Glossary - The Forum on Education Abroad
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Guidelines
Code of Ethics
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Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Planning Toolkit
Foundations in Education Abroad Toolkit
Leading Short-Term Education Abroad Programs Toolkit
Areas of Practice
Equity, Diversity And Inclusion
Health and Safety Initiatives And Resources
Resources for Education Abroad at Community Colleges
Sustainability Initiatives And Resources
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Professional Roles in Education Abroad
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Professional Certification in Education Abroad
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Value of Certification
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Teaching and Learning
Educators as Learners & Leaders
Education Abroad as a High-Impact Practice
Where's the Learning in Education Abroad?
Critical Reflection
Syllabi and Educator Resources
Addressing Unteachable Moments
Education Abroad Teaching & Learning Toolbox
Online Courses
Making Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion the Standard
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Making the Case for Education Abroad
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Calendar
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Annual Conference
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Future Conference Venues
Institutes
European Institute
Health and Safety Institute
Institute Sponsorship Opportunities
Regional Seminars
London, England
Regional Seminar Sponsorship Opportunities
Residencies
Accelerated Residency
Beyond Polarization Residency
Webinars
Workshops
Florence | Supporting U.S. Students Abroad
London | Supporting U.S. Students Abroad
Nashville Annual Pre-Conference
Beyond the Hype: Practical AI for Education Abroad
Global Engagement and Student Success: Framing Education Abroad as a High-Impact Practice
Mobilization of Knowledge: Supporting Students Managing Health and Wellness Conditions
Archive
Annual Conference Archive
CIGL Conference Archive
EMEA Conference Archive
Research & Insights
Advocacy
Advocacy Alerts
Advocating for Student Safety Abroad
Forum News
News
Podcast
Research
Economic Impact Study 2025
Alumni Survey 2025
Exploring Earnings Impact of Education Abroad
The Talent Advantage of Study Abroad Alumni
Mentored Undergraduate Research in Global Contexts
Case Study in Standards-Based Program Design and Implementation
Education Abroad and Virtual Exchange
State of the Field
Critical Incidents & Student Risk
Funding Models of EA Offices
AIFS/AIFS Foundation Special Collection
Careers of Language Study Abroad Alumni
Scholarly Publications
Standards in Action Book Series
A House Where All Belong
The Half Yet to Be Told
Voices from the South
Sustainable Education Abroad
Convergence of Litigation, Policy, and Standards
History of US Study Abroad
Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad
Propose a New Forum Publication
The Forum Focus (archive)
White Papers
Consulting & Expertise
Consulting Services
Health, Safety, and Well-Being
Leveraging the Standards of Good Practice
Strategy
Supporting Teaching and Learning Abroad
Customized Workshops
Request a Presentation
Get Involved
Annual Awards
Award for Academic Achievement Abroad
Award for Advancing the SDGs through Education Abroad
Curriculum Award
Innovate EA
Loren Ringer Award for On-Site International Educators
Peter A. Wollitzer Advocacy Award
Committees & Working Groups
Education Abroad: The Career Catalyst
Op-Ed Workshops
Forum Council
Communities of Practice
Funding & Scholarships
IDEAS/TnCIS Peer Learning Community for Community Colleges
CIBER Consortium For Education Abroad (CC/FEA)
Forum Membership Pathway Grant
The Sara's Wish Foundation
Community College Access Scholarship
Jobs Board
Current Members
Categories & Pricing
Member Benefits
Member Perks
Member Mingle Networking Series
Info Sessions
Member Directory
Member Login & Portal Support
Prospective Members
Categories & Pricing
New Member Proration Policy
Membership Application
Member Benefits
Member Perks
Info Sessions
Member Directory
Member Portal Login & Support
Support The Forum’s Mission
Standards & Resources
Standards of Good Practice
Guidelines
Code of Ethics
Toolkits
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Planning Toolkit
Foundations in Education Abroad Toolkit
Leading Short-Term Education Abroad Programs Toolkit
Areas of Practice
Equity, Diversity And Inclusion
Health and Safety Initiatives And Resources
Resources for Education Abroad at Community Colleges
Sustainability Initiatives And Resources
Career Resources
Mid-Career Professionals
Professional Roles in Education Abroad
Jobs Board
Glossary
Recursos en español
Online Shop
Learning & Development
Professional Advancement
Professional Certification in Education Abroad
Accelerated Residency
Value of Certification
FAQs
Policies & Procedures
Beyond Polarization Residency
Forum Fellowships
Teaching and Learning
Educators as Learners & Leaders
Education Abroad as a High-Impact Practice
Where's the Learning in Education Abroad?
Critical Reflection
Syllabi and Educator Resources
Addressing Unteachable Moments
Education Abroad Teaching & Learning Toolbox
Online Courses
Making Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion the Standard
Webinars
Workshops
Making the Case for Education Abroad
Events
Calendar
Conferences
Annual Conference
Careers, Internships, and Global Learning Conference
Europe, Middle East, and Africa Conference
Future Conference Venues
Institutes
European Institute
Health and Safety Institute
Institute Sponsorship Opportunities
Regional Seminars
London, England
Regional Seminar Sponsorship Opportunities
Residencies
Accelerated Residency
Beyond Polarization Residency
Webinars
Workshops
Florence | Supporting U.S. Students Abroad
London | Supporting U.S. Students Abroad
Nashville Annual Pre-Conference
Beyond the Hype: Practical AI for Education Abroad
Global Engagement and Student Success: Framing Education Abroad as a High-Impact Practice
Mobilization of Knowledge: Supporting Students Managing Health and Wellness Conditions
Archive
Annual Conference Archive
CIGL Conference Archive
EMEA Conference Archive
Research & Insights
Advocacy
Advocacy Alerts
Advocating for Student Safety Abroad
Forum News
News
Podcast
Research
Economic Impact Study 2025
Alumni Survey 2025
Exploring Earnings Impact of Education Abroad
The Talent Advantage of Study Abroad Alumni
Mentored Undergraduate Research in Global Contexts
Case Study in Standards-Based Program Design and Implementation
Education Abroad and Virtual Exchange
State of the Field
Critical Incidents & Student Risk
Funding Models of EA Offices
AIFS/AIFS Foundation Special Collection
Careers of Language Study Abroad Alumni
Scholarly Publications
Standards in Action Book Series
A House Where All Belong
The Half Yet to Be Told
Voices from the South
Sustainable Education Abroad
Convergence of Litigation, Policy, and Standards
History of US Study Abroad
Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad
Propose a New Forum Publication
The Forum Focus (archive)
White Papers
Consulting & Expertise
Consulting Services
Health, Safety, and Well-Being
Leveraging the Standards of Good Practice
Strategy
Supporting Teaching and Learning Abroad
Customized Workshops
Request a Presentation
Get Involved
Annual Awards
Award for Academic Achievement Abroad
Award for Advancing the SDGs through Education Abroad
Curriculum Award
Innovate EA
Loren Ringer Award for On-Site International Educators
Peter A. Wollitzer Advocacy Award
Committees & Working Groups
Education Abroad: The Career Catalyst
Op-Ed Workshops
Forum Council
Communities of Practice
Funding & Scholarships
IDEAS/TnCIS Peer Learning Community for Community Colleges
CIBER Consortium For Education Abroad (CC/FEA)
Forum Membership Pathway Grant
The Sara's Wish Foundation
Community College Access Scholarship
Jobs Board
Current Members
Categories & Pricing
Member Benefits
Member Perks
Member Mingle Networking Series
Info Sessions
Member Directory
Member Login & Portal Support
Prospective Members
Categories & Pricing
New Member Proration Policy
Membership Application
Member Benefits
Member Perks
Info Sessions
Member Directory
Member Portal Login & Support
Support The Forum’s Mission
Glossary
GLOSSARY
Glossary of terms relating to the field of Education Abroad.
Abroad
(or
Overseas
or
Foreign
) – As adjectives, terms used to describe the country or culture that hosts the U.S. student during his/her international educational experience. Each term has some drawback; for example, U.S. students in Canada are not technically “abroad” or “overseas,” and “foreign” often has a pejorative usage in popular press.
Academic Advising
Based in the teaching and learning mission of higher education, [academic advising] is a series of intentional interactions with a curriculum, a pedagogy, and a set of student learning outcomes… [it] synthesizes and contextualizes students’ educational experiences within the frameworks of their aspirations, abilities, and lives to extend learning beyond campus boundaries and timeframes
Academic Internship Program
A subtype of field study program in which the focal activity is a credit-bearing internship.
Administrative Fee
(or
Overhead Fee
) – A fee paid to an education abroad office, university, or provider that contributes to the general Overhead Costs of an institution or organization. It may be either separate from or incorporated into the program fee
Advisory Committee
(or
Advisory Board
) – A group of individuals who provide guidance and advice for an education abroad entity, such as an education abroad office at a university or a nonprofit or for-profit independent program provider.
