INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION CENTER

Dwight Call, Assistant Vice President for International Education

The International Education Center of Georgia's Public Liberal Arts University promotes international and cross-cultural learning, as well as respect for diversity and assists the University in producing graduates who are prepared to accept their responsibilities as citizens of the world. In order to achieve its mission, the International Education Center works with faculty members and students to internationalize both curricular and co-curricular dimensions of the liberal arts education offered at Georgia College & State University in its many programs on campus and abroad, thereby helping students develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and effectively participate in the global society.

To achieve those objectives, the International Education Center works collaboratively with colleges and departments, as well as administrative and program offices, to internationalize the University. The International Education Center:

• Works with faculty to incorporate a global perspective within the curriculum;
• Organizes international programs and lectures on campus;
• Oversees international student recruitment and admissions;
• Provides international student advisement, services and programming;
• Organizes study opportunities abroad and prepares students to participate in study abroad programs;
• Manages student and faculty exchange agreements with partner universities worldwide;
• Assists faculty members to extend their own awareness of the world and to incorporate that awareness into the courses they teach, as well as assisting international faculty who are resident at GCSU.

The International Education Center staff includes the Assistant Vice President for International Education, the Associate Director of International Education / International Student Advisor, the Study Abroad Advisor, the International Admissions Counselor, a Senior Secretary and a Graduate Assistant. The staff is assisted by the International Education Committee, which is comprised of faculty and staff members from throughout GCSU, as well as by volunteers who serve on the University System of Georgia's System Council for International Education, Study Abroad Committee, International Curriculum Committee, Committee on International Students and Scholars, and Regional Councils for Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Up-to-date information on the International Education Center, including the most current newsletter and useful World Links, is available at the International Education Center Web site at /international.

INTERNATIONALIZING THE CURRICULUM AND THE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES MINOR (INST)

The International Education Center encourages the incorporation of an international dimension into existing courses and works to develop broad, interdisciplinary courses, which include global awareness.

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND LECTURES

The International Education Center educates the GCSU community to international diversity and intercultural difference by introducing the knowledge, skills and diverse backgrounds of international students, visiting international and domestic faculty, and GCSU students and faculty who return from experiences abroad into discussions in the regular classroom, into all-campus lectures and panel discussions, and into specially organized programs and lecture series such as those offered during International Week in October and the international symposium on Global Citizenship in February. The International Education Center also assists other departments and campus organizations in giving an international scope to their programs, lecture series, discussions and film series. The International Education Center works closely with Casa Mondo (or "World House") – the cross-cultural living experience – which brings together U. S. and international students from all corners of the world in a unique living environment.

INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS

The International Education Center manages International Admissions, evaluating applications and transcripts according to the procedures and regulations outlined in the Admissions section of this catalog for students seeking admission to degree programs. Prospective students may download admissions materials from the International Education Center website at /international, telephone, (478) 445-4789, e-mail intladm@gcsu.edu or write International Admissions, Campus Box 49, Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061 USA.

International students who will attend GCSU under the terms of an exchange agreement with their home institution will be admitted according to the provisions specified in each agreement. Students should contact their home institution's exchange coordinator or the International Education Center at GCSU for specific guidelines.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES

The International Education Center provides information and counseling to more than 100 international students from more than 50 countries on such issues as non-immigrant student visa regulations and procedures, medical insurance, housing, financial and work issues, taxes, adjustment to life in the U.S., and academic concerns. The International Education Center also advises the International Club and organizes community and campus activities, such as the International Dinner, International Week, the International Buddies program that pairs newly accepted international students with current members of the International Club. The Connections Program that matches international students with community hosts, and the International Student Orientation. The International Student Handbook is available on-line at /international.

STUDY ABROAD

The International Education Center organizes study opportunities abroad and then advises and assists students to participate in the various approved study, exchange and internship programs abroad offered by GCSU, the University System of Georgia and other accredited academic institutions. Studying abroad enables students to increase knowledge of a foreign language, provides the opportunity to gain insight into and appreciation for the cultures and institutions of other peoples, facilitates the development of relevant career skills and contributes to personal maturity, a sense of independence, self-knowledge, and confidence.

To participate in study abroad, a student must be in good standing. Semester exchange students must have at least a 2.75 GPA. With prior written approval from the Assistant Vice President for International Education and the student's advisor, credit for study abroad can be applied toward core or major degree requirements for graduation. Students will be advised exactly how they should register for their courses abroad. The specific study abroad or exchange program will be tailored to fit each student's course of study. The number of credits awarded will be determined in advance of registration and study. Grading will be based on evaluation reports of the exchange institution or study abroad program.

Many summer, semester and academic year study opportunities are available in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australia and Europe. In addition, the Colleges of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Business, Education and Health Sciences have specific programs geared toward the needs of their own students. For further information contact the International Education Center in 223 Lanier Hall or telephone (478) 445-4789.

