The popularity of study abroad programs, both through Tufts and other colleges, has increased steadily over the past several years. While students must apply to get into abroad programs, the Programs Abroad Office continues to make efforts to accommodate rising enrollment demands.
The popularity of study abroad programs has increased steadily over the past several years due to the influence of the strong international relations program and large international student body. While students must apply to get into abroad programs both at Tufts and through other schools, the Programs Abroad Office continues to make efforts to accommodate enrollment demands within their programs.
Just how competitive admissions to study abroad programs are varies from year to year and program to program. And while there is no set pattern for the number of students who apply to each program, projected numbers can be obtained by looking at foreign language enrollment numbers.
The acceptance rate for each abroad program is contingent upon the number of spaces available at the foreign institution, and the Programs Abroad Office works with the schools to open as many spaces as possible. While not everyone is accepted blindly, there are a number of options that almost guarantee students enrollment abroad, according to Foreign Study Advisor Sally Kavolus O'Leary.
The actual application process depends on the program. Typically, for Tufts programs, a panel of professors from a cross-section of departments review and discuss applications before admitting qualified students.
For most Tufts-sponsored programs, this is usually enough for acceptance. However, for some programs, such as Tufts-in-London, the partner institution reserves the right to make the final admissions decision.
Since students are told in advance of the minimum grade point average and obligatory course work required for admission, it is rare that a student will not be qualified for the program. Students must also be in good academic and disciplinary standing. The decision of where to apply is a "self-selecting process," according to O'Leary.
"It's hard to generalize admission into Tufts programs due to the kind of programs, the nature of the University, and the nature of the students," Associate Dean of Programs Abroad Sheila Bayne said.
This year, 164 juniors are or have been enrolled in Tufts Study Abroad Programs; for non-Tufts programs, the number is 340. The number of students enrolling in the program has held steady from last year.
Each year, between 35 and 40 percent of the junior class chooses to study abroad, giving Tufts a rank of eighth in the nation for the percentage of students pursuing studies in foreign countries.
Since so many students are enrolled in Spanish classes and wanted to study in Madrid and Chile, a program with the University of Alcal?? in Madrid was added to the options this past fall.
Enrollment in non-Tufts-sponsored programs has climbed over the past several years, although this spring's numbers are slightly lower than in the past, O'Leary said.
Each school whose abroad programs have been approved by Tufts has its own requirements for admission. For acceptance through other provider schools, such as Butler and Beaver Colleges, the pre-selected applications are forwarded to the providers, who in turn can either make the final admissions decisions or forward those applications to the school overseas.
"Providers are eager to have Tufts students," O'Leary said.
Some students choose to apply to more than one program during the same semester. Each application is looked at individually, and the student can choose the program in which he or she wants to participate. Some schools cannot accommodate changes past a certain date, however. Students may also choose to spend an entire year away by spending one semester each in two different countries.
Tufts students have priority for admission to Tufts-sponsored programs and do not compete for spots against students from other universities. Non-Tufts students from schools such as Columbia, Princeton, and Bates are often accepted to fill spaces in some of the smaller programs, such as those in T??bingen, Germany.
More students choose to go abroad in the spring and, for the past three years, the Tufts-in-Australia Program has been especially popular.
Many students enrolled in the fall only find by the experience short-lived, and contact Tufts to obtain an Extended Leave for the spring. While Tufts cannot make the final decision for the institution overseas, most students do not encounter problems when applying for the second semester.
The Programs Abroad Office, located in Dowling Hall, offers a myriad of opportunities to juniors who wish to take a semester or two leave. There are currently eight Tufts programs, excluding Ghana, and 215 programs - spanning 52 countries - accredited by Tufts through other colleges.
For those who do not wish to study in a foreign country during the academic year, there are several alternatives, including programs at other colleges in the United States. Summer programs overseas are also becoming a very popular alternative. These last from four to six weeks, depending on their intensity.
If a student is not satisfied with any of these options, he or she may directly enroll into any accredited four-year institution, according to O'Leary.