Affiliated Program
(or
Cosponsored Program
) – A subtype of Approved Program with which an institution has established a special relationship. There is no standard significance for an “affiliated program.” Each institution determines together with the program the nature and scope of the relationship. Within this relationship, an affiliated program is generally awarded special considerations, which can include: the awarding of resident credit, the counting of grades toward the student’s GPA at the home institution, publicity in the college catalog and/or website, applicability of institutional financial aid, or permission for students to participate. Affiliation sometimes also can bring special benefits to students, such as scholarships, special discounts, priority for admission, additional advising support, or more orientation or on-site services.
Affiliation Agreement
Arrangement, usually in writing, between a study abroad provider or host institution and a home institution. The affiliation may take many forms. Examples range from a loose relationship giving the provider’s programs a higher profile on the home campus, to relationships outlining very specific responsibilities and privileges on both parts, to formal membership in a consortium.
Application Fee
A required fee (usually nonrefundable) submitted with an application to an education abroad program.
Appreciative Advising
The intentional collaborative practice of asking positive, open-ended questions that help students optimize their educational experiences and achieve their dreams, goals, and potentials.
Approved Program
A program that an institution has in some way vetted and endorsed for its students. Some institutions maintain a list of approved programs that give all participants special services, in which case the term is virtually synonymous with Affiliated Program. Other institutions approve participation on a student-by-student basis. “Approved program” thus has a broader meaning than “affiliated program.” Benefits vary by institution but could cover such topics as resident credit, institutional financial aid, departure orientation, or highlighted information (for example, in an institutional catalog or website). Terms that have a similar meaning to this definition of approved programs include “recognized,” “preferred,” “highlighted,” “recommended,” “promoted,” and “supported” programs.
Area Studies Program
A subtype of study abroad program whose primary focus is the study of the host country or region from the perspectives of a variety of disciplines.
Assess
measure effectiveness through the articulation of
goals
(3.17), development of associated measures, and identification of observable outputs and
outcomes
(3.29, 3.30)
Assessment
process of measuring effectiveness, usually through the articulation of
goals
(3.17) and performance measures, the development of associated measures, and the identification of observable
outcomes
(3.29, 3.30)
Note 1 to entry: Assessment is usually used to inform whether the initial goals were achieved.
Best Practices
Models for professional activities that take into consideration the state-of-the-art in the field. For example, in the field of education abroad, professionals have composed best practice lists in such areas as health and safety and programming standards.
Bilateral Student Exchange
A program involving reciprocal movement of students between two institutions. May be student-per-student, or a specified number of incoming students may be accepted per outgoing student.
Board of Directors
(or
Governing Board
or
Oversight Committee
) – A group of individuals who make decisions, set policy, and exercise fiduciary and legal oversight for an education abroad entity such as an independent program provider.
Capacity Building
Activities intended to increase the ability of a community, organization or other entity to use resources effectively, host international students, or reach other goals.
Carbon Credit
The value associated with the output of greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide, approximately one credit being equivalent to one ton of carbon or carbon dioxide output. Governments or other institutions can attempt to calculate the number of carbon credits related to an activity and “purchase” the credits that offset the carbon output.
Carbon Footprint
The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly or indirectly through any human activity, typically expressed in equivalent tons of either carbon or carbon dioxide.
Carbon Offset
The decrease of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in one place in order to “offset” GHG emissions occurring elsewhere, where it is less feasible technically or economically to do so.
Career-Integrated Global Learning
Education abroad programs or program components that emphasize or incorporate professional exploration related to a student’s future career path. In addition to internships and related terms,
such as cooperative education (co-op) and work integrated learning (WIL), career-integrated global learning can also
include industry-based projects, case studies, entrepreneurship initiatives, job shadowing, micro-internships, competency-based modules, and workplace simulations.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(or
CDC
) – An agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that cooperates with state health departments, health authorities in other countries, and international health agencies to provide information, combat disease, and promote health. Education abroad professionals widely use its international travelers’ health information.
Certificate of Eligibility
A document issued by a consulate stating that an applicant is eligible to be issued a visa.
Co-curricular
relating to activities or events that complement or enhance
curricular
(3.9)
goals
(3.17)
Note 1 to entry: Co-curricular activities are typically non-academic in nature but relate other activities and experiences to the established curriculum or pedagogy.
Community Engagement
or
Community Engaged Learning
. A course, internship, program or experience that enhances academic learning through reciprocal relationships with communities that offer opportunities to advance critical thinking, develop civic skills, and address public problems.
Community Engagement Experiences
Is used as the umbrella term for all community engagement, including service-learning and volunteer programs or smaller components of an education abroad program of any type.
Competency
The cluster of skills, abilities, habits, character traits, and knowledge a person must have in order to perform effectively within a certain environment. Competencies are demonstrated through behaviors and can be developed though training and individual effort.
Consortial Agreement
(or
Consortium Agreement
) – A written agreement between entities that are eligible for (U.S.) Federal Student Aid (FSA).
Consortium
A group of institutions and/or organizations that share one or more education abroad programs within a membership group in order to provide greater access, quality control, and/or cost efficiency in education abroad programs to students. Members of the consortium share fiduciary, liability, promotional, and/ or oversight responsibility for the program(s).
Continuing Education
education available to adult, part-time
students
(3.45)
Contractual Agreement
A written agreement between two entities that explains the terms and conditions surrounding the exchange of goods and services between those entities.
Conversation Partner Program
(or
Conversation Exchange
or
Intercambio
) – An arrangement through which native speakers of two languages are matched in pairs or small groups for the purpose of language practice and cultural exchange. In the study abroad context, this typically means matching a study abroad participant with a member of the host community who wants to learn the participant’s language.
Coordinating Organization
The institution or organization responsible for organizing and arranging the service/community engagement opportunities; this can be a college or university, a program provider organization, or an in-country NGO
Cost of Attendance
(or
Student Budget
) – A budget showing the total direct and indirect cost for student participation in a particular study abroad program. It itemizes the total into tuition and/or other instructional costs, books and supplies, room and board, transportation to and from the site, daily living expenses, visa fees, and other required expenses. The budget indicates which items are included in the program fee and estimates the costs not included in the program fee. Vacation travel or other leisure extras are not included.
Country-Specific Information
(formerly known as
Consular Information Sheet
) – One of three types of travel information issued by the U.S. State Department. Country-specific information is issued and periodically updated for every country in the world, and includes information on health and safety, crime, drug laws, basic visa requirements, standard of living, and the nature of the government and economy. For some countries or regions, Travel Alerts or Travel Warnings are also issued, indicating greater potential risk.
Course
unit of instruction
Note 1 to entry: In this document, course does not refer to a full degree program.
Credit
unit that colleges and universities use to record the successful completion of
courses
(3.5)
Credit Conversion
The process of determining the number of credits an institution should award to a student for courses taken abroad or at another U.S. institution with a different credit system (for example, quarter credits can be converted to semester credits, or European credits to U.S. credits).
Credit Transfer
process by which
credit
(3.6) earned during
education abroad
(3.11) is transferred, approved, accepted, or otherwise validated by the
institution
(3.24) from which a student is seeking a degree
Critical Incident
any actual or alleged event or situation that creates a significant risk of substantial or serious harm to the physical or mental health, safety, or well-being of a
participant
(3.31) that requires a response by program
personnel
(3.34) or first responders, or an event that prevents a
participant
(3.31) from successful participation in the
program
(3.40)
Note 1 to entry: This definition is adapted from the North Dakota Department of Human Services Medical Services Division. [2]
Note 2 to entry: Critical incidents under this definition should not be confused with critical incidents in education, which refer more generally to experiences which cause stress and can serve as “teaching moments.”
Cultural Immersion
A sojourner’s engagement with and interaction in a host culture, with the goal of extensive involvement with host culture members.
Cultural Informant
A person who is highly self-aware of his/her own cultural values, norms, and appropriate behaviors and who understands the nuances well enough to express this knowledge to others who are less familiar with the culture.
Cultural Intelligence
(or
CQ
) – The ability to cope with, make sense of, and integrate oneself into unfamiliar cultures, be they national, ethnic, corporate, vocational, etc. Cultural intelligence has cognitive, behavioral, and affective dimensions. The concept comes from organizational and managerial theory.
Cultural Tourism
Tourism, or travel for pleasure, in which the traveler’s motivation is to learn about and experience the tangible and intangible cultural characteristics of the host location. (Adapted from the United Nations World Tourism Organization)
Curricular
relating to expectations and requirements for a program of study
Curriculum
1) A set of expectations and requirements for an overall program of study. 2) A collection of course offerings for a specific program of study (such as a degree program or a study abroad program).
Curriculum Enhancement
An institution’s use of education abroad to enhance its academic range by offering courses not available on the home campus.
