  {"id":69,"date":"2014-08-19T00:11:42","date_gmt":"2014-08-19T00:11:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/?page_id=69"},"modified":"2025-03-05T11:33:04","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T17:33:04","slug":"getting-started","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/northstar-visiting-scholars\/getting-started\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Started"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"intro\">With so many options for\u00a0education abroad, you should start by asking yourself what you want to learn and where. Then there are some practical considerations.<\/p>\n<p>University-run programs like <a title=\"EuroSpring\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/education-abroad\/eurospring\/\">EuroSpring<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/education-abroad\/global-health-perspective-china-education-abroad\/\">SinoSummer<\/a> are often more convenient and affordable because students pay regular tuition and fees. If a university program doesn&#8217;t fulfill your academic and travel goals, you can explore <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/education-abroad\/exchange-programs\/\">Exchange Programs<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/education-abroad\/independent-study\/\">independent study<\/a> or programs offered through another organization.<\/p>\n<h2>Eligibility<\/h2>\n<p>Students participating in education abroad programs must meet the following BSU requirements:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Have a least a 2.5 GPA<\/li>\n<li>Having completed at least 12 college credits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To give\u00a0yourself\u00a0enough\u00a0time, you should begin preparing for your exchange a year before you plan to go. Please note that some of our exchange partners may require a different GPA\/academic standing than those from BSU.<\/p>\n<h2>Explore by Country<\/h2>\n<p>Several BSU departments offer programs that focus on a specific subject in a particular region. Explore our<a title=\"Department Programs\" href=\"\/services\/international\/education-abroad\/department-programs\/\"> department programs <\/a>to see if any of them meet your goals. You can also browse <a title=\"Exchange Programs\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/education-abroad\/exchange-programs\/\">BSU Exchange Programs<\/a> by country.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in arranging an independent study abroad,\u00a0visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.studyabroad.com\/\">studyabroad.com<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.goabroad.com\/\">goabroad.com<\/a>\u00a0to search programs by country, language or subject. Don&#8217;t rule out a country solely because the native language is not English. Some countries offer classes taught in English.<\/p>\n<h2>Cost<\/h2>\n<p>The cost of education abroad programs can vary greatly, so shop around. Don&#8217;t forget to consider extra expenses such as housing, food, insurance and transportation. One program may appear less costly than another, though it may not be once you factor in additional expenses. Try comparing the cost to what you would have spent at home. The costs of studying abroad won&#8217;t seem as overwhelming when you compare the costs to what you would normally spend at home.<\/p>\n<h2>Before You Go<\/h2>\n<ul style=\"color: #3e3e3e\">\n<li>Talk to your advisor about degree requirements and which classes will count toward graduation.<\/li>\n<li>Read up on the history and culture of your future host country.<\/li>\n<li>Research health and safety information. Some countries require inoculations such as Hepatitis A, that require multiple vaccinations.<\/li>\n<li>Apply for scholarships available for education abroad, especially if you are going outside of Europe. However, it may take a lot of research and some have early deadlines. Check to see if on-campus financial aid and scholarships can be used towards education abroad.<\/li>\n<li>You should start thinking about the logistics and practical considerations of international travel well before your plane takes off.<br \/>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\">Health and Safety<\/h3>\n<p>Enroll in the Department of State\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/step.state.gov\/step\/\">Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)<\/a>\u00a0to receive important updates from the Embassy regarding your destination country.<\/p>\n<p>Review the Minnesota Department of Health\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.state.mn.us\/diseases\/travel\/travelers.html\">Guidance for Travelers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Find more information regarding health and safety abroad, visit the Office of Higher Education\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ohe.state.mn.us\/sPages\/SAHS.cfm\">Study Abroad Health and Safety Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/insurance\/\">Insurance<\/a> is required to study abroad, and it provides coverage for unforeseen medical needs.<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Passports and Visas<\/h3>\n<p>Students traveling abroad for work or study must have a valid passport and possibly a student visa. Learn more about the<a title=\"Visa &amp; Documents\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/education-abroad\/before-you-travel\/visa-documents\/\">\u00a0visa application process.<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Payments and Currency<\/h3>\n<h5>Credit\/Debit Cards<\/h5>\n<p>Learn how to responsibly communicate with your bank(s) and\u00a0<a title=\"Credit\/Debit Cards\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alliantcreditunion.org\/money-mentor\/five-tips-for-credit-card-use-while-travelling-internationally\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">use cards abroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h5>International Currency<\/h5>\n<p>Know\u00a0the exchange rates for international currency and best practices for making purchases in various countries.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oanda.com\/currency-converter\/en\/?from=USD&amp;to=CNY&amp;amount=1\">Here<\/a> is a website with international currency converter, and can show you rate for ATM and credit card conversions.<\/p>\n<h3>Learn (some of) the Language<\/h3>\n<p>Chances are, you\u2019ll pick up some of the local language and dialect once you spend some time in a different country. But it would be helpful to arrive already equipped with some\u00a0<a title=\"Language Help\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/education-abroad\/before-you-travel\/language-help\/\">basic words and conversational phrases<\/a>. One great resource for learning a language is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.duolingo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Duolingo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>What to Pack<\/p>\n<p>Remember to pack climate- and culturally-appropriate clothing, as well as toiletries, school supplies, a few good books, and anything else you need to make you feel at home abroad. But don\u2019t overpack! After many\u00a0hours on planes and trains, the last thing you\u2019ll want to do is deal with\u00a0heavy luggage.<\/p>\n<p>When traveling, make sure you carry (and safely store) some cash, your passport and student visa, and plenty of water.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With so many options for\u00a0education abroad, you should start by asking yourself what you want to learn and where. Then there are some practical considerations. University-run programs like EuroSpring and SinoSummer are often more convenient and affordable because students pay regular tuition and fees. If a university program doesn&#8217;t fulfill your academic and travel goals, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"parent":1745,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-69","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/69","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/69\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3079,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/69\/revisions\/3079"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/services\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}