The Program

The School for International Training (SIT) offers unique study abroad programs for adventurous students seeking field-based learning opportunities in primarily third-world countries. SIT's program components form a logical progression, enabling you to gain greater language proficiency, further your understanding of the host culture, expand your field research skills, and advance your knowledge of a particular subject. As the semester progresses, you will move from a structured learning environment to a more independent one. SIT's experiential curriculum ensures that you will gain an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of local and regional issues. Programmatic themes include the Arts, Development Studies, Environmental Studies, Gender Studies, Multicultural Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, and Social Justice.

An academic director with experience in a relevant area of study and extensive knowledge of the host country supervises in-country coursework while facilitating student access to local resources, facilities and experts. Each program offers educational excursions that take you to the region's major cultural, natural, and historical sites related to your course of study. Also included is a thorough orientation, including health and safety information and tools for cross-cultural adaptation.

For specific information and greater details, click the "Homepage: Click to Visit" link above to be brought to the SIT website for this program. To apply to this program, you will need to complete the UConn online application as well as the SIT application. Click the "Apply Now" button at the top or bottom of this page to begin your UConn online application.

The Academics

You will earn 12 - 18 graded UConn credits upon completion of an SIT program. Formal intensive language classes, lasting 3-6 hours daily, are just the beginning of an educational experience that immerses you in the local culture. Each program offers an Interdisciplinary Seminar which focuses on the thematic area of that program. In many cases this seminar is taught in cooperation with a host-country university or institute. Additionally, a Field Study Seminar trains you to learn effectively in a non-classroom environment, using methods appropriate to your host country.

A unique aspect of every SIT program is the Independent Study Project (ISP). With guidance from your academic director and local faculty, you develop your focus on a critical issue throughout the semester. Then, usually during the final month of the program, you conduct independent in-country research and compose a substantial research paper on your topic that you, in turn, present to your peers. SIT Study Abroad alumni routinely use their ISPs as the basis for senior theses, successful grant proposals, graduate-level research, and fellowships.

In order to earn credit at UConn for courses completed on this program, individual courses must be approved by a designated UConn course evaluator and assigned a UConn course number. Complete instructions for this process can be found under Getting Academic Credit on the navigation bar on the left of the Study Abroad Homepage.

SIT processes applications as it receives them. It is therefore recommended that you submit your application to SIT as early as possible. To see whether the program you are interested in is filling quickly, consult here.

The Experience

A hallmark of the SIT Study Abroad program is the homestay. Living with families, often in both urban and rural settings, will deepen your appreciation of the patterns and meaning of another culture and it will take your knowledge and language skills to the next level. This extended homestay immerses you in the daily life of your host country, builds friendships, and enhances language learning. Students frequently cite the homestay as an educational highlight of the semester.