Home > Academics > Internships and Study Abroad

Life in the world beyond the campus provides students with invaluable experiences that complement their programs of study. The experiential learning requirement may be fulfilled through participation in a study abroad program (minimum of three credits and a five-week stay) or through an internship experience (minimum of three credits and 120 hours of internship experience--each credit equaling 40 hours of internship experience). All Wilkes Honors College students--including international and transfer students-- are required to participate in an experiential learning program. All internship and study abroad programs must be approved by the non-classroom learning committee prior to student registration.

How do I find an internship?
Begin with some preliminary research. Check the bulletin boards around campus. Talk to fellow students who have completed internships. Discuss potential internships with your faculty advisor or another faculty member. Consult the online list of internships as well as links for finding an internship. Finally, meet with David Flanigan about available internships and visit the resource room (MHA 127) for additional internship resources.

Before submitting an online proposal, you will need to decide on an academic component with your faculty advisor.  The academic component should include discipline-specific reading and writing, typically totaling 6-10 pages for a 3 credit internship.  Acceptable writing examples might include a substantial paper completed at the end of the internship, such as a literature review, or smaller writing assignments completed throughout the internship, such as weekly essays reflecting on a series of readings and their applicability to the internship.  Writing requirements may also be satisfied by products of your work at the internship, such as a draft of a manuscript, a conference paper or poster, a lab report or protocol, or brochures or other materials you develop.  Your faculty advisor should approve your proposal before you submit it to the non-classroom learning committee.
A sample proposal form is online. To ensure that your online proposal is approved, be sure to fill out each part of the online form accurately. Remember that unpaid internships require 40 hours for each credit hour; paid internships require 60 hours for each credit hour. Be sure to include the number of pages of your written requirement, the location of the internship, and contact info of your onsite supervisor.

Guidelines: When you are ready to apply for an internship, please follow these guidelines:
1. Submit the online internship form before advance registration for the semester you intend to start your internship. Note for International students with F-1 visas: you must see the Office of Diversity Services (SR 117, 561.799.8585) to determine eligibility and apply for Curricular Practical Training.
2. The Non-Classroom Learning Committee Chair will have members review your application and approve or disapprove. Once approved, you will be notified, and you then must submit a contract (Parts I-IV) signed by you, the internship supervisor, and your faculty advisor, to the Associate Dean. Also, your faculty advisor must request to the chair the adding of an internship section, and give you permission to enroll in it.
3. Internships are NOT registered for retroactively. In other words, do not attempt to get a sequence number to register for credit for an internship you already completed.
4. Criteria for acceptable internships: the internship should have a strong academic component; working for your family business as a summer job is not acceptable for internship credit. In general, internships should take place outside the Honors College. Research assistant positions and opportunities within the college may qualify for other types of recognition (independent study credits, paid employment, volunteer hours, etc.), but they generally cannot be pursued for internship credits. Other opportunities on the Jupiter campus or at other FAU locations may be approved for internship credit if they meet the other criteria.   Research conducted for theses should be assigned as thesis hours rather than internship credit.
5. Consider internships that will challenge you and help you grow as a professional.
6. Remember that you pay for internship credit as an FAU student. The minimum amount you must earn to meet requirements is three (3) credits. 60 hours of work = one credit hour for paid internships; 40 hours of work = one credit hour for unpaid internships.
7. Upon completing the internship, have your employee supervisor complete the evaluation form and send it to your faculty advisor, who will review it and submit it to the Director of Student Affairs.

Honors College students have studied in countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Morocco, Ecuador, England, France, Sweden, Germany, Dominican Republic, Spain, Italy, Poland, Finland, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Russia, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Ghana.

How do I plan for my Study Abroad Experience?
The Honors College, in partnership with the Office of International Programs, helps HC students add an overseas study abroad experience as part of their FAU degree. Honors College students must complete at least five weeks abroad (total time spent abroad in the program) and earn at least 3 academic credits from FAU or another accredited institution in order to fulfill the non-classroom learning experience requirement. Students interested in studying abroad are strongly encouraged to begin planning a year to six months prior to the semester when they wish to go abroad. Below are some helpful guidelines to help you get started on your path.
Note: International students must also consult with the Office of Diversity Services to learn of immigration requirements for study abroad. For further information, contact Dr. Jacqueline Kern, Assistant Director of Diversity Services (jkern@fau.edu, SR 117, 561-799-8585).

Read the Honors College policy on Study Abroad (important information for students who choose not to dual enroll)

Core/Concentration Requirements
All coursework taken abroad must be pre-approved by the student’s faculty advisor in order to ensure that these courses fulfill HC core/concentration requirements.

Course Enrollment
Students enrolled in FAU faculty-led programs are registered for the appropriate study abroad courses through the Office of International Programs (OIP).
Students who choose study abroad programs offered through exchange, direct enrollment at other universities, or program providers are responsible for requesting transcripts to be sent to the Office of International Programs (OIP) upon completing the study abroad experience. The Office of International Programs works with the Registrar’s Office to post student credits and grades on the FAU transcripts.  

• Dual Enrollment. Students who study abroad in the Fall or Spring semesters or for an entire academic year and want to use their HC scholarship are required to dual-enroll in HC study abroad courses. Students who dual enroll during fall and spring can use the HC scholarship to pay for the HC courses. Students must still check with their advisor beforehand to ensure that their coursework will count towards their concentration or other degree requirements. After the transcript is received, the grades will be posted as credit for HC study abroad courses. Dual enrollment ensures that all courses taken abroad are listed as HC courses on the FAU transcript. Students are responsible for paying tuition for courses at the HC and at the study abroad institution.
• Enrollment through the study abroad program only. Courses taken abroad must still be pre-approved by the faculty advisor, but the student only enrolls at the study abroad institution. Students will not be enrolled in the HC while abroad and will not receive their HC scholarship. No HC courses will appear on the student’s schedule while studying abroad. Upon return, the student must complete the Verification of Study Abroad Form. There is no guarantee that study abroad coursework will appear on the transcript as study abroad credits – whether it does depends on how the institution through which the students enroll labels the coursework on the academic transcript. Therefore, students should retain official documentation on their courses abroad in the event that they need to provide this information in the future.