Curriculum Integration
Incorporating coursework taken abroad into the academic context of the home campus. It involves weaving study abroad into the fabric of the on-campus curriculum through activities such as course matching, academic advising, departmental and collegiate informational and promotional materials, and the structuring of degree requirements. It often requires the review of coursework by the home institution’s academic departments.
Custom Program
(or
Customized Program
) – A study abroad program administered by a program provider organization according to specifications of a college, university, consortium, or other group.
Departmental Program
A study abroad program operated by an academic department (or by a college within a university); often coursework is specific to the discipline of the sponsoring department. In some cases the department bears full administrative responsibility; in others it runs the program through a partnership with the education abroad office.
Developed Countries
The generally richer countries. Rough synonyms include the First World, Industrialized Countries and Global North. There is no complete consensus as to which countries should be included in this category, but the “developed countries” are conventionally defined to include at least Australia, Canada, most of Europe, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States, and, increasingly, South Korea and Taiwan. There is a lack of consensus concerning certain countries, including much of Eastern Europe (for example, Albania, Macedonia, or Moldova, or even Russia or Ukraine). Other points of contention include wealthy countries with excessively inequitable income distribution--for example, some of the oil-producing kingdoms of the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf--as well as Hong Kong (now part of China but still often treated as a separate economy).
Developing Countries
One of a number of different terms used to describe the comparatively poor countries of the world. Neither this nor any of the other terms is entirely satisfactory. The dichotomy between “developing” and “developed” countries seems grounded in ethnocentrism. As an alternative term, Non-Industrialized Countries is increasingly inaccurate as manufacturing operations relocate from rich countries to poor. Third World was coined in the context of the Cold War, the “first” and “second” worlds being the capitalist and communist countries respectively; the term is obsolete today. (Some people have begun speaking of the Two-Thirds World as a synonym, and among others the term Fourth World has gained currency to refer to the poorest of nations.) The Global South, a term gaining some currency in academia, is not literally accurate—for example, it excludes Australia and New Zealand—although it has the advantage of seeming more neutral in tone.
Direct Enrollment
Study at an overseas university without the assistance of external offices such as those of a program provider. Not to be confused with Integrated University Study, for which it is sometimes used as a synonym.
Diversity
individual differences (e.g., personality, learning styles, and life experiences) and group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, and ability, as well as cultural, political, religious, or other affiliations).
Note 1 to entry: This definition is by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). [3]
Domestic Off-Campus Study
Off-campus study that occurs away from the student’s home institution but within the same country.
Duration
(or
Length
) – The period of a sojourn or education abroad program, excluding the pre-departure preparation or post-return activities.
Education Abroad
education, including, but not limited to, enrollment in courses, experiential learning, internships, service learning, and other learning activities, which occurs outside the participant's home country, the country in which they are enrolled as a student, or the country in which they are employed as
personnel
(3.34)
Note 1 to entry: Education abroad does not, in itself, result in a degree.
Education Abroad Advisor
(or
Study Abroad Advisor
) – A professional adviser who specializes in education abroad. Such an advisor explains to students the general education abroad process, helps students understand the education abroad choices available to them, and often does outreach work to identify prospective education abroad participants. Advising addresses a wide variety of topics including the types of available programs, application procedures, scholarship and financial information, the credit-approval process, academic major/minor articulation, pre-departure preparation, program requirements, and re-entry.
Education Abroad Director
(or
Study Abroad Director
) – A professional who provides overall leadership for and management of a university or college education abroad office and serves as the face of the education abroad office on campus. A wide range of responsibilities and duties may include advising, program management, personnel supervision, strategic planning, program development, collaboration with faculty, outreach, crisis management, and financial/budget management.
Educational Colonialism
The policy of acquiring full or partial control over another country’s educational system, occupying it with nonlocal teachers, and exploiting it educationally. (Simonson, 2014)
Eligible Institution
An accredited institution, or legally authorized foreign institution, of post-secondary education that the U.S. government has declared eligible to participate in Federal Student Aid Programs.
Embedded Program
(or
Course-Embedded Study Abroad
) – A short study abroad experience that forms an integral part of, or an optional add-on to, a course given on the home campus. Most commonly, the study abroad portion of the course takes place during a midterm break or after the end of the on-campus term and is just a week or two long.
Emergency Evacuation
Removing people, such as education abroad participants and staff, from a source of imminent danger. Sources of danger might include natural catastrophes (for example, earthquakes), man-made environmental catastrophes (for example, nuclear plant meltdowns), epidemics, civil unrest, war, and terrorism. Companies that provide emergency evacuation services may do so on an insurance policy basis or as a fee-for-service. In extreme cases, governments may provide evacuation services for their own citizens.
Emergency Plan
(or
Crisis Management Plan
) – Pre-established guidelines and practical measures that instruct how to respond in the case of emergencies affecting education abroad programs and participating students. These plans cover areas such as health and safety, emergency communication, funding for emergencies, and the order and responsibility for decision–making regarding continuance, suspension, evacuation or cancellation of a program. Contingency plans are considered essential to a program sponsor’s health and safety policies.
Entitlement Aid
Financial aid that is available to any applicant who meets certain qualifications, such as family income limits. At the federal level, Pell Grants and Stafford Loans are the most widely distributed type of entitlement aid.
Environmental Audit
A systematic and objective evaluation of how well a project, organization, individual, or service is performing in terms of environmental impact, including, but not necessarily limited to, compliance with any relevant standards or regulations.
Equitable
having or exhibiting
equity
(3.13); characterized by fairness; just and right; reasonable
Equity
creation of opportunities for historically underrepresented populations to have equal access to and participate in educational programs that are capable of closing the achievement gaps.
Note 1 to entry: Adapted from the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U). [3]
Equity-Mindedness
A demonstrated awareness of and willingness to address equity issues among institutional leaders and staff -
Center for Urban Education, University of Southern California
Ethics
moral principles that govern a person's behavior or how an activity is conducted
Note 1 to entry: As defined by the Oxford Dictionaries. [4]
Evaluation
critical examination involving interpretation and judgment related to effectiveness and quality
Exchange
A program involving reciprocal movement of participants—whether faculty, students, staff, or community members—between institutions or countries.
Exchange(s) Coordinator
An individual who manages reciprocal, international exchange agreements. Responsibilities may include enrollment management, implementation of formal memoranda of understanding, coordination of exchange details with partner institutions throughout the world, facilitation of international student arrivals, and outgoing student advising and orientation.
Excursion
(or
Field Trip
) - A group journey away from the main instructional location for educational purposes, whether as part of an academic course or as a program-wide activity involving, or open to, participants in all courses.
Expected Family Contribution
(or
EFC
) – The amount, according to a U.S. federal government formula, that a family can afford to pay toward a student’s annual cost of attendance. Colleges and universities use the EFC to determine financial aid eligibility.
Experiential Education
Learning by doing. This term, which traces its origins to the works of John Dewey, encompasses a vast array of approaches to learning inside and outside the classroom that complement more conventional instruction. Methods may include research, field trips or seminars, laboratory work, fieldwork or observation, as well as immersion in workplace settings, such as internships, volunteering, teaching, and paid jobs. Giving structure to the learning experience through observation, reflection and analysis is often seen as an essential element of experiential education. Experiential education may be curricular (for credit) or co-curricular (not for credit).
Experiential Site
Setting where students' experiential learning opportunities (e.g., [glossary]health-related program[/glossary], [glossary]community engagement[/glossary]) take place.
External Program
(or
Outside Program
or
Nonaffiliated Program
) – A program that is not recognized by a student’s home institution as belonging to any special category such as affiliated or institutionally administered. There is no connection to, or oversight by, the home institution, which may have implications for the applicability of financial aid, acceptance or type of credit, or the amount of support participating students receive from the home institution.
Faculty
person or people who teach
postsecondary
(3.37)
courses
(3.5)
Note 1 to entry: Faculty members may include all types of professors and instructors, regardless of tenure or type of contract.
Faculty Advisor
(or
Academic Advisor
) – A faculty or academic affairs staff member with whom students meet to discuss their academic programs and career or life goals. An adviser helps students plan a course of study and makes suggestions for program planning. Students also consult their advisers with questions regarding how credits earned abroad fit with their academic plan. Faculty advisers may also teach classes and conduct academic research.
Faculty Program Director
A university faculty member appointed to lead an education abroad program. The individual’s on-campus roles may include program development, advising, recruitment, admission, orientation, and advocacy. Faculty program directors may be called on to assume a range of important overseas responsibilities in the areas of administration, logistics, finances, and academics.
Faculty-Led Program
(or
Faculty-Directed Program
) – A study abroad program directed by a faculty member (or members) from the home campus who accompanies students abroad. Usually, though not always, brief in duration.
FAFSA
(or
Free Application for Federal Student Aid
) – An application that students (and often their parents) must complete before every school year in order to be considered for student financial aid.
Familiarization Tour
(or
Familiarization Visi
t) – A structured visit to one or more education abroad program site(s) designed to introduce faculty and/or education abroad professionals to the operational, academic and co-curricular elements of the programs and to the cultural, social, and/or political contexts in which they operate.