Regular federal and state financial aid can often assist students to study abroad. For details contact the Financial Aid Office in 103 Parks Hall or telephone (478) 445-5149. In addition, special study abroad scholarships available through the International Education Center in 223 Lanier Hall or telephone (478) 445-4789 can enable students who could not otherwise participate in study abroad.

Study abroad program and scholarship information is available from the International Education Center Web site at /international.

Students enrolling in approved study abroad programs that do not otherwise require their registering for coursework at GCSU will register for INST 2985: Study Abroad Seminar, a one credit-hour course. Students will register for the course for the semester they plan to study abroad, but must attend sessions during the final weeks of the semester prior to their departure and receive an "incomplete" until final requirements for the course are met after their return to GCSU. The course will be offered on a Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory basis. If students do not complete the Study Abroad Seminar, they risk forfeit one of any GCSU scholarship, which may have been awarded, and will need to repay it.

STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS

The GCSU International Education Center staff will advise all students going abroad on the study abroad programs that best meet their needs and the study abroad scholarships that are available to them.

International Education Center staff will advise students regarding Weir and Wells Study Abroad Scholarships, for which they may submit applications to the International Education Center. These scholarships require the same 3.0 GPA standard that is required for other GCSU scholarships. The Assistant Vice President for International Education and the International Education Committee review scholarship application materials and recommend Weir and Wells Study Abroad Scholarships. Recommendations will be made on a priority basis according the following:

1. Students registering at GCSU for study abroad programs that are offered by GCSU or for study abroad programs sponsored by the University System of Georgia and which permit students to register at GCSU. Also, students registering at GCSU and participating in an exchange with one of its partner universities.
2. Students enrolling in non-GCSU study abroad programs that have been investigated and approved by the Assistant Vice President for International Education, who will confirm the academic quality of the study abroad programs, as well as satisfactory systems for transferring credits to GCSU. In these cases, students should register at GCSU for a one-credit-hour study abroad seminar in International Studies, which is managed by the Assistant Vice President for International Education. In addition, students should complete the Study Abroad Course Approval Form, which is available in the International Education Center and confirms the support of major advisers and department chairs. Students must also register in the Office of the Registrar as transient students for the balance of their credits.

International Education Center staff will also advise students interested in studying abroad on other available scholarships:

1. Federal Aid, which is based solely upon financial need and may be used for any recognized study abroad programs. For programs in which the majority of course work is registered with an institution other than GCSU, an approved Financial Aid Consortium Agreement must be in place before Federal Aid will be disbursed. Information is available in the Financial Aid Office. Federal Aid may be awarded as grants or loans.
2. Students Abroad with Regents' Support (STARS), a Board of Regents initiative, offers study abroad students the opportunity for Work/Study stipends, travel grants for Service Learning, and study abroad Program Assistantships. Applications are available in the International Education Center.
3. Information on other scholarships is available in the International Education Center.

The Financial Aid Office will manage disbursement of all study abroad scholarships and Federal Aid. In addition, the Financial Aid Office will establish the required financial aid consortium agreement with any non-GCSU program, which certifies the student's Federal Financial Aid eligibility. Any funds awarded through GCSU will be managed by the Financial Aid Office.

EXCHANGE AGREEMENTS WITH PARTNER UNIVERSITIES WORLDWIDE

The International Education Center oversees GCSU and University System of Georgia exchange agreements with other universities and manages faculty and student exchanges with those universities. GCSU has active exchanges with the following institutions, whose individual Web sites can be accessed from the International Education Center Web site. In addition, membership in the International Student Exchange Program (www.isep.edu) and agreements with the School for International Training (www.sit.edu) and the School for Field Studies (www.fieldstudies.org) enable GCSU to send its students on semester or year-long exchange or study to many countries of the world.

FACULTY ABROAD AND INTERNATIONAL FACULTY

The International Education Center assists faculty members in designing, funding and implementing study, teaching and research ventures abroad, and later, in incorporating those experiences into the curriculum. In addition, the International Education Center gives support to the nearly 20 per cent of its faculty, who are native to other countries.

RESIDENCY CLASSIFICATION

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

Each semester, students who do not qualify as residents of the state of Georgia will pay out-of-state tuition.

RESIDENCY FOR IN-STATE TUITION PURPOSES

The following general descriptions are by no means all-inclusive, nor do they supercede existing regulations concerning in-state residency. This should only be used as an explanatory guide for Georgia residency. Detailed official guidelines are listed in the codes of the University System of Georgia.

Since GCSU is a state-supported institution, students must show documented proof of residency and the duration of their residency in order to qualify for in-state tuition. Following admission, students who are classified as non-residents may apply for in-state residency by completing the Petition for Classification as an In-State Student, which is available from the Office of Enrollment Services. In reviewing petitions, the GCSU Residency Committee looks at three primary items of proof.

