Study Abroad Information Meeting

The next Study Abroad information meeting to discuss the Summer and Fall 2012 Study Abroad semesters:

February 2012

To receive email notification of Study Abroad information meetings, send an email to studentaffairs@pointpark.edu and request to be added to the Study Abroad email list.

Application Deadline

Study abroad applications for the summer and fall 2012 semesters are normally due March 1st.

Applications will be available first at the information meeting in February; after the meeting, they will be available in the Office of Student Affairs, 7th Floor of the Student Center.

Point Park University Study Abroad Opportunities

Semester at Regent's College, London

Point Park University sponsors a program for students to take classes at Regent’s College, located in the heart of London, England. At Regent’s, courses are taught American-style by British instructors in many areas of the arts and sciences and business. By means of the Eurotrain systems and the Channel Tunnel, many beautiful and historical European cities can be explored on weekends. Students reside on campus in residence-hall style accommodations (single, double, triple) that have recently undergone extensive updates. Regent's College offers spring, summer, and fall semester programs.  Students pay Point Park tuition, along with Regent's room and board charges (flex dollar-type meal plan included). To learn more about Regent's Study Abroad program, visit their website.

Study the Arts in Paris

Through an agreement with Wells College, students can participate in the Wells Program for the Arts in Paris, France. The program is designed for students wishing to develop their interest and talent in areas such as dance, music, painting, photography, sculpture, or theater, while experiencing another culture. The program does not assume any fluency in French. However, it offers very successful language training with special emphasis on the terminology used in the arts, assuring that all committed students reach a good mastery of French before their return. Students may choose a home stay or residence hall-style accommodations (all rooms are singles) in La Cité internationale universitaire de Paris. Wells College offers spring and fall semester programs only.  Students pay Point Park tuition, along with Wells' room and board charges (no meal plan included, except that some meals are included if a home stay is chosen). To learn more about Wells' Arts in Paris program, visit their website.

American University of Rome

Through the University’s membership in the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE) consortium, Point Park students are able to study at the American University of Rome, Italy.  Founded in 1969, AUR is the oldest degree-granting American university in Rome, offering challenging courses with professors who are highly trained and experienced in their respective fields and have high academic standards.  AUR’s urban campus is located on top of the Janiculum, Rome’s highest hill, in a dedicated set of buildings in a prestigious neighborhood, within walking distance of the center of “the Eternal City.”  Students electing university-facilitated housing are placed in furnished apartments in areas surrounding the university campus; apartments are shared with other AUR students. AUR offers spring, summer, and fall semester programs.  Students pay Point Park tuition, along with AUR room and board charges (no meal plan included). To learn more about American University of Rome, visit their website.

Other Destinations

Occasional trips to Europe are arranged by Point Park University faculty, in which students can participate for University credit. These trips are typically identified as 3-credit courses and are often offered over the summer. In the past, destinations have included Greece, Hungary, England, Scotland and France. Also, other schools sponsor programs in which Point Park University students can participate, such as Semester at Sea.

Program Notes For Regent's, Wells, and AUR

1. It is crucial to apply early: September for the spring semester and February-March for the summer and fall semesters.  There is a maximum of 15 students per semester accepted into the Study Abroad program.
2. Application packets will first be available each semester at the Study Abroad information meeting.  After the meeting, application packets may be obtained in the Office of Student Affairs.
3. Work with your academic advisor and/or department chair to select courses that are compatible with your degree requirements.  Your academic advisor will need to sign the program registration and Point Park University Registration forms included in your application packet.  Approved credits earned will be counted as having been completed in-residence and grades earned will be calculated into the student's GPA. 
4. All application materials must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs.
5. Students pay Point Park University tuition, and must bear the costs of books, room and board, studio fees, personal expenses, airfare, passport, visa, etc.  For information on financial aid, see Financial Aid below.
6. For the Wells program only, a $50 non-refundable application fee is due with the application, and a $1,000 deposit will be due to Wells within 2-3 weeks of acceptance into the program by Wells.  The $1,000 deposit will be credited toward your Point Park tuition for the study abroad semester.

Registration Procedure For Trips Sponsored By Other Schools

1. Research and identify a study abroad program in which you would like to participate.
2. Apply directly to the the program.
3. Tuition and other program costs are paid directly to the sponsoring school, and any financial aid must be arranged through the sponsoring school. Institutional aid (Point Park scholarships, grants, etc.) will be forfeited for the semester abroad; for more information see Financial Aid below.
4. Work with your academic advisor and/or department chair to select courses that are compatible with your degree requirements. 
5. Complete the Request to Take Course at Another Institution form, available in the Registrar's Office. The Request to Take Course at Another Institution form must be signed by your academic advisor and academic dean and submitted to the Registrar's Office. For more information, see Undergraduate Policies.
6. Complete the Leave of Absence form, available in the Registrar's Office, and submit the completed form to the Registrar's Office.  This applies only to spring and fall programs, not summer programs. For more information, see Undergraduate Policies.
7. When the trip is completed, it is the student’s responsibility to have the transcript sent from the sponsoring program to Point Park University for evaluation of the transfer credits for successfully completed and approved courses.

Financial Aid

Students interested in the Study Abroad Program need to know that there will be additional costs incurred pertaining to travel expenses, living expenses, and general out-of-the-country expenses that are associated with study abroad programs.

Financial aid is available to students in the form of federal and state grants, federal loans, alternative loans, and personal bank loans. Institutional aid (Point Park scholarships, grants, etc.) is not available to students studying abroad, except as noted below, will be forfeited for the semester abroad, and students will be responsible for the funds forfeited in their financial aid package.  All institutional aid will be restored to the student’s financial aid package upon return to Point Park University, as long as the student is in good academic standing and meets eligibility requirements for the institutional aid.

*The maximum award retained may not exceed the total institutional aid awarded in the student’s financial aid package. Students must display financial need based upon their FAFSA. The maximum award amounts listed above apply to study abroad semesters occurring during the 2011-12 academic year.

Note:  Students may not use tuition remission, Tuition Exchange, or Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) funds for study abroad.

Students should contact the Financial Aid Office at Point Park University to discuss any financial aid concerns that they may have in regards to the semester abroad and how it affects their financial aid package.

Study Abroad Coordinator

Keith A. Paylo
Dean of Student Affairs
and Dean of Students
Office of Student Affairs
7th floor Student Center
Phone:  412-392-3840
Email:  studentaffairs@pointpark.edu

Want more information on the Study Abroad Program?

Stop in the Office of Student Affairs located on the 7th floor of the Student Center, call the office at (412) 392-3840, or send an email to studentaffairs@pointpark.edu.