More Purdue students studying abroad this summer

Purdue University continues to see an increase in study abroad participation, especially during the summer sessions. Students in “21st Century European Transportation Infrastructure” visit the London Crossrail station in Farringdon Station on May 12. This program is led by Darcy Bullock, professor of civil engineering and director of the Joint Transportation Research Program. (Photo provided) Download image

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University continues to see an increase in study abroad participation, especially during the summer sessions.

The Office of Programs for Study Abroad expects approximately 1,223 students to participate in summer study abroad programs compared to 1,144 last year. There were 992 undergraduate participants in 2014 and 751 in 2013. This summer’s total will bring the number of Purdue undergraduate students studying abroad to 2,268 for the 2015-16 year.

“More students are able to study abroad thanks to Purdue Moves scholarships, and 1,916 were awarded this academic year,” said Brian Harley, associate dean of international programs and director of programs for Study Abroad. “This increase also shows that more Purdue students are utilizing summer sessions and that various academic programs develop programming to offer experiences beyond the classroom that relate to business or industry.”

Study abroad is one of the 10 Purdue Moves strategic initiatives. As part of the study abroad initiative launched in 2013, Purdue offers up $1,000 for qualified undergraduate students who participate in a shorter-term, formalized credit-bearing study abroad program. For summer programs of at least six credits and six weeks, awards of up to $2,000 are offered. Larger scholarships up to $3,000 are available for semester and yearlong program participation.

Purdue students learn about prosciutto di parma in Italy during the study abroad course “An Italian Food Experience: Production, Preparation, Marketing.” This agricultural economics course focuses on marketing, agrotourism, product development, pricing, distribution and economic and trade issues. (Photo provided) Download image

The study abroad aspirational goal is for one-third of all undergraduate students to participate in an international study, internship or research credit-bearing experience before graduation. In 2014-15 about 20 percent of recent graduates had participated in a study abroad program compared to about 18 percent in 2012-13 at the end of which the Purdue Moves support was initiated.

This summer Purdue undergraduate students are participating in more than 130 programs in 43 countries. Some of the more popular Purdue summer study abroad offerings include internship experiences, such as the "Sydney Internship Program" and the "London Internship Program."

Information about study abroad opportunities and scholarships is available online. 

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service contact: Megan Huckaby, 765-496-1325, mhuckaby@purdue.edu