“Study abroad offers you more than a few credits toward graduation. It offers you the experience of a lifetime: an opportunity to experience life from another culture’s point of view, meet new people and make new friends, see sites you previously only saw in pictures, and most importantly, it gives you an opportunity to confidently witness your faith to others, both in word and deed.” ~ Leah Nass, MLC student
What is Study Abroad?
Simply defined, Study Abroad is a program in which students attend school in a country outside the United States and receive academic credit. This includes short-term, language immersion, study tour, or semester programs.
Why Study Abroad?
A recent study by The Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) covering 49 years of study abroad programs and 3,400 students showed that, regardless of where or for how long a student studied abroad, studying abroad is a defining moment in a person’s life and positively influences their world-view and self confidence.
What are my Study Abroad Options?
Short Term Faculty Led Programs
We offer a number of short-term faculty led programs. In addition to Spanish language immersion, we also collaborate with Wisconsin Lutheran College for a Marine Ecology course during winter break. Watch the portal and bulletin boards for short term program opportunities.
Semester and Summer Abroad Programs
MLC has partnered with a number of study abroad providers to offer a wide variety of semester and summer abroad options for our students. Our primary partners are:
Additional provider options include:
Representatives from these providers will occasionally be on campus, so watch the portal and bulletin boards for visit dates. You’re always welcome to stop in at the International Services Office to explore these semester and summer opportunities.
Where can I go?
The choice is yours! Whether you choose a language immersion program in South America, a faculty led short-term course in Italy or the Lutherlands, or a semester anywhere else in the world, you’ll be sure to return home with a broader world-view and a new appreciation for other cultures.
How do I decide?
The decision to study abroad isn’t an easy one. We understand and are here to help! If you’re planning on a language immersion trip your language professor will be able to answer all of your questions and assist you in the planning process. If you are considering a semester or summer abroad, we recommend reading through our Study Abroad Policy. Then, simply stop in the Cultural Engagement Center and visit any of our partner websites to start researching your options.
When should I start planning?
As soon as possible! Freshman year is the best time to start planning, especially for our students in the Studies in Pastoral Ministry program who need to take their language program requirements into consideration. Your junior year is the ideal time to travel for those students who choose to study abroad for a full semester.
Can I afford it?
Although you aren’t eligible for MLC institutional aid, federal financial aid can be applied to your study abroad program because even though you’ll be studying overseas, you’re still enrolled as an MLC student. If you are eligible for the Pell Grant, you are also eligible for the Gilman Scholarship. However, the Gilman Scholarship is not linked to the FAFSA . You must apply for it separately, so please be aware of the application deadlines.
Also, most of our study abroad partners offer program discounts for our students and scholarships that you may apply for.
Ready to apply?
If you think you’re ready to take the first step to a life-changing experience, simply stop in the Cultural Engagement Center and we’ll get to work! First we’ll help you decide you where to go and help you find the right courses that will transfer to your program. Then you simply need to complete the MLC Study Abroad Application and apply to your program provider. Just imagine the culture and perspective you’ll bring back to your studies at MLC and eventually your own classrooms and congregations!
Learn more at the U.S. Department of State’s Students Abroad website.