Eligibility for HC Scholarship and other Financial Aid

• The Honors College Scholarship is given only to students enrolled full-time in HC courses during the fall and spring semesters. Students who dual enroll during fall and spring can receive the scholarship to pay for the HC study abroad courses. Students who dual-enroll in the summer are responsible for paying both FAU and study abroad tuition. The HC scholarship cannot be used towards paying for study abroad coursework taken outside FAU.
• Students may use Bright Futures and other sources of federal financial aid (such as loans) if they enroll in a study abroad program through another accredited institution in Florida. Students who enroll through study abroad programs outside Florida cannot use Bright Futures, but may be eligible for other types of federal financial aid. These are general guidelines, and students are responsible for checking with the Office of Financial Aid regarding use of financial aid for various study abroad programs.
• Students who attend FAU sponsored study abroad programs (formally called fully-endorsed programs) are eligible to apply for the Honors College Grants for Summer Study Abroad. Up to five scholarships ($500 each) are offered annually on a competitive basis.
• Information about financial aid for study abroad.

Additional Information

• All students who are interested in studying abroad must have a completed Study Abroad Application on file with the OIP prior to applying to their abroad program, including all supporting documentation and the $100 application fee. If a student decides to enroll in a study abroad program without completing the required application and registering with the OIP, the OIP and FAU are not responsible for any problems that arise in confirming accreditation, transcript issuance, and course transfer to FAU and HC. Similarly, if a student does not obtain pre-approval from the faculty advisor for the coursework taken abroad, there is no guarantee that the coursework will be transferred or will fulfill specific requirements towards the student’s degree program.

• Additional Information for Flagler Scholars: Flagler Scholars are required to complete a study abroad experience before their senior year, and they should follow the specific guidelines for the Flagler Study Abroad Enrichment Program (click on red to download the flyer). For further questions regarding course registration, expense reimbursement, and other aspects related to specific requirements, contact David Flanigan, Director of Academic Support Services (HC 147, 561-799-8622, Flanigan@fau.edu).

• Survey the landscape of study abroad opportunities. Fill out the study abroad inquiry form, which will allow the Office of International Programs to gather resources and information relevant to your particular interests and objectives. You will learn about options through Florida Atlantic University, other universities, and independent program providers.

• Attend study abroad informational events available on the Jupiter Campus. The Honors College in collaboration with the Office of International Programs organizes a Study Abroad Fair and additional information sessions in the fall during International Education Week, and another study abroad event during spring. For additional information, contact Tanya Tucker Kraus: Phone: 561-297-3227 Email: trtucker@fau.edu.
• Identify the program that you would like to attend. You are strongly encouraged to consult with your faculty advisor before making your final selection.
• Meet with your Study Abroad Advisor. Representatives from the Boca Office of International Programs visit the Jupiter campus occasionally and on an appointment basis. Contact information is below:

For more information, contact
Tanya Tucker Kraus, Study Abroad Senior Coordinator
Office of International Programs
777 Glades Road, SU 106
Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991
Phone: 561-297-3227; Fax: 561-297-2850
Email: trtucker@fau.edu
OIP web site: www.fau.edu/goabroad

• Attend the Pre-Departure Orientation Session (you will receive details well in advance of the orientation date).
• Receive pre-approval for your choice of coursework from your faculty advisor, in order to ensure that the courses will transfer and fulfill specific requirements of your curriculum as planned.
• Request your transcript from the institution abroad. The original transcript should be sent to Tanya Tucker Kraus at the mailing address above
• The Office of International Programs will work with the FAU Registrar’s Office to ensure that your credits and grades are appropriately posted on the FAU transcript. A copy of the transcript will be forwarded to the Honors College for your file. Allow six to eight weeks for study abroad transcript receipt and processing.

How will the study abroad coursework appear on my FAU transcript?

• Students enrolled in an FAU sponsored study abroad program: A sponsored program is a faculty-led or exchange program offered directly through FAU. You will be pre-registered for the FAU study abroad program that you selected. The courses will appear on your schedule just as they would if you registered for any other FAU course. Note: All other study abroad programs are considered non-fully endorsed, but this is not to be confused with accreditation. Non-fully endorsed programs are any programs for which students do not directly receive FAU credits. The OIP verifies accreditation (and therefore, course transferability) for each study abroad program before students apply to the program.
• Students enrolled in study abroad credits through another institution or program provider (also called Consortium Study Abroad Program)
  • Dual-enrolled: If you are dual-enrolled in HC credits and in credits at another institution, the grades and credits obtained abroad will be posted for each corresponding HC after OIP receives the study abroad transcript.
  • Not dual-enrolled: If you are only enrolled in the credits at the institution abroad, no coursework will appear on your FAU transcript while you are abroad. After completing the program abroad, study abroad transcript will be sent to FAU, and credits will be posted on your FAU transcript similarly to any other courses that you would transfer from another institution. Note: The decision to dual-enroll is an individual choice that should be made by taking into account both the financial and credit transfer aspect of the study abroad experience. Make sure to review the Honors College Study Abroad Policy before making your decision.