[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/MacAbroad Russia edited.jpg” caption=”ESAP students Carly Forsythe (centre, pink shirt) and Joshua Sobil (back row, far right, dark green shirt) mix academics and travel in Russias Red Square. Photo courtesy MacAbroad.”]MacAbroad is helping an increasing number of students to “Go Further,” as their new logo suggests. As a new division of McMaster's International Students Services, MacAbroad is responding to growing student interest in international opportunities that range from studying, working, or teaching abroad, to volunteering, interning, and service learning programs.

More students are realizing that the opportunities for learning at university extend well beyond the campus, and that MacAbroad offers a variety of services to help them seize those opportunities.

Josh Sobil and Carly Forsythe are two students who recently made their goal of studying abroad a reality with the help of MacAbroad's McMaster University Mobility Award (M.U.M.A.).

Ranging anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars, the new MUMA fund is available to help McMaster students take advantage of international opportunities during their undergraduate or graduate education.

Last summer, Sobil and Forsythe joined other students from McMaster and several international universities to study in Russia as a part of the Engineering Students Abroad Program (ESAP). Since returning to McMaster for their fourth year, they want to encourage other students to go abroad.

Sobil recommends going abroad to “anyone who wants a life changing experience.” According to Forsythe, “this summer was one of the best academic experiences I have ever had.”

In addition to offering financial aid for short-term opportunities through MUMA, MacAbroad can help students find the right opportunity to meet their budget and their interests.

One way to go abroad is to participate in a student exchange program with one of McMaster's exchange partners. In order to direct students interested in exchange options, MacAbroad will be holding Information Sessions in the coming months. One obvious advantage is that exchange students pay McMaster's tuition fees rather than the often costly international student fees they might otherwise pay if they study abroad independently.

Students receiving OSAP shouldn't let costs deter them since they may be entitled to continue receiving OSAP while studying abroad and they may also be eligible for McMaster scholarships and exchange program bursaries.

Another option for students is to pursue independent opportunities for which they may still be able to get credit. MacAbroad's online seachable database can be a very helpful place to start, as well as the resource library that is full of brochures, reports, and books about opportunities abroad.

“If you choose to go abroad independently, your imagination and the world are the only limits,” says International Students' Advisor, Marcos Costa.

Going abroad is more than just an opportunity to travel. The most transformative experiences are usually those that are planned with clear learning objectives in mind.

“I have traveled extensively before, however, this experience was different,” explains Forsythe. “We really got to develop a feel for the people and really had time to get to know those around us and truly appreciate what they have been through over the past decades, something which merely traveling briefly through a region certainly doesn't allow.”

Likewise, Josh highlights his learning as a key element of going abroad: “While in Russia I took two of my fourth-year engineering courses, which lightened my course load greatly for my graduating year. I was also fortunate enough to be taught by Russian professors, which gave me a different view about how they teach, learn, and grade their students. I learned everything I would have by taking the courses here at McMaster, and more.”

While there are limitless opportunities for students of all disciplines, creating a successful experience abroad requires that students put in the time and effort to find something that really suits them. And this usually means starting to look and plan long before going abroad.

By doing the research, talking to a study abroad advisor and faculty advisor, students can get credit for tailor-made programs such as volunteering abroad even if the program doesn't currently offer co-op or experiential learning credits.

MacAbroad coordinator Laura Tripp says, “It's never too early to start exploring your options. The earlier you start asking yourself basic questions like what do I want to learn, what challenges do I want or not want to experience, the better investment you will make in your education and future employment prospects.”

For more information, checkout the database and new online streaming videos at the MacAbroad website. You can also come by International Student Services (ISS) in Gilmour Hall, Room 104 for personalized help planning a sojourn abroad. Be sure to check out the 30 go-abroad organizations that will be at McMaster's Work and Study Abroad Fair in the Marketplace area of the MUSC on Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.