Frequently Asked Questions
Questions first-year students often ask about the Study-Abroad program at Centre

Are there indeed two basic kinds of study-abroad opportunities at Centre?
Yes.      

1) Centre runs its own recurring, long-term, group residential programs in Strasbourg, France (fall and spring); Merida, Mexico (fall & spring); and London (spring).   Also, Centre students regularly participate in Centre-sponsored programs in England at the University of Reading (fall), in Japan (fall/CentreTerm), in Northern Ireland (fall or full year), and in China (fall).

2) the specialized, January CentreTerm programs, whose locations change each winter, and the late May-early June Centre program in Strasbourg.   Students may also participate in the many Kentucky Institute for International Studies programs.

How much extra does study-abroad cost here?
The costs of our semester programs are the same as studying on the main Danville campus, with the exception that students pay a $350 surcharge and their airfare.     

The additional costs of the specialized, January CentreTerm programs vary from about $2,200 to $3,600.  

About how much is the airfare for the semester programs?
Merida, London, and Strasbourg-bound students have found student round-trip airfares for around $600-$900. Centre awards students going to Japan and China $800 toward their airfare, which has cost about $1,300.  

Are there scholarships available to cover any extra costs of the semester programs?
Yes. Centre has an endowed fund designated to help some students on need-based financial aid cover some additional costs of a long-term, residential program.   Also, rising seniors with unmet need (or "gap") who have not yet studied abroad are eligible to receive a Senior Subsidy to help pay for a CentreTerm or summer Strasbourg program during their senior year.

What's the best year and best term to study abroad?
Because freshmen are not allowed to study abroad and most seniors want to remain in Danville during their last year, Centre students usually study abroad during the fall term or spring term of their sophomore or junior year.  

Other factors, such as academic requirements and sports schedules, may also influence your decision.

I 've heard that it's difficult for certain science students, such as biology majors who are pre-med, to study abroad. Is this right?
Wrong. The academic schedule of most Centre students allows them to study abroad during any term of their sophomore, junior, or senior year.   It's true that the sequential pattern of courses in a few science majors makes it easiest for those students to study abroad during a particular term.   For example, biology majors who enter with math proficiency can easily study abroad in the spring of their sophomore year--or during a later term. The best time to study abroad for BMB majors who plan to take the MCAT or DAT exam is usually during the fall of their junior year. It's easiest for Computer Science majors to study abroad during their sophomore spring term. The Study-Abroad Office in Carnegie has sample schedules for freshmen who plan to major in biology, BMB, chemistry, computer science, and mathematics, showing what long term generally works best for study-abroad. It's important that students contemplating mathematics, computer science, education, and science majors talk with advisors and figure out their study-abroad plans early in their college career--before registering for their freshman CentreTerm and spring term courses.   

How competitive are the long-term, residential programs?   Will I be selected for a slot?
In the past, the vast majority of Centre students who have applied for one of our residential programs have been selected, although some have not been selected for a particular program the first time they applied.   The Centre Commitment does not guarantee that all students can study abroad in the particular program and at the particular time of their choosing.   (See "Hints for Strengthening Your Study-Abroad Application.")   

Can I study abroad more than once?
Yes.   Centre will fund you for only one of its semester programs, but you may participate in as many CentreTerm and K.I.I.S. programs as you wish (and can afford).  

When do I apply, and how?
Information about and applications for next year's semester programs as well as CentreTerm offerings will be made available at campus-wide meetings just before and after Thanksgiving and in early January.   Applications for the long-term programs are due at the beginning of Spring term, and selections are announced within two weeks.   CentreTerm trip participants are selected by the faculty sponsors of those trips, and for most programs virtually everyone who applies is accepted.  

When should I start thinking about studying abroad at Centre?
Right now.   Let your advisor know when you are thinking of studying abroad.   And feel free to email Milton Reigelman with any questions.  

For more information on Centre's Study Abroad Program, contact Milton Reigelman or Lisa Nesmith.