Congratulations on your nomination to Yonsei University! Your next step now is to apply for the school itself. You will receive an email from Yonsei University with detailed instructions on their entirely online application and your login information. Once you gather the components of the app, the process of completing it should only take a few hours. Take into account that Korea runs in a different time (+19 hours ahead of HST) and adjust your deadlines accordingly.
Components:
Good luck, friends!
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Now onto everyone’s favorite or most-nerving, depending on how you look at it, part - financing your time abroad. The biggest mistake that students can make is thinking that we will not get scholarships without even applying. I get it, we tend to think that most scholarships are for high-school seniors or students with outrageously high GPA’s, and that can be deterring. However, the truth is that there is SO MUCH free money out there - especially for travelling. Do not be afraid to inquire with your advisors or professors - as a bonus, they’ll be more willing to write you a recommendation because you took that initiative. As business students, we have to awesome opportunity of applying for the Freeman (Asia) or Johnson (Europe) Scholarship.
There are no better resources for more info than on the Shidler website or with Rikki Mitsunaga herself, so definitely visit both before you apply. To sum up the requirements for the Freeman Scholarship, you’ll need to complete:
The Student Application is easy and straightforward, mostly comprised of short-answer questions. If I were to sit down in one session, it would have taken me two to three hours to complete (although I am admittedly easily distracted). The Preliminary Travel Expense Form asks that you to be as specific as possible with your projected expenses. Be as realistic with your budget as possible and if you need a sample form, ask a prior scholar (email me!) to see what they put. I am unsure if they factor this into how much money you, but as a Regent Scholar, I am given a $2,000 travel stipend. I was forthcoming with that information and still ended up with the same amount as my fellow scholars, so I am going to say honesty is the best policy! Also, if you plan to venture to other places during your time abroad, factor in those expenses - the foundation will appreciate your adventurous spirit. The Preliminary Course Equivalencies Form should be easy to fill out as you have definitely planned out possible courses when choosing your schools for the MIX application. Resume is straightforward (every Shidler student should have their resume ready to go at all times!). Academic Planner is just the sheet that maps out your courses from now to graduation, you can find the PDF online and map it out via STAR or with your advisor. Here are some tips:
Fingers crossed - once you receive your scholar offer, make sure to submit the agreement form on time so that UH Foundation can cut you the check before you leave for your exchange (this is a personal lesson of mine. . . haha). Also, budget yourself around the after-tax amount, as the scholarship you receive is taxable! Best of luck, friends! Once you have decided to apply for Mānoa International Exchange, make sure you take note of these important factors:
Fall/ Summer/ Academic Year Exchange: December 1st *PLEASE NOTE: As of Fall 2018, this is the NEW deadline. It used to be March 1st.*
The online form itself is very easy to fill out and it only took me about two to three hours. I highly recommend typing your essay answers out on a Word Doc or Google Doc because it’s an online Google Form. The application will ask you for your top five choices of schools. I choose three schools in Korea, one school in France, and one school in Hong Kong. Fortunately, I got nominated for Yonsei University (my first choice!). I cannot stress enough that as business students, all your choices must be AACSB-accredited in order for your exchange credits to transfer back to UHM. There are a variety of factors that go into your nomination, so I recommend making an appointment with Rikki Mitsunaga (Shidler Int’l Exchange) and Vinnie Burns (MIX office) to discuss that in detail. That being said, it can only help you to apply ASAP! Speaking of deadlines, please note the new Dec. 1st deadline for Fall/ Summer/ Year study abroad applications. As students, you’ll be gearing up for finals; the same can be said for your professors and TA’s, so ask for their recommendations at least two weeks in advance. The form can be found on the MIX website under "How to Apply". After you submit your application, sit back and wait for MIX to work their magic. They’ll send you an email for next steps within one to two months. Remember that getting the nomination email does not guarantee acceptance into your exchange school (although, to be honest, I have never heard of anyone getting rejected post-nomination). Plan as much as you can, but do not book plane tickets or secure living arrangements until you get the acceptance from the host school itself! Best of luck, friends! The idea of studying abroad is exciting, thrilling, and adventurous. It’s also nerve-racking, costly, and overwhelming. Lucky for us, UHM has a wide variety of programs and resources to help us make the right choice! The first step is to research, research, research. Check out the UHM International Page for links to all things study abroad.
Some important questions to keep in mind are:
To quickly answer these questions, I recommend looking at the Study Abroad Center (SAC) site and the Manoa International Exchange (MIX) site, as well as, the Shidler Partner Schools page to find schools that you want to attend. Pay attention to the cost and the course equivalency pages to see if they fit for you. Once you have some options, schedule a visit with your advisor (Rikki Mitsunaga has a fully-booked schedule ALWAYS, so make an appointment with OSAS about a month in advance!). As previously mentioned, UHM has two study abroad programs to choose from - Study Abroad Center (SAC) and Manoa International Exchange (MIX). I have had the unique opportunity to apply to and experience both, and here are some differences: Study Abroad:
I chose to apply with MIX because I knew that I wanted to study in South Korea. Study Abroad Center primarily has programs in Europe, with the exception of Shanghai, whereas MIX has programs in Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Here are my biggest takeaways from applying to both:
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