Federal Student Aid
Financial aid emanating from programs administered by the U.S. government (Pell grants, campus-based aid, Stafford loans, and PLUS loans).
FERPA
(or
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
) – U.S. federal government law that outlines privacy rules for student educational records. It specifies what information and under what conditions schools may release information from a student’s educational record. It also outlines the conditions under which parents have the right to access their children’s education records and what rights students have regarding their records. It affords parents the right to have access to their children’s education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the records. When a student turns 18 years old, or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, the rights under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student, with some exceptions in practice, such as students claimed by either parent as a dependent for tax purposes.
Field Study
Structured learning outside the classroom. Includes such experiences as internships, service-learning projects, field trips and excursions, nature observation and research, small-team field assignments, and individual research projects.
Field Study Program
A study abroad program type whose pedagogy revolves around experiential study outside the classroom setting. Examples include field research programs, internship programs, service-learning programs, archaeological field schools, and field biology programs.
Financial Aid
Financial assistance provided to a student to cover, in whole or in part, the costs of participating in an academic program. The funds may be in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, or work-study awards. Sources of financial aid include: federal and state governments; institutions of higher education; foundations; ethnic groups, clubs, and religious groups; banks; and private and public corporations.
First Generation College Student
A student whose parents never enrolled in post-secondary education (U.S. government’s definition) or whose parents did not obtain a college or university degree (definition used by some institutions).
Focus Group
A facilitated conversation between an objective researcher or moderator and a group of people who have been solicited to provide feedback on a particular topic or area that a researcher is studying. Focus groups give researchers qualitative feedback on the topics chosen for discussion. In a focus group, there is realtime interaction between group members and the researcher or moderator, which allows for clarification of ideas and the development of thoughts. However, since the information is not collected from a random sample of individuals, focus group data cannot be extrapolated to reflect the thoughts of the larger group being studied.
Gap Year
An extra year that some students take between the end of their secondary studies and the beginning of tertiary studies. Students sometimes use such a year for international work, internships, volunteering, or study.
General Counsel
(or
University Attorney
) – Individual or unit providing legal services and representation; litigation and risk management; contract drafting and review; and compliance oversight in all areas of an institution’s operation, instruction, research and administration. The primary goal of the Office of the General Counsel is to provide counsel to minimize legal risk and costs, reduce litigation exposure, and ensure compliance with law.
Goals
the final or ultimate aim towards which efforts are directed.
Note 1 to entry: Achieving a goal will involve the development of a clear implementation plan of intermediary steps, each designed to build on elements of that goal.
Grade Conversion
The process by which an institution translates a grade earned abroad, or at another U.S. institution with a different grading system, to an equivalent grade of its own.
Guideline
general rule, principle, or piece of advice
Note 1 to entry: As defined by Oxford Dictionaries. [4]
Health-Related Program
any experiential learning program delivered in public health and/or health care delivery settings, including both clinical and community health care contexts.
Heritage Speaker
(also called a heritage learner) a person who speaks or is studying a language "who has some proficiency in or a cultural connection to that language through family, community, or country of origin;" heritage learners' levels can vary widely in terms of oral proficiency, literacy, and connection to the language and culture, and they often have different needs than students studying the language as a foreign language. (As defined by the Center for Applied Linguistics, http://www.cal.org/heritage/research/faqs.html#2
Heritage Student
A student who studies abroad in a location that is linked in some way (for example, linguistically, culturally, historically) to his/her family or cultural background.
Higher Education
A subcategory of postsecondary education that generally leads to a college or university degree.
Historically Underrepresented
African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Latino students who have historically comprised a minority of the US population
Historically Underserved
populations of students who have not been recruited to participate in study or education abroad, including, but not limited to, LGBTQ+ students, students of color, undocumented students, non-traditionally aged students, and first generation students
Home Institution
(or
Home School
) - The educational institution in the U.S. where an education abroad student is a continuing student, usually working toward the completion of a degree.
Home Institution-Host Institution Agreement
An agreement between two educational institutions (a home institution and a host institution) that may allow a student to use certain types of aid for which she or he is eligible at a home institution, when enrolled for a limited time at a second institution (for example, when the second institution is the sponsor of an education abroad program).
Home School Tuition
Tuition charged by an education abroad student’s home institution, based on on-campus tuition. In some cases, this might be in addition to a program fee; in others, in lieu of the program fee (i.e., the home school keeps the tuition and pays for certain program expenses, such as the program fee, for the student). Payment policies can differ widely among institutions. For example, some schools will pay for room and board whereas others will not.
Homestay
Private housing hosted by a local family that often includes a private or shared bedroom, meals, and laundry. Homestay experiences usually provide the greatest immersion in the host language and culture, giving students firsthand experience with family life in the host culture and the opportunity to use the host language in an informal setting. In many cases, the host family welcomes the student as a member of the family and provides a support network
Homestay Visit
A short-term homestay for a student who is otherwise in another type of housing such as a residence hall or an apartment. May be for as little as a weekend. In this context it is considered a strategy for cultural enrichment rather than a type of accommodation.
Host Community
A group of people who live in the same locality or share common interests with whom students spend time and take part in community engagement opportunities; sometimes synonymous with experiential site.
Host Institution
(or
Host School
) – The institution that the education abroad student attends while abroad.
Host National
An individual of the population that is host to a tourist, education abroad participant, or other visitor from outside the society.
Housing Coordinator
An individual, usually resident in the host country, who arranges on-site accommodation for education abroad students. The individual’s roles are multifaceted and usually include recruiting and training host families, securing apartment and dormitory placements, negotiating housing contracts, overseeing housing assignments, and dealing with residential problems as they arise.
Hybrid Program
(or
Mixed Program
) – A program that combines two or more of the program types to a significant degree. For example, a study abroad center might emphasize courses just for study abroad participants but also permit students to enroll in host university courses and to do a credit-bearing internship.
Identity
who a person is, or the qualities of a person or group that make them different from others
Note 1 to entry: As defined by the Cambridge Dictionary. [5]
Immersion Program
An informal term for a program that integrates students into the host culture to a substantial degree. Includes integrated university study programs and some varieties of field study programs.
In Loco Parentis
A doctrine positing that, in the case of residentially based higher education, a special relationship exists between the institution and the student that even exceeds that which landlords traditionally owe their tenants (
in loco parentis
means literally “in place of parents”), In this view, institutions have a duty to foresee, and help avoid, harm to their students. The doctrine fell out of favor in the 1960s but is making a small comeback. Courts now generally accept the idea that, at the very least, colleges and universities owe their students a safe environment.
Inclusion
active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with
diversity
(3.10) —in the curriculum, in the co-curriculum, and in communities (intellectual, social, cultural, geographical) with which individuals might connect—in ways that increase awareness, content knowledge, cognitive sophistication, and empathic understanding of the complex ways individuals interact within systems and institutions
Note 1 to entry: As defined by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). [3]
Inclusive
intentionally engaging with
diversity
(3.10)
Note 1 to entry: See also:
inclusion
(3.22).
Inclusive Excellence
The recognition that a community or institution's success is dependent on how well it values, engages and includes the rich diversity of students, staff, faculty, administrators, and alumni constituents. Making excellence inclusive is the
Association of American Colleges and Universities' (AAC&U's)
guiding principle for access, student success, and high-quality learning. It is designed to help colleges and universities integrate diversity, equity, and educational quality efforts into their missions and institutional operations.
Independent Study Abroad
1) A research project or other individualized project that a student pursues overseas. This may be offered as part of the curriculum on an overseas program, or the student may be doing the project independent of a program. 2) Study abroad programs undertaken by students that are not part of their home university’s officially approved study abroad offerings. (This phenomenon goes by various other names, such as “study on an outside program” or “study on a non-affiliated program.” Institutions have different policies about this and different terminology).
Institution
entity that provides education as its main purpose, including, but not limited to, a school, college, university, or training center
Note 1 to entry: Such institutions are often accredited or sanctioned by the relevant national, regional, or discipline-specific education authorities or equivalent authorities. Educational institutions may also be operated by private organizations, including, but not limited to, religious bodies, special interest groups, or private educational and training enterprises, both for-profit and non-profit.
Note 2 to entry: Adapted from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. [6]
Note 3 to entry: An institution may be referred to as an
organization
(3.28), but not all organizations are institutions.
Institutional Aid
Financial aid funded by a college or university.
Institutionally Administered Program
A program for which the full scope of operation is the responsibility of a U.S. college or university. This includes managing the U.S.–based operations of the program (such as advising, marketing, student selection), overseeing the on-site operation of the program (such as instruction, housing, student support, grade report production), and cultivating and maintaining all of the relationships involved in managing the program. In some cases, other partners may be involved in providing some of the services (for example, an independent provider might provide housing or instruction). The term Sponsored Program, though a synonym, is used differently by some institutions.
