Student Quote
“Not only is it a great opportunity academically, but personally. Its a great way to push yourself to be able to learn in a new environment, but also a great way to work on being independent. You also make friends that last a lifetime.”
Study Abroad Office - Summer Office Hours
During the summer, the Study Abroad Office will operate with a reduced in-person staff in its physical office Monday through Thursday and be closed on Fridays. Staff will still be available via the normal virtual methods, including email, meetings by Zoom, phone appointments, and our website chat for quick questions. Please visit our Meet with an Advisor page for details about how to contact our staff.
The SAO will be closed in observance of the following holidays:
- Memorial Day – May 26th
- Juneteenth – June 19th
- Independence Day – July 4th
If you are a current UIC program leader or student abroad with an emergency, please contact the university’s 24/7 emergency number: +1-312-355-5555.
A letter from the SAO Executive Director
Why does study abroad matter….now?
Consider these reflections from the SAO Executive Director, Dr. Kyle Rausch.
Health & Safety Updates
COVID-19
(Updated April 4th, 2022)
COVID-19 has and will impact study abroad’s normal operations; however, our commitment to student mobility and access to international opportunities remains central to our operations.
UIC’s Office of Global Engagement (OGE) continues to monitor the global pandemic to determine if conditions in countries where our students have applied to study are stable enough to permit the university’s endorsement of participation in study abroad programs.
OGE consults a variety of sources, including:
-The U.S. Department of State
-The Centers for Disease Control
-Official governmental sources for host countries
-Information from our program partners
-Arthur J. Gallagher – UIC’s international health insurance providers
Based on this information, the university is using a multi-source risk analysis approach to make its decisions about which countries we can resume study abroad programming in. Programs in countries with a Department of State travel advisory of level 4 due to non-COVID-19 factors are not countries we are able to support. Other countries will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis upon consulting the aforementioned resources.
The CDC advises that travelers ensure they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before traveling internationally. Getting vaccinated is still the best way to protect yourself from severe disease and slow the spread of COVID-19. All students who apply to study abroad will be asked to disclose their vaccination and booster status. Due to requirements by certain countries and/or program partners, there may be vaccination requirements for certain programs. Please speak with an SAO advisor to learn if your program has COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Visit today.uic.edu/coronavirus for additional information, campus updates and support resources for the UIC community. Please contact us at sao@uic.edu or schedule an appointment with a study abroad staff member to discuss questions or concerns.
#StudyAbroadisforUIC
Study abroad is for all UIC students. We strive to ensure that our students continue to have access to meaningful study abroad experiences.
#StudyAbroadisforUIC
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83 % Receive federal aid
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44 % Are Pell eligible
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69 % Identify as an under-represented minority
No Title
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38 % Are the first in their family to attend college
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59 Majors (and counting...)
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41 % Are STEM Majors