IARU Global Internship Program Announced

The IARU Global Internship Program is a select program for outstanding graduate and undergraduate students from institutions that are part of the International Alliance of Research Universities.  Since 2009, IARU have welcomed interns to conduct high-impact research and lead projects in university-level offices under the guidance of some of their best people.

In the coming years, the Global Internship Program may see more Alliance universities offering a myriad of internship opportunities in its leading laboratories and central offices. The Internship offerings are made possible because of the close knit relationship of the Alliance members, who avail their mentors and facilities to one another for this program.

Participants have benefited greatly from the program as it parallels the earliest stage of actual employment, with the added support and guidance to complete challenging assignments. Interns are acknowledged as a core team member, and assigned significant roles and responsibilities that affect the final outcome of the project. Internships usually occur in a country foreign to the interns, adding to rich life experiences, new skill sets and self-development. A possible outcome from the Internship is a post-doctoral or full time recruitment with the host university upon graduation.

For more information, please visit http://www.iaruni.org/gei/internships.

How does financial aid work for summer study abroad?

Lucky Cat knows about financial aid...do you?

Summer aid is available for study abroad, *but* it all depends on what program you choose, the number of units and length of your program, and your remaining aid eligibility from the past academic year.

To help simplify things and figure out your financial aid scenario for this summer, start by reviewing the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office webpage on Summer Financial Aid for Undergraduate Students and Summer Frequently Asked Questions, then check out the following resources for our most popular programs:

1) UC Education Abroad Program
Students studying on the UC Education Abroad Program for summer should review the handout Summer Education Abroad Program Financial Aid Information (PDF) from the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (click on the link in the lefthand nav section titled “Publications / Flyers”).

2) Berkeley Summer Abroad and Global Internships
For students participating on Berkeley Summer Abroad and Global Internships programs, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office has posted these Frequently Asked Questions.

3) IARU Global Summer Program
The types and amount of financial aid for the IARU Global Summer Program will depend on whether you are enrolled in one of UC Berkeley’s GSP offerings or in a course at one of the IARU partner institutions. Refer to the Berkeley GSP webpage on costs and financial aid for more information.

4) Independent Programs
Students studying on an independent program for summer 2012 should review the handout Summer Consortium Program Financial Aid Information (PDF) from the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.

The Five Most Common EAP Application Mistakes

Yes Virginia, there is a paper application.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…no, not the holidays–it’s application time for 2012-13 summer, fall and academic year options for the UC Education Abroad Program!

If you are submitting an application for the first time, be sure to read all application information carefully, follow instructions on your program application checklist, and avoid the five most common EAP application mistakes below:

Record Number of Awards Lifts UC Berkeley to Top Spot in Gilman Scholarships

22 December 2011

BERKELEY – Forty-three UC Berkeley students have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to participate in spring 2012 study abroad programs, making UC Berkeley the leader in Gilman scholarships awarded among U.S. institutions and breaking previous University records for the award.

The forty-three recipients were awarded a total of $161,000 in scholarships for study abroad destinations in Argentina, Brazil, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Tanzania, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Students receive individual awards of up to $5,000 and in some cases are eligible for an additional $3,000 Critical Need Language Supplement. The forty-three awards marks a record number of Gilman scholarships received by UC Berkeley students, representing a 79% increase in the number of Berkeley Gilman recipients from spring 2011 and a 38% increase from fall 2011.

The Gilman Scholarship Program supports students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in under-represented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities. The program also aims to encourage students to choose non-traditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe and Australia.

“We are extremely pleased that Berkeley leads the nation in the number of Gilman awards,” said Dr. Darin Menlove, Director of Berkeley Study Abroad, “particularly because the Gilman Scholarship is meant to promote accessibility, and student and destination diversity in study abroad—goals that align perfectly with core values here at Cal.”

Some 64% of UC Berkeley undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. In 2008-09, 37 percent of all Berkeley undergrads were eligible for Pell Grants (family incomes generally less than $45,000 a year). Berkeley educates more of these economically disadvantaged students than all of the Ivy League universities combined.

The list of spring 2012 Gilman Scholars, including students’ U.S. institutions, countries of study, and grant amounts, is available at www.iie.org/gilman.

Beat Them Into Study Abroad

A recent NPR article reports on Xiao Bayou, a mainland Chinese father whose parenting skills included beating his son and three daughters as part of his system for getting his children into Peking University, considered by many to be China’s top university.  He even wrote a book, originally titled Beat Them Into Peking University (it has since been changed).

We hope none of your parents had to beat you to study at UC Berkeley, but we also are very aware of the helicopter parent phenomenon and that some of your parents are very involved in your academic and personal lives.

What influence have your parents had in your decision to study abroad? Share your experiences in the comments below.

PS You can study at Peking University on the UC Education Abroad Program and the IARU Global Summer Program. No beating required!

2011 Study Abroad Photo Contest Winners Announced

2 December 2011

BERKELEY—Berkeley Study Abroad (BSA) has announced the winners of the 2011 Study Abroad Photo Contest. Every fall, BSA hosts its annual Study Abroad Photo Contest for returned UC Berkeley study abroad students.

This year’s competition featured a total of 142 photo entries from participants on 2010-11 BSA programs. A winner and two runners up were chosen in each of the following categories: Landscapes; People and Culture; and Bears Abroad.

To view all of the photo contest entries, visit the BSA Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/31722631@N06/sets/72157628030661278/.

Should I bring a laptop abroad?

OK Computer

We’re in the midst of pre-departure orientations for the spring 2012 UC Education Abroad Program and one of the most common questions we hear is “Should I bring my laptop?”

For most students who have a laptop already and want to continue using it while abroad, the answer is “Yes” but with some questions to consider before packing up that computer.