Integrated University Study
A study abroad program type in which the predominant study format is participation in regular courses alongside degree-seeking students from the host university. May be either via Direct Enrollment or enrollment facilitated by a study abroad provider organization.
Integration
In the most general sense, the degree and frequency with which education abroad students are immersed in the host culture and society. See Cultural Immersion below). With regard to Milton Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS), integration refers to the Ethnorelative stage in which learners internalize bicultural or multicultural frames of reference, maintaining a definition of identity that is “marginal” to any particular culture, and where they see themselves as “in process.”
Intercultural
The dynamics involved when people with different lived experiences (cultures) interact. The meaning of this term is derived directly from its components: “culture” and “inter.” Culture is considered to reflect the lived experiences of an individual based on associations with a language, ethnicity, nationality, gender, etc. “Inter” refers to between. Although in everyday use “intercultural” is often treated as a synonym for Cross-Cultural, this is not entirely accurate.
Intercultural Communication
1) How people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate with each other. 2) The field of study that attempts to understand how people from different cultures communicate with each other, and which emphasizes the development of Intercultural Communication Competence. Sometimes used synonymously with Cross-Cultural Communication.
Intercultural Competence
(or Intercultural Communication Competence) – The ability to relate and communicate effectively when individuals involved in the interaction do not share the same culture, ethnicity, language, or other common experiences.
International Education
1) A field involved in facilitating and supporting the migration of students and scholars across geopolitical borders. Professionals involved in this field may be employees of educational institutions, government agencies, or independent program and service providers. This may include, but is not limited to (on U.S. campuses), support for matriculating and exchange students from countries outside the United States, instruction in English as a second language, international student recruitment, assessment of non-U.S. higher education credentials, student services for postgraduate research students and fellows, facilitation of education abroad for U.S. students, and (outside the U.S.) support and services for visiting U.S. students. 2) The knowledge and skills resulting from conducting a portion of one’s education in another country. As a more general term, this definition applies to international activity that occurs at any level of education (K-12, undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate).
International Educational Exchange
The migration of students (secondary, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate) and scholars between educational institutions in different countries. A narrower usage of the term “exchange” refers to reciprocal agreements that allow students, faculty, or staff to spend a specified period of time at institutional partners of their home institutions
International Experience
Any opportunity, credit-bearing or non-credit-bearing, undertaken by a student outside his or her home country.
International Health Insurance
An insurance policy that covers medical conditions when one is abroad If the student does have health insurance (either through their parents or home institution), the policy may or may not provide coverage in other countries, and it may or may not cover certain types of expenses, such as evacuation or repatriation. Special health insurance for students pursuing education abroad, as well as for non-students, is available from numerous companies. It may be purchased by individuals, or by an institution as a group policy in which individual students from that institution may enroll. Such policies are meant to provide coverage outside of the home country where a traveler’s regular health insurance may not be applicable and to provide coverage in the event that medical evacuation or repatriation of remains becomes necessary. Most policies specifically for health insurance abroad have a home-country exclusion, as well as many other exclusions (for example, for preexisting conditions).
International Program
1) Any university/college activity, credit-bearing or non-credit-bearing, with an international dimension (for example, non-credit-bearing study tour, credit-bearing study abroad program). 2) An education abroad program. 3) An administrative and/or academic unit responsible for global efforts (for example, Office of International Programs).
International Relations
(or
International Studie
s or
Global Studies
) - An interdisciplinary field of study (historically, often considered an extension of political science but more often embracing many disciplines) that studies foreign affairs, relations among state and non-state actors, and other transnational social phenomena (globalization, terrorism, environmental policy, etc.).
Internationalization at Home
Efforts to internationalize a university’s home campus so that its students are exposed to international learning without leaving the home campus.
Internationalizing the Curriculum
A movement to incorporate international content throughout an educational institution’s curriculum.
Internship
A form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and competency development in a professional setting (NACE 2018).
Attributes of an internship include:
practical experience
training opportunity
extension of academic studies
exposure to a professional setting
dedicated workplace supervisor
mentor or resources during program
ongoing feedback from supervisor and mentor
assessment and certification at conclusion
Note 1 to entry: Variations on the term internship and extensions of the methodology include cooperative education (co-op), work integrated learning (WIL), work-based learning, practicum, field work, traineeship,
convention de stage
placements, apprenticeship, and training programs.
Note 2 to entry: Internships are considered
high-impact practices
Internship Abroad
An experience in a professional setting that takes place outside of the country in which a student’s home university is located. This professional, practical experience is viewed as an extension of coursework and an opportunity for training or professional exploration related to a student’s future career path.
Internship Coordinator
An individual, usually a resident in the host country and often employed by the [glossary]coordinating organization[/glossary] or institution, who assists education abroad students with locating internship placement opportunities. The coordinator usually determines whether the internships offer meaningful responsibilities, include appropriate supervision and direction, and encourage significant international and intercultural learning.
Internship Site
Workplace where the student completes their internship; also called
Internship Placement
or
Host Organization
Internship Supervisor
Professional employed by the [glossary]internship site[/glossary] who is responsible for overseeing the work and training of an intern in their workplace and for reporting back to the [glossary]coordinating organization[/glossary] or institution regarding the student's progress.
Also called workplace mentor or host organization supervisor.
IRB
(or
Institutional Review Board
) – A committee, common within many U.S. higher education institutions,dedicated to the approval, oversight and review of research conducted by students, faculty or staff who are in any way affiliated with the university. These boards are concerned primarily with the protection of human and animal research subjects and the assurance that all research is conducted in an ethical and legally compliant manner. Researchers commonly submit a proposal to IRB for approval before beginning their work.
Island Program
An informal term for a program whose pedagogy formally includes little cultural immersion, such as a program in which home-campus students live together and home-campus faculty instruct them in facilities owned by the home campus. Usage of this term is declining because of pejorative connotations.
Junior Year Abroad
(or
JYA
) – Study abroad during the entirety of a student’s junior year in college. This term was once used widely as a near synonym to Study Abroad. However, it has gradually fallen out of favor, as it does not reflect accurately the diversity of program durations or of the class standing of participating students.
Language Institute
A study abroad center whose primary mission is language instruction. Some language institutes also provide foreign language instruction to students from the host country.
Language of Instruction
the primary language in which a course is conducted/taught
Language Program
A study abroad program whose primary purpose is language instruction. Includes such variants as language institutes, language-focused programs for foreigners at host universities, and language-focused programs run by U.S. universities.
Leave of Absence
A formally arranged period of time taken away from college or university as a break from studies. Institutions have requirements detailing how long a student may be gone and how to re-enroll.
Local Community
community in which an
education abroad
(3.11)
participant
(3.31) lives and/or studies
Memorandum of Agreement
A written agreement, usually legally binding, through which two or more signatory parties agree to work together toward specific agreed-upon goals.
Memorandum of Understanding
A written agreement signed by two parties that does not legally bind the parties to action. Rather, both parties simply agree to work together toward an agreed-upon goal.
Multi-Site Program
A program in which students spend a significant amount of time studying in each of two or more locations.
Multilateral Student Exchange
A reciprocal agreement among three or more participating institutions. Typically, in such exchanges the balancing of number of participants occurs across all the participants in the system, so that an outgoing student need not go to the same institution, or even the same country, as the incoming counterpart.
NACADA (National Academic Advising Association)
A U.S.-based individual membership association of professional advisors, counselors, faculty, administrators, and students that promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education to enhance the educational development of students.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
A U.S.-based individual membership association for international education professionals that focuses especially on advocacy and professional development. The acronym originally stood for National Association of Foreign Student Advisers. NAFSA's mission and membership have broadened through the years to include all aspects of international educational exchange.
NASFAA (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators)
A U.S.-based institutional and individual membership organization that provides advocacy, training, and professional support to individuals and organizations involved in the administration of student financial aid at postsecondary education institutions.
NASPA: Student Personnel Administrators in Higher Education
An individual membership organization focused on student affairs administration. Provides guidance and support on policy, practice, and research on student life and learning in higher education. The acronym originally stood for National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
National Student Exchange (NSE)
A multilateral exchange program, whose member institutions are mostly within the U.S. but also include several institutions in Canada and U.S. overseas territories and commonwealths (Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands). Moreover, students from U.S. member institutions occasionally use NSE to gain access to a study abroad program offered by another U.S. member institution.
Nationality
1) Membership of a person in a nation state (when used in a legal sense). A National of a country generally possesses the right of abode in the country whose nationality he/she holds. Nationality is distinguished from citizenship, as a citizen has the right to participate in the political life of the state of which he/she is a citizen, such as by voting or standing for election. Although nationals need not have these rights, normally they do. 2) Membership in a group of people with a shared history and a shared sense of identity and political destiny (when used in a sociopolitical sense).
Near East
Once frequently employed, especially by the British, to refer to Mesopotamia, the Levant, and Anatolia, this term has now largely fallen into disuse except among archaeologists and ancient historians.
