible for completing a UNCW Education Abroad Application Packet. You may submit both the petition and application simultaneously or await approval of the petition, providing you allow ample time to complete the Education Abroad Application Packet by the corresponding UNCW deadline. Please note that you are also responsible for following the application process of the program provider/host university.

What is an Unaffiliated Program? This includes any program that does not appear on the OIP menu of direct partner, consortium (UNCEP, or ISEP), or affiliated provider (AustraLearn, AIFS, CEA, CIEE, ISA or Semester at Sea) options, such as programs through other study abroad providers and options of direct enrolment in foreign universities.

Why must Unaffiliated Programs be approved? OIP must endorse all study abroad participation by UNCW students to ensure the following:

students are aware of all program options and procedures;
the program host has appropriate academic offerings;
the program host sufficiently addresses issues of student safety and well-being;
the program host provides adequate services for visiting international students; and
to verify that credits earned abroad will be eligible for transfer to UNCW. This requires that credit be sent to UNCW on a transcript from an accredited, degree-granting institution.

How does one apply for UNCW approval on an affiliated education abroad program?

In order for OIP to consider endorsement of a unaffiliated program you are considering, you must supply the details and documentation requested on the Petition for Approval of an Unaffiliated Education Abroad Program form, available upon request to Mark Gallovic or Kara Pike. We urge students considering unaffiliated programs to first make an appointment with OIP staff to explore options before proceeding with the petition or application process.