The Division of Student Affairs is holding a series of welcome and opportunity events for students as part of Weeks of Welcome, a two-week run of expos and programs at the start of the semester aimed at getting students involved on campus and abroad.
On Wednesday, Sept. 2, students could attend the Study Abroad Fair, run by the Office of International Affairs. The event ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Campus Center atrium and showcased opportunities to study outside the United States.
Programs on display spanned the globe, from short trips over spring break to summer terms and longer stays. Options were available for both English-only and multilingual students.
A language requirement is not always a barrier. A May trip to Germany is open to students who have not studied German. Registration closes March 1, and the trip runs May 14-20, 2027.
The Office of International Affairs also works to integrate foreign exchange students, part of what the office describes on its website as its role in advancing internationalization at IU Indianapolis — something it calls a key piece of the campus strategic plan.
Several scholarships are administered through the IU Indianapolis Study Abroad Office, and the deadlines vary by program.
The International Experience Scholarship awards up to $1,000 and the Shreve Study Abroad Scholarship up to $2,000. Both are due Oct. 15 for winter, spring, spring break and summer programs, and Feb. 1 for summer, fall and academic year programs.
"It does require planning and coordination with the study abroad office and your academic advisor, but I think if students give themselves enough time and plan ahead and work with our office to explore scholarship opportunities, it can be an accessible option for students," said Claire Wendt, assistant director of study abroad in the Office of International Affairs.
First-year students can apply for the Study Abroad Planning Grant, a $3,000 award for degree-seeking undergraduates who have completed no more than two fall or spring semesters. Applications are open from Sept. 1 to Nov. 15, and recipients have three years to spend the money on an approved program. Applicants do not need to have chosen a program yet.
"Most scholarships are awarded and say I'm going to go to the UK in spring of '27 and then something happens and you aren't able to participate in that program, then you may lose that funding. With the Planning Grant you have that opportunity over any time of the next four years," said Leah Jansen, program manager of global health programs at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health.
National awards are also available. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, open to Pell Grant recipients, awards up to $5,000. The Boren Awards, administered by the Institute of International Education, fund study of critical languages abroad and require a year of federal government service after graduation; they award up to $25,000 for an academic year, $12,500 for a semester and $8,000 for a summer.
A study abroad funding session is set for Sept. 23, and a scholarship workshop is scheduled for 1 p.m. Oct. 6. Students can RSVP through the Study Abroad Office events calendar.
Students who have gone abroad say the experience changes how they see the world.
"Hearing individual experiences and seeing those, especially in art, you can visualize the emotions and expression based on the media that they used," said Lauren Beaster, who traveled to Venice, Italy, to study contemporary art.
Some students extend their trips and travel independently once a program ends.
"I was solo for a whole month as well after, and I think that being there with a group first really helped me be able to do that because if I tried to travel without that experience, I would be lost," said Olivia Daniels, who stayed in Italy after the program ended.
The fair also covered health preparation. Campus Health offers travel health services tailored to a student's destination.
Information sessions are starting as trip deadlines approach. The Tsuda University and Hakuoh University exchange program, which takes students to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, holds an information night at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 7.
Devin Bates (they/he) is a journalism major at IU Indianapolis and works for The Campus Citizen as an editor and writer, with an interest in writing and the arts. In their free time they can be found working on their project cars or writing, and they also enjoy crafts like cosplay, listening to music and gaming.
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