Need-Based Aid
Financial aid that is granted because of an applicant's assessed financial need. The aid may or may not cover the full cost of a student's education.
Non-Accredited
Either not evaluated by a recognized higher education accrediting agency or not meeting an agency's standards. See
Accredited
Non-Degree Student
(Sometimes also referred to as
Non-Matriculated Student
) - A student who is enrolled in classes but has not been admitted to the institution in a degree-seeking status. Degree-granting institutions that permit students from other institutions to participate in their study abroad programs typically choose to place visiting students in non-degree status. Students on reciprocal student exchange programs are also usually considered non-degree students at their host institutions.
Nonprofit
(or
Not-for-Profit
) - A legally constituted organization whose objective is to support or engage in activities of public or private interest without commercial or monetary profit. A nonprofit organization does not issue stock or dividends. Many but not all U.S. nonprofits are tax-exempt. There are legal restrictions on how revenues generated by nonprofit organizations may be used.
Nonverbal Communication
All behavior that modifies, adds to, or substitutes for spoken or written language. Nonverbal behavior includes: paralanguage (paralinguistics); body language (kinesics); eye language (oculesics); space language (proxemics); touch language (haptics); and timing in conversations (regulators).
Nordic Countries
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and their territories: the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Svalbard, and Aland.
Norm
(or
Social Norm
) - Ways of behaving to which the majority of participants in a society adhere. They are socially monitored and are often unwritten and unstated. Norms are most evident when they are not followed and the individual or group is sanctioned in some way for this deviation. This often occurs when an individual finds him or herself in a foreign country, dealing with a new culture where the norms are different.
North Africa
Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara (claimed by Morocco). Sometimes defined to include Mauritania and/or Sudan as well, or at least their northern (Saharan) portions. Less often defined more broadly to include the Saharan portions of Chad, Eritrea, Mali, and/or Niger as well.
North America
The western hemisphere continent consisting of lands north of the Panama-Colombia border, including Canada, the U.S., Mexico, all of the mainland countries from Guatemala and Belize through Panama, and usually, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean islands, and (slightly less universally), Greenland. Usages in Latin America are more ambiguous; it sometimes is given the same broad meaning as in the U.S., or it may refer just to Canada, the U.S., and Mexico; just to Canada and the U.S.; or even to the U.S. alone.
Northern Andes
The portion of the Andes lying within Venezuela and Colombia, which together constitute the Northern Andean Countries.
Northern Europe
Least commonly used of the terms for major subdivisions of Europe. Usually includes the British Isles, the Nordic Countries and the Baltic Countries. Sometimes northern Russia, northern Poland, northern Germany and the Netherlands are included as well.
Not for Credit
coursework or
co-curricular
(3.3) activities for which students do not earn
academic credit
(3.6)
Objectives
specific, measurable results used to work towards
goals
(3.17) and achieve measurable
outcomes
(3.29, 3.30)
Note 1 to entry: Objectives can be thought of as steps that are taken to achieve a broader
goal
(3.17).
Off-Campus Study
A category of off-campus education that results in progress toward an academic degree at the home institution. Domestic Off-Campus Study and Study Abroad are subtypes. Includes not only exchanges and off-campus study terms but also such activities as field research projects, field trips, biology or geology field courses, internships yielding credit or fulfilling other degree requirements, or course-embedded service-learning. Although “progress toward an academic degree” most often means the home institution will grant or accept degree credit, possibilities include satisfaction of a language requirement or completion of a senior thesis.
On-Site Orientation
(or
In-Country Orientation
) – Orientation programming that is facilitated at the location of the education abroad experience, usually shortly after arrival abroad. On-site orientation usually includes presentations on the academic program housing, regional geography, health and safety, rules of conduct, and other issues of getting started and living successfully in the new culture. On-site orientation may include follow-up workshops on housing issues, cultural adjustment, career preparation, reentry, etc. In contrast to a pre-session, an on-site orientation usually does not yield academic credit.
Online Global Internship
Internship abroad delivered via online modality and not including travel to the location. Also called remote internship or virtual internship.
Online Global Learning
Curricular or co-curricular global learning experiences that happen partially or completely online, including: collaborative project-based learning, one-on-one or small-group language learning practice, videoconference dialogues, courses paired across institutions who work together, remote internships or group consulting projects for companies located abroad, or community engagement or service-learning projects conducted online in collaboration with a community partner overseas, and more.
Open Educational Resources
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions. (As defined by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, UNESCO
Organization
entity involved in providing
education abroad
(3.11)
programs
(3.40)
Note 1 to entry: An institution may be referred to as an organization, but not all organizations are institutions.
Note 2 to entry: A smaller part of an institution or organization, including an education abroad office or a global programs division, may be
referred to as an organization.
Outcome, Program/Programmatic
a measure of the results of a
program
(3.40) or service-level
goal
(3.17), e.g., increased satisfaction, increased retention
Note 1 to entry: Program outcomes are often used to include operational outcomes, which represent elements of the program’s functioning (e.g., cost per student).
Note 2 to entry: Adapted from the Council for the Advancement of Standards, Glossary of Terms. [7]
Outcome, Student Learning
statement which describes significant and measurable change occurring in students as a direct result of their interaction with an
organization
(3.28) and its
programs
(3.40) and services
Overseas Branch Campus
A separate campus of a college or university whose main campus is in a different country. Formal accreditation is typically through the country where the main campus is situated, and the academic structure typically mirrors that of the main campus. Unlike study abroad programs, overseas campuses offer degrees. They may be aimed primarily at host country students or at students from the country of the sponsoring institution.
Participant
individual who attends, provides, or teaches an education abroad
program
(3.40), including, but not limited to:
program leader
on-site administrator
student
Partner
party involved in the processes of sending
students
(3.45) abroad or receiving students abroad (when at least two parties are involved), including, but not limited to:
home institution
host institution
independent provider
consortium
travel or logistics provider
government agency
scholarship organization
Note 1 to entry: Education abroad is by its very nature collaborative. Partner relationships are not always formal partnerships but working relationships with entities that may include, but are not limited to, travel agents or local transportation providers.
Partnership
a formal or informal agreement between two or more responsible organizations (3.42) to manage and operate
education abroad
(3.11)
programs
(3.40)
Note 1 to entry: Partnerships may also be formal or informal agreements with vendors for provision of goods or services involved in the management or logistics of
education abroad
(3.11)
programs
(3.40).
Peer Advisor
A paid or volunteer student, usually a recently returned education abroad alumna/us, who is trained to provide assistance to prospective students by answering questions about the education abroad application process, identifying programs that are appropriate to meet academic and personal needs, and finding resources and related information on studying abroad.
Peer Ambassador
A student, usually a recently returned education abroad alumna/us, who volunteers to represent the program she or he attended by responding to inquiries from potential participants. Although this interaction typically takes place through electronic communication, it may also involve some telephone and face-to-face meetings or visits to classes.
Personnel
individual(s) with responsibility for any aspect of the
portfolio
(3.36) or
program
(3.40), including, but not limited to:
full-time and/or part-time
faculty
(3.16)
hourly employees
administrators
staff
paraprofessionals (e.g., student employees, interns, graduate assistants, and volunteers)
Point Person
Primary contact at an organization or institution who is responsible either for responding to communications from partners or identifying the appropriate contact and promptly forwarding the
inquiry.
Policy
plan to address anticipated conditions that guides and determines present and future decisions and acceptable
procedures
(3.38), including, but not limited to:
reimbursement for early withdrawal
student conduct
admissions
Portability of Aid
Ability to use financial aid awarded by one institution for an education abroad program sponsored by another institution. This is facilitated through a written agreement between the institutions.
Portfolio of Programs
set of experiences that include all specific
programs
(3.40) offered or approved by a responsible
organization
(3.42)
Postsecondary
educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, including, but not limited to, a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school, gymnasium, home schooling at the secondary level, or General Education Development (GED)
Note 1 to entry: Also known as higher or tertiary education, postsecondary education is in the US taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education. Colleges, universities, institutes of technology, and polytechnics are the main institutions that provide postsecondary education.
Note 2 to entry: Adapted from USLegal. [8]
Pre-Departure Orientation
Programming intended to prepare students for a meaningful, successful, and educational experience abroad. Pre-departure orientation addresses everything from practical concerns with passports and student visas, health and safety, and academics to cultural adjustment, intercultural learning, and diversity awareness. Includes information on what to expect in the education abroad program, including such matters as housing, finances, transportation, and emergency contacts. Orientation may consist of written materials, in-person meetings, webinars, online training modules, e-mail correspondence, phone conversations, or (typically) some combination of these elements.
Pre-Session
In-country programming offered in the weeks between the beginning of an education abroad experience and the beginning of regular classes. Typically, pre-sessions are used in university-based programs and are designed to provide intensive preparation for coursework in the host university system. This may involve intensive language or discipline-specific study. Successful completion may be a required provision for participation in the education abroad experience. Academic credit is usually awarded.
