The Global Michigan website contains information and resources for students of many different identities who are considering studying abroad, including: disabilities abroad, first generation abroad, LGBTQ+ abroad, race and ethnicity abroad, heritage seekers abroad, international students abroad, military-connected students abroad, and nontraditional students abroad.
At U-M, these forms can be completed by academic advisors. Even if the form asks for a signature from a study abroad advisor, your academic advisors are considered study abroad advisors in these cases. Although the International Center advises on non-UM study abroad programs, we are not able to sign these forms because we do not have access to students’ academic or disciplinary records.
There are a number of non-UM study abroad providers out there, so the right program might depend on your particular interests. A great place for you to start would be looking through Go Abroad. The International Center is also able to advise you on non-UM options for study, internship, volunteer, and post-graduate work abroad providers. We encourage you to contact [email protected] with any questions about non-UM programs.
There are academic, health and safety, and financial differences between studying abroad through a U-M program vs. a non-UM (external).
First, when studying abroad through a U-M program, students may receive in-residence credit. In-residence credits do not need to be transferred, and they will count towards your GPA. For non-UM programs, you must go through the U-M credit transfer process to ensure that the credits you receive through a non-UM program will transfer to your U-M degree.
U-M students are able to pursue non-UM, or external, education abroad opportunities. There are numerous considerations that you must be aware of when making the decision to travel on these programs, including credit transfer, health insurance, financial aid, and more. See the International Center’s Non-UM Programs webpage for more information and/or contact [email protected].
Students are allowed to apply to up to three U-M study abroad programs through M-Compass. Applying to multiple non-UM programs, which often means paying multiple application fees, is usually not necessary. You might want to apply to several different programs if you are still considering several options, if you might not meet all program requirements (such as the minimum GPA), or if you are applying very close to the application deadlines, since programs stop accepting students once they have filled up.
Students should check out the M-Compass database to explore study abroad options through schools and colleges on campus. If you’re not sure how to reach your school’s education abroad office, check out this list of education abroad offices on campus.
There are numerous options administered by many of the schools and colleges at U-M. U-M sponsored study abroad programs can be found on M-Compass. See U-M Study Abroad Offices and Programs for more information.
