Birdwell, junior in engineering, took French in high school but said she did not have time for it in college. To encourage more engineers to study abroad, the International Programs office in the college of engineering was established. It offers fellowships to engineers planning to study abroad to help with the expenses. This year the Engineering Summer Study Abroad program promised to pay for round-trip airfare for any students accepted into the summer program. This includes students majoring in physics and chemical, biological and agricultural engineering.
Students can also apply for financial aid for their study abroad expenses.
In that case, the students do not have to pay tuition at the foreign institution. There is also an international program fee along with room and board costs. Most students either live in the dorms or with a foreign family. In addition, there are traveling expenses which can be burdensome because of an absence of earnings from work. Many of the engineering students that go on the study abroad program are also working on an international minor.