The Program

If you are you serious about preparing to teach in today's multi-cultural society, this program is for you!

UW-Eau Claire is partnered with the Global Student Teaching (GST) program based at the University of Minnesota-Morris. GST offers qualified students the opportunity to student teach in English in 42 countries located in every region of the world: Africa; Asia; Europe; the Middle East, and Central and South America. UW-Eau Claire students have taught in Australia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic and Thailand.

All GST classroom placements are 10 weeks long. After a short-period of orientation at your school, you'll jump right into your teaching experience. Cooperating schools assign the student teacher to classrooms and supervising teachers consistent with the student's proposed teaching area.

On your application, you list three countries where you would like to student teach. GST makes the final placement based on your proposed teaching area, required grade level, and the academic calendar of the host country. Learn more about the placements available in each country by visiting GST website: http://www.globalst.org

When GST is seeking placements, they send your application materials to the prospective host school. Each host school then decides whether or not to accept you. After being accepted by a host school, you will communicate directly with your hosts to arrange housing, your arrival, and your work as a student teacher.

Many types of housing, including homestays, are available. Cooperating schools advise and assist students in finding housing, but you are ultimately responsible for arranging your own accommodations. This process may sound intimidating, but GST indicates that past students have not had problems locating housing

In addition to fulfilling half of your student teaching requirement, the GST program fulfills 2/3 of the UW-Eau Claire Foreign Culture requirement.

Location

The academic calendar of the host country will play a significant role in where you are placed. Fall placements fit better into southern hemisphere calendars. Possible placements include Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa, and Thailand.

Spring placements are available worldwide since most schools are in session from February to June/July. Australia, Egypt, India and New Zealand are excellent options. Other good spring countries include Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, and Scotland.

Academic Calendar

This program is offered during the fall or spring semester. (While you always teach for 10 weeks, you may be in the host country longer because of school holidays.) In the fall, you teach 10 weeks abroad and return to Wisconsin to finish the last 8 weeks of your student teaching. In the spring, you spend the first 8 weeks of the semester student teaching in Wisconsin and then 10 weeks teaching abroad.

In order to allow time for placements within Wisconsin, fall placements through GST can occur any time between June and mid-November. Spring placements will typically occur from late-March to late-June depending on the academic calendar of the country in which you are placed. Exact dates will be confirmed by GST and will vary based on country of placement

Expenses

The estimated Wisconsin resident fee for Fall 2008 or Spring 2009 is $4,046. This includes the GST program fee for a 10-week placement, CISI insurance, and UW-Eau Claire international fees. Minnesota residents may apply for reciprocity; residents of other states add $900.

Additional costs include a passport, $300 non-refundable GST placement fee, housing, meals, local transportation, personal expenses, or international airfare. Estimate another $3,700 - $5,200 for these expenses. Actual costs will vary depending on the country where you are placed and the total number of weeks in country.

Total estimated Wisconsin resident costs: $7746-$9253. This does not include the cost of your Wisconsin student teaching. Costs are estimated and may change at any time.

Financial Aid/Scholarships

If you qualify for financial aid, you can apply your aid to program costs. Your financial aid package will be based on actual costs abroad, including the cost of round-trip airfare.   You can learn about additional options, including a study abroad grant through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation;  a Wisconsin Grant for Study Abroad and scholarships for specific majors and national study abroad scholarships at http://uwec.edu/CIE/sac/finaid.htm.

Eligibility

This program is open to currently enrolled, degree-seeking UW-Eau Claire students who are in the School of Education and accepted to student teach.  You must be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.  To fulfill UW-Eau Claire requirements, you will complete part of your student teaching placement in Wisconsin and part of it abroad.

Application Deadline

Applications for Fall 2008 are accepted beginning September 4, 2007. The priority application deadline for Spring 2009 is November 15, 2007.

Spring 2009 applications are accepted beginning January 17, 2008. The priority application deadline for Spring 2009 is April 1, 2008.

Complete applications will be reviewed after these dates. Late applications will be considered if space is still available. Please contact the CIE to find out if spaces are available before submitting a late application. No applications will be accepted after January 15, 2008 for Fall 2008 or after May 1, 2008 for Spring 2009.

You can download an application at online applications, or stop by to pick up an application in the Center for International Education.

Student Comments

Teaching in Prague has helped to compare two very different educational systems and combine the strengths of both systems in order to improve my instructional strategies. Josiah, Czech Republic, past participant

Student teaching abroad gave me the valuable insiders perspective on being an ESL learner in a new culture, and enhanced my ability to be sympathetic towards those needs for my future students. Matthew, Thailand, past participant

Student teaching in Bangkok, Thailand has been one of the best experiences of my life. My students taught me just as much, if not more, than I taught them. I will be able to apply what I have learned to teaching students from a variety of cultural backgrounds in the United States.  Sarah, Thailand, past participant

Student teaching in Bangkok, Thailand has been one of the best experiences of my life. My students taught me just as much, if not more than I taught them. I will be able to apply what I have learned to teaching students from a variety of cultural backgrounds in the United States. -Sarah, past participant

Student teaching abroad gave me the valuable insiders perspective on being an ESL learner in a new culture, and enhanced my ability to be sympathetic towards those needs for my future students. -Matthew, past participant

Teaching in Prague has helped me to compare two very different educational systems and combine the strengths of both systems in order to improve my instructional strategies. -Josiah, past participant

By student teaching abroad, I gained the opportunity to work in a school in which 90% of the students are learning English as a second language. I am learning to teach in a way that meets fhe needs of ESL students every day. This increases my chances of being a successful teacher when I get back to the States.
-Sarah, past participant

I have learned many things while teaching abroad-a new language, a new culture, a new life style. The most valuable thing that I have learned is that children are children where ever you go. They will respect you if you respect them, they will care for you if you care for them, and they will teach you if you teach them.
Emily, past participant

Additional Information

For more information and a program application, contact:
 
Center for International Education

Schofield 111
UW-Eau Claire                                                                       
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4002

Phone: (715) 836-4411
Fax: (715) 836-4948
Email: studyabroad@uwec.edu