Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What is Study Abroad?
2. How do I make sure that international credits will transfer?
3. What countries do students go to?
4. What courses do students take?
5. How is Lamar’s study abroad program set up?
6. How do students pay for these programs?
7. How much grant money can I receive to study abroad?
8. Will the minimum scholarship amount always be $500?
9. Who is eligible for a Lamar Study Abroad grant?
10. How do I apply for a grant?
11. How do I know if I’ve received a grant?
12. What if I don’t know where I want to go to study abroad?
13. I’ve never been abroad; how do I get a passport, or find transportation, or know what to bring with me?

1. What is Study Abroad?

To broaden their education, Lamar students can take college courses, for credit, in other
countries.  Students must check ahead of time that they will be able to transfer the credits to
Lamar, if the courses are not actually taught by Lamar professors.

2. How do I make sure that international credits will transfer?

Obtain the signatures of the department chairs in the same discipline as the courses you plan to
study abroad.  You will also need the signatures of your own department chair, the dean of the
college, and the assistant to the vice-president of academic affairs.  The appropriate form to
use can be found in the Study Abroad Office or can be downloaded from this site (click on the
Transfer Certification Form button to the left).

3. What countries do students go to?

In the last couple of years, Lamar students have studied in

• Spain,
• Mexico,
• England,
• Ireland,
• France,
• Germany, and
• Italy. 

You can choose where you would like to go, and if the credits can transfer to your degree program at Lamar University, the Lamar Study Abroad office will consider you for a grant.  The main exception is study in countries to which travel is discouraged by the U.S. State Department.

4. What courses do students take?

Almost any college level courses.

Some particularly appropriate courses for study in other countries are foreign languages, literature, history, geology, political science, sociology, music, art, economics, marketing, management, and journalism.

There’s nothing like studying the history of World War II on the beaches of Normandy, or Fashion Design in Paris, or art in Italy.  Health care systems in Europe and the Far East have many elements that contrast with those in America, and so are good subjects of study.

5. How is Lamar’s study abroad program set up?

There are four ways to study abroad:

• With a course taught by Lamar instructors who take students to another country;
• With a course taught by instructors from other American universities, which have agreed to allow Lamar students to take those courses and transfer the credits back to Lamar.  We currently have agreements with other American universities for programs conducted in    

                        London

                        rural France

                        Italy

                        the German-Swiss border

We will be making more agreements in the near future.

• Students may also find information about other American university study abroad programs on the internet.  In all cases, we must make sure that the credits will transfer back to Lamar, as signed by the Lamar department head in the discipline most relevant to the courses studied abroad.
• At a foreign university, with the same stipulations regarding transfer credit.

6. How do students pay for these programs?

Students can apply for a grant from the Lamar Study Abroad Office. 

Every semester, all Lamar students pay a $2 study abroad fee which is pooled and provides money for those who want to study in other countries.  The study abroad committee decides each year how much to give students; the amounts for 2005 vary depending on the length of the program, and whether it is a Lamar University program, or a program conducted by another university.

In addition, there are local and national scholarships available from external sources. The Study Abroad office can assist students in finding extra funds.

Loans may be available through the Lamar University Financial Aid office.

Of course, students are also encouraged to save their own money, cutting back on extras to save for study abroad.

7. How much grant money can I receive to study abroad?

It depends on what program you are attending, and how long the program lasts. Students attending any Lamar University study abroad program will receive twice as much grant money as if they attend another university’s study abroad program of the same length.

•  Mini-session abroad through another university:  minimum scholarship amount (X dollars)
• 5-6 week summer session abroad, through another university: twice the minimum scholarship amount (i.e., 2X dollars)
• semester abroad through another university:  4X dollars
• Lamar faculty-taught mini-session abroad: 2X dollars
• Lamar faculty-taught summer session abroad:  4X dollars
• Lamar faculty-taught semester abroad:  8X dollars

For 2006, the minimum scholarship amount (X) will be $250.  As an   example of grant amounts, then, students attending a Lamar faculty-taught  semester abroad course will receive $2000 (8 times $250); those attending  another university’s semester abroad course will receive $1000.

8. Will the minimum scholarship amount always be $250?

Minimum scholarship amounts may be different each year.  The director of Study Abroad will set the minimum scholarship amount each year depending on the funds available.

9. Who is eligible for a Lamar Study Abroad grant?

Lamar students currently enrolled in a degree-granting program at the time of  application, who have passed the TASP (THEA) and are in good standing with the university (have a 2.0 grade point average or a 3.0 for graduate students) are eligible.   

As stated above, their courses must be certified as transferable to Lamar, by the Lamar department chair in the same discipline as the study abroad course.

International students may receive grants, but not for study in their home countries, nor for their study at Lamar.

Students on academic or disciplinary probation, or who are delinquent in their financial obligations to Lamar University are not eligible. 

Please look further at the eligibility guidelines by clicking on the Grant Guidelines button to the left.

10. How do I apply for a grant?

Submit to the Study Abroad Office:

1)    a Study Abroad Application, completely filled out, (don’t forget to obtain the postal address of the study abroad program, if it is not a Lamar-run program);

2)    a Transfer Certification Form, with required signatures, if it is not a Lamar-run course;

3)    a Grant Acceptance Agreement, signed by you;

4)    your unofficial Lamar University transcript, up-to-date

The application, the transfer certification form, and the acceptance agreement can be downloaded by clicking on Study Abroad Application, on Transfer Certification Form, and on Grant Agreement on the left, or pick the forms up in the hall outside Social and Behavioral Sciences Building 203M. Your transcript is available to you through your Lamar online account. Bring these materials to the Study Abroad Office, Social and Behavioral Sciences Building 203M, or mail them (postal mail only) to

             Study Abroad

             P.O. Box 10653, Lamar University

             Beaumont, TX  77710

11. How do I know if I received a grant?

When we receive your application, we’ll send you an email notifying you. If you don’ t receive that letter within two weeks, email joanne.lindoerfer@lamar.edu.

12. What if I don’t know where I want to go to study abroad?

If you want some help making your decisions, make an appointment (880-8283) or email joanne.lindoerfer@lamar.edu and indicate in the subject line that you are interested in study abroad.  Or drop by Social and Behavioral Sciences 203M, and sign up to see Dr. Lindoerfer.

13. I’ve never been abroad; how do I get a passport, or find transportation, or know what to bring with me?

Make an appointment to talk to Dr. Lindoerfer, and we'll help if we can.