Procedures
a set way of doing something driven by the completion of a task with a focus on satisfying the rules, for example, in the event of:
emergency evacuation
response to sexual misconduct
Note 1 to entry: Adapted from ISO Terms Definitions. [9]
Process
a series of actions completed to achieve a desired outcome, including, but not limited to:
enrollment
withdrawal
Note 1 to entry: Adapted from ISO Terms Definitions. [9]
Program
specific
education abroad
(3.11) experience, including, but not limited to:
regular offering of a faculty-led or instructor-led experience
ongoing direct exchange opportunity
regular offering of a host institution abroad
internship opportunity
service learning experience
Program Assistant
An individual who supports the various and diverse operations of the education abroad office. Responsibilities may include office reception and answering general inquiries, managing student appointments, programming, maintaining database records and student files, updating websites, tracking course approvals and student evaluations, maintaining the office email account and calendar, and supervising student workers in the office.
Program Design
The basic structure of an education abroad program. Combines such considerations as duration, scheduling, level, phases (for example, a one-week orientation followed by 10 weeks of classroom study and a four-week internship); and pedagogical model (for example, field study, integrated university courses).
Program Director
1) A Faculty Program Director or Resident Director. 2) In some education abroad offices, a Program Manager.
Program Manager
Staff member in an education abroad office who has lead responsibility for one or more programs within the portfolio offered by the institution or organization.
Program Model
A combination of characteristics that provide a shorthand description of an education abroad program. Examples: short-term, faculty-led travel seminar; summer intensive language program; geology field research program; integrated program in a Spanish-speaking university; student exchange program in business studies; work abroad program; internship program in environmental studies.
Program Provider
(or
Independent Program Provider
, or
Third-Party Provider
, or simply
Provider
) – An institution or organization that offers education abroad program services to students from a variety of institutions. A program provider may be a college or university, a nonprofit organization, a for-profit business, or a consortium.
Program Review
The comprehensive evaluation of a program based on a critical examination of its component parts. Evaluators may be from inside the organization (internal review) or from outside of the organization (external review). A review (with of without an on-site component) may be of an individual program or a set of programs offered by an institution or program provider organization, of an education abroad office (campus-based or organizationally-based) that offers the programs, or both.
Program Site
The geographical location at which an education abroad program takes place. Most commonly, a site is identified by the name of the host city or town, but it may sometimes be named for a different unit; for example, a region, a rural community, or an archaeological site.
Program Sponsor
An institution or organization that is the primary administrator and manager of an education abroad program.
Quarter
Corresponding in length roughly to a term on a U.S. quarter calendar (generally about nine to 11 weeks).
QUIP
The acronym for The Forum on Education Abroad’s Quality Improvement Program, which assesses the effectiveness of an education abroad organization, process or program through a self-study and peer review process based upon the
Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad
Re-Entry Programming
(or
Re-Entry Orientation
or
Re-Entry Conference
) - Programming intended to support students with readjustment back to their home culture and campus. This orientation encourages students to reflect on what they learned abroad and to articulate their experiences to themselves and to others as tools for building their new skills and perspectives. Re-entry programming may be built into the in-country program and/or given on the home campus after the students' return.
Reasonable Accommodations
modification or adjustment to a course, program, service, job, activity, assessment, test, or facility that enables a qualified individual with a disability to have equal opportunity to attain the same level of performance or to enjoy the same benefits and privileges that are available to an individual without a disability
Note 1 to entry: As defined in Higher Education Law. [10]
Reflection
A consideration or analysis of a topic or experience that has an academic basis but is also personal in nature. This is a common pedagogical method for courses on study abroad programs that examine cross-cultural issues. Through reflection, participants are asked to examine a particular cultural issue or practice in the host country and analyze it through their personal lens. Generally reflection is done through a journal or other piece of writing (also called reflective writing).
Renewable Assignments
A renewable assignment is student work that is openly published so that it contributes to a body of knowledge extending its value beyond the course in which it was assigned. Unlike traditional “disposable assignments,” which are discarded after being graded, renewable assignments provide opportunities for students to add value to their academic communities and future students. Renewable assignments can be made possible by open educational resources (OER).
Research Abroad
An activity abroad that typically pairs a study abroad student or students with on-site faculty and/or other local experts to pursue a specific topic or research question. Such research typically results in the writing of an academic paper or article, whether to fulfill requirements for academic credit or other degree requirements or with an eye to publication in a peer-reviewed journal or presentation at an academic conference. The research may be undertaken as part of an organized study abroad program (i.e. a research-based course or independent project) or in a completely independent manner outside the structure of a program.
Research Program
A subtype of field study program in which the main focus is research conducted by participating students.
Residence Hall
(or
Dormitory
or
Dorm
) – A building used to house students. The building may range in size from just a few rooms to hundreds, and rooms may be single or multiple occupancy. Most often, residents of a group of rooms share bathrooms with shower, toilet, and sink facilities. There may also be shared kitchen facilities. In the United States, the term “dormitory” is going out of style with residential life professionals, who prefer the term “residence hall.” Major factors education abroad students consider when choosing to live in a residence hall include convenience to classrooms, cost, and the opportunity to live with local students.
Resident Director
(or
Center Director
or
On-Site Director
) – An individual whose primary role is to manage an education abroad program on site. The director’s roles are multifaceted and usually include overseeing all areas of a center or program, including student life; budgetary and fiscal management; academic affairs; health, safety and risk management; institutional relationships; and personnel management. Historically, the title referred to an individual, often a university faculty member, who served as the director-in-residence for a one- to three-year term. Today, the individual is often a permanent employee of the education abroad program.
Residential College
A housing facility that often physically resembles a residence hall and often combines elements of living and academic aspects of the university in one location. Residential colleges encourage participation in a variety of social clubs and may have an academic element (such as their own course offerings). They often have a central theme, such as an academic focus or common interest (for example, multiculturalism or internationalism). Members of a residential college may be expected to eat their meals together. Such facilities are rare in the U.S., but common in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Responsible Organization
entity responsible for the execution of a
program
(3.40) or
portfolio of programs
(3.36), including, but not limited to:
university
college
program provider organization
partner
(3.32)
education abroad office
professional school
Note 1 to entry: The responsible organization may be different for each program or institution.
Note 2 to entry: See also
organization
(3.28) and
institution
(3.24).
Responsible Party
individual responsible for specific task or
program
(3.40), including, but not limited to:
advisor
program leader
education abroad director
risk manager
Note 1 to entry: The responsible party may be different for each task or program.
Restorative Justice
a philosophy that focuses on repairing the harm caused to people and relationships as a result of crime or other wrongdoing
Note 1 to entry: Restorative justice is “a victim-centered response to crime that provides opportunities for those most directly affected by the crime—the victim, the offender, their families, and members of the community—to be directly involved in addressing the harm caused by the crime. The restorative justice philosophy is based on (1) values that emphasize the support and involvement of victims and restoring emotional and material losses, (2) holding offenders accountable to the people and communities they violated, (3) providing opportunities for conflict resolution and problem-solving, and (4) strengthening public safety through community-building.”
Note 2 to entry: Definition and Note 1 adapted from USLegal.com. [8]
Returnee
An education abroad participant who has returned to the home institution after completion of her or his program. Although technically the term Alumnus or Alumna (plural Alumni or Alumnae) means a degree-holding graduate of an institution, in an education abroad context it has come sometimes to be used as a synonym for returnee (“education abroad alumnus,” “program alumna,” etc.).
Risk Management
The process of identifying, assessing, and controlling risks that arise from operational factors in order to minimize their negative consequences.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
The headway toward a degree or certificate from a student’s home institution, determined by that school’s standards, that a student must meet and maintain at certain points throughout his/ her educational career in order to be eligible to receive federal student financial aid. Any institution wishing to establish or maintain eligibility to administer federal financial aid programs is required to meet applicable government requirements in this area.
Scholarship
A financial award to a student who applies for the funds through a competitive process. These awards generally do not need to be repaid. The evaluation of applicants for such awards can be based on a variety of criteria, such as academic or creative works the student is asked to produce, academic record, and/or financial need.
School of Record
an accredited institution of higher learning that documents and awards credit for programs or institutions that are not accredited
Semester
Lasting roughly the length of a term on a U.S. semester calendar (generally about 12 to 17 weeks).
Service Learning
A form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs together with structured opportunities for reflection designed to achieve desired learning outcomes.
Service-Learning
A form of [glossary]experiential education[/glossary] in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs together with structured opportunities for reflection designed to achieve desired [glossary]learning outcomes[/glossary] (as defined in: Jacoby, B. (2015). Se
rvice-learning essentials: Questions, answers and lessons learned.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.)
Short-Term
Lasting eight weeks or less; may include summer, January, or other terms of eight weeks or less.
Site Review
An evaluation of an overseas program that is at least partially conducted on site. Site reviews may be comprehensive or may focus on one or several specific issues. They may be conducted by the program sponsor; by an outside individual, group, or organization; or by an affiliate or potential affiliate.
Site Visit
A trip by U.S.-based study abroad professionals or home campus faculty to an overseas program site where one has a relationship or might have a relationship in the future. Goals that drive site visits include meeting with colleagues and/or gathering information for program development, to evaluate the program, to learn more about the program, or for other needs.
Sponsored Program
Meanings vary from campus to campus. 1) The most common, and preferred, meaning is as a synonym for an Institutionally Administered Program, 2) Some institutions use it instead to mean an Approved Program or an Affiliated Program. 3) A narrower usage applies the term to only a subset of Institutionally Administered Programs such as those operated under the auspices of a department, division or unit (for example, faculty-led). 4) Still other institutions apply it to all programs that have some ongoing relationship to the institution, i.e., every category except an Outside Program.
Stipend
A monthly or bi-monthly payment to a student. These funds are usually used to help with living expenses.
Student
individual learner in an education abroad
program
(3.40)
Student Affairs
administrative sector or category of student support services that focuses on supporting student growth and development outside of the classroom
Student Aid Report
(or SAR) – A report that summarizes the information that a student has submitted on his/her Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and provides the student with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
Student Exchange
A reciprocal agreement whose participants are students. Subtypes are
Bilateral Exchanges
and
Multilateral Exchanges
. Exchanges often involve some system of “banking” tuition (and sometimes other fees) collected from outgoing students for use by incoming students. The term student exchange is sometimes used erroneously as a synonym for study abroad.
Student Learning and Development
growth that is an intended outcome
Note 1 to entry: Student learning and development refers to the changes that result when students are exposed to new experiences, concepts, information, and ideas. The knowledge, understanding, and personal growth are generated, in this context, from interactions with higher education learning environments.
Note 2 to entry: Adapted from the Council for the Advancement of Standards, Glossary of Terms. [7]
Study Abroad
(synonymous with, and preferred to,
Overseas Study
or
Foreign Study
) – A subtype of Education Abroad that results in progress toward an academic degree at a student’s home institution. (Or may also be defined as a subtype of Off-Campus Study that takes place outside the country where the student’s home institution is located.) This meaning, which has become standard among international educators in the U.S., excludes the pursuit of a full academic degree at a foreign institution. (In many other countries the term study abroad refers to, or at least includes, such study.)
Study Abroad Center
An education abroad model in which the predominant study format consists of classroom-based courses designed for non-host country students. Centers may be operated independently, be special units within a host country university, or be sponsored by a college or university in another country or by a study abroad provider organization. Many study abroad centers have permanent staff and facilities.
Study Abroad Program
1.) An education abroad enrollment option designated to result in academic credit. Several study abroad programs may be housed at the same location or center. Simultaneously, an educational institution or an independent program provider may offer distinct programs at a location. 2.) The administrative unit at an institution that oversees study abroad options for its students. Separate options at separate locations are considered programs. When two or more options are offered at the same location, they are distinct programs if a) their sponsor(s) give them different names, and b) they meet either of two additional criteria: either they have different sponsors and application procedures for admission (for example, Program Provider 1 at the University of New York and Program Provider 2 at the University of York are distinct programs even though their students may have access to the same classes; or they have the same sponsor but separate application pools and completely separate student bodies and courses (for example, Provider 1 Brussels Language and Culture and the Provider 1 European Union may be distinct programs because students must apply to one or the other and, once admitted, never are in the same classroom together).
Study Away
Study that takes students entirely away from the home campus for a period of time, whether to a destination within or outside the U.S. The term tends to be used most often at campuses where the same office is responsible for both study abroad and domestic off-campus study. Roughly a synonym for Off-Campus Study.
Sustainability
Sustainability is the long-term maintenance and enhancement of human well-being within finite planetary resources. It is usually considered to have environmental, economic, and social dimensions. (As defined by the United Kingdom Houses of Parliament Office of Science and Technology)
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development promotes prosperity and economic opportunity, greater social well-being, and protection of the environment. United Nations Member States agree that sustainable development offers the best path forward for improving the lives of people everywhere. (Adapted from the United Nations)
Target Language
The language a student is learning or intends to learn
Teaching Abroad
A volunteer (or largely volunteer) placement abroad as a teacher or teacher’s assistant. Varieties of teaching abroad programs include student teaching (in partial fulfillment of a teaching certificate); teaching English as a second or foreign language; and professional teaching in a K-12 or university environment. Some programs combine the volunteering with structured learning. Most volunteering is unpaid, though some programs provide a living stipend.
Thematic Program
(or
Theme Program
) – A study abroad program focused on a particular subject (for example, the European Union, environmental studies, or gender and development).
Tolerance for Ambiguity
The willingness in an unfamiliar and unscripted situation to take the time to try to understand what is occurring and/or appropriate. Those with a low tolerance for ambiguity seek information primarily to support their own beliefs. Those with a high tolerance for ambiguity seek objective information from all participants primarily to gain an understanding of the whole situation and to perceive and predict accurately the behavior of others.
Travel Advisory
Term generally used for what the U.S. State Department officially calls Travel Information, which provides assessments of the health and safety risks for U.S. citizens traveling to all other countries. The State Department issues three types of travel information: Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country-Specific Information. Several other countries (for example, Australia, Canada, France, Switzerland, and the UK) also provide travel advisories for their citizens who travel abroad.
Travel Alert
(formerly known as
Public Announcement
) – Official term used by the U.S. State Department for a bulletin outlining a temporary risk to U.S. citizens traveling abroad. It is typically used for information regarding potential threats due to terrorism, civil unrest (such as political demonstrations), or natural calamities such as hurricanes or earthquakes. Travel Alerts may be issued for a city, a country, a world region, or worldwide. See also Travel Warning and Consular Information Sheet.
Travel Seminar
(preferable to the roughly synonymous Study Tour or Study Travel Program) – A program in which students travel to many different cities or countries and receive instruction in each location, often regarding a designated, unifying topic. Examples include shipboard education programs or European cultural studies tours. This is a distinct program type and differs from field trips or excursions within other program types/subtypes.
Travel Warning
Official term used by the U.S. State Department for an announcement that warns U.S. citizens against travel to a specific country or region because of health, safety, or security conditions in that area. It is the strongest of the three types of travel information issued by the State Department. Note that Travel Warnings come in different degrees of severity, though these are not designated quantitatively, but by language that calls, for example, for all U.S. citizens to defer nonessential travel, or for the voluntary or mandatory evacuation of some or all U.S. staff members (and/or their families) of the U.S. Embassy and consulates situated in the country U.S. citizens may not be able to get support services from the U.S. if they do travel to a location that has a travel warning in effect.
U.S. School of Record
The accredited institution of higher education in the U.S. that issues an official transcript for academic work completed on a study abroad program. Depending on individual institutional policy the absence of a U.S. school of record may impede transfer of credit from abroad to a student’s home institution.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the center of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as an urgent call to action by all countries. The 17 SDGs are a set of priorities and aspirations to guide all countries in tackling the world’s most pressing challenges. The SDGs are integrated and indivisible, balancing the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. (Adapted from the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are defined in a list of 169 SDG Targets. Progress towards these Targets is agreed to be tracked by 232 unique Indicators. See the SDG Tracker for more information.
Underrepresented Destinations
(or
Less Traditional Destinations
or
Nontraditional Destinations
) – Destinations that host only small numbers of U.S. study abroad students. This can be for a variety of reasons, such as lack of student interest, lack of home university support, safety or security issues, language barriers, or lack of host country infrastructure.
Underrepresented Disciplines
Areas of academic specialization that are less represented among students studying abroad than among the general U.S. student population or the home campus student population.
Underrepresented Groups
Categories of students who study abroad in fewer numbers than they represent in a larger population, such as the U.S., their home state, or their home institution. Under-representation may be based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, discipline of study, or any combination of these factors.
Volunteering Abroad
Largely self-directed, unpaid work- or service-based learning opportunity initiated by students motivated to respond to the needs of an organization or community, often without specific learning objectives or associated coursework.
Work Abroad
Immersion in an international work environment with the educational value of the experience itself being the primary purpose. May or may not be for academic credit. Depending on the focus of the experience, it may be designated as interning, volunteering, service-learning, teaching, or just working abroad. Work abroad is sometimes used more narrowly to mean working for pay. By design, work abroad programs are temporary, lasting from a few weeks to two or three years. Educational work abroad is to be distinguished from career-related overseas assignments, permanent jobs abroad, and migration for gainful employment.
Year
Lasting at least as long as a typical academic year of two semesters or three quarters. Generally between about 26 and 45 weeks of actual coursework (excluding vacations).
The Forum on Education Abroad is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization for Education Abroad. The Forum on Education Abroad is hosted by its strategic partner, Dickinson College
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