1. Students must first prove that they have established a primary domicile or permanent Georgia home at least twelve consecutive months immediately preceding the beginning of classes for the term to be considered for residency. Typically, the residency status of a dependent student is tied to the status of the parent(s), so the parent(s) must show proof of domicile.
2. Invariably, students and/or parent(s) of dependent students also should provide documentation showing payment of Georgia state income tax, as this shows a tie to the state that proves financial support for the Georgia educational system. Mere property ownership in Georgia, by itself, is usually insufficient.
3. The Residency Committee also suggests students include copies of any other documents showing their intent to be a Georgia resident, such as a Georgia driver's license, car or voter registration, home ownership, full-time employment records, etc. Attending college in Georgia is not proof of intention to be a Georgia resident.

In reviewing petitions for in-state residency, GCSU considers each student's situation as unique, and so there are no universal formulas. In general, though, the three items mentioned previously are key. GCSU does understand that there are situations, such as parents living in separate states or a family in the military, which may alter the review process.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS INVOLVING RESIDENCY

The following descriptions should help in understanding what the Committee considers when reviewing certain situations.

Dependent versus Independent Students

• If a student is listed as a dependent on their parent or legal guardian's previous year's tax returns or receives more than 50% of their financial support from a parent or guardian, they are considered a dependent student and GCSU considers the student to be a resident, for tuition purposes, of the parent or guardian's state of residence. (A legal guardian must provide court and/or financial documentation of support for the student.)
• Independent students who wish to establish in-state tuition residency must document that their parent(s) have not claimed them as a tax dependent for the twelve months prior to the start of the term, and that the students have provided for more than 50% of their financial support as shown in federal and state tax returns.
• At times, current students at GCSU may have their residency status changed to in-state, but they must show detailed evidence that they are an actual resident of Georgia, and they would have lived in Georgia even if they had not been in college. Current students may call the Graduate Admissions Office at 478-445-6289 if they have more questions regarding this situation.

Separated Family Situations

If a student lives outside Georgia, but a parent is a Georgia resident, it is sometimes possible for the student to be considered a Georgia resident for tuition purposes. The student and the parent must document that the parent has lived in Georgia for the twelve consecutive month period prior to enrollment.

Military Personnel and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad

• Dependents of active duty military personnel who claim Georgia residency must provide GCSU with documentation, such as Georgia tax records or a Leave and Earnings statement.
• Dependents of active military personnel who are residents of other states but are stationed in Georgia can receive a waiver of the out-of-state tuition difference, providing the parent(s) submit documentation to the Business Office showing the military posting. The waiver continues only as long as the requirements are met.
• Dependents of U.S. citizens living abroad who consider themselves residents of Georgia must provide documentation showing Georgia as their last state of residency, as well as proof of a prior domicile in Georgia to which they may return and Georgia tax records.

Non-U.S. Citizens

Non-U.S. citizens are only eligible for in-state residency if they are lawful permanent residents as documented by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service or have been granted a visa in an eligible category. F-1 student visas are not eligible. These students must still provide documentation of in-state residency for the twelve month period.

Waivers of Out-Of-State Tuition

Students may be eligible for a waiver of the out-of-state tuition difference if they are in one of the following categories: full-time employees of the University System, their spouse and dependent children; full-time teachers in a Georgia public school and their dependent children; active-duty military personnel and their dependents while stationed in Georgia. These students should contact the Business Office for more details about the required documentation needed, and do not need to complete the Petition for Residency.

State of Georgia HOPE Scholarship Situations

Residency decisions and qualifications surrounding the state-sponsored HOPE scholarship program are made by the Georgia Student Finance Commission and the HOPE Program, and so any questions regarding the HOPE scholarship should be directed towards these programs specifically.

As stated before, all petitions for in-state residency are considered in their entirety, so every file must be reviewed based upon its own merit. As well, this page is meant as a general guide about Georgia residency for tuition purposes, but does not supercede any existing policies for in-state residency found in the codes of the University System of Georgia.

APPEALS PROCEDURE

Any student wishing to appeal a decision of institution officials concerning residence classification shall file a Notice of Appeal with the appropriate review committee at the institution.

Following a review at the highest level at the institution, a student may apply to the Board of Regents for a review of the final decision of the President. Procedures are provided in the Bylaws and Policies of the Board of Regents.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Student Responsibility to Register under Proper Classification - It is the student's responsibility to register under the proper tuition classification. If there is any question of the right to in-state tuition status, it is the student's obligation, prior to or at the time of registration, to raise the question with the administrative officials of the institution in which the student is registering and have tuition status officially determined. The burden rests with the student to submit information and documentation necessary to support the argument for a particular tuition classification under Regents' regulations.

Notification of Change in Circumstances - A student who is classified as an in-state student must immediately notify the proper administrative officials of the institution of any change in residency status or any other change in circumstances, which may affect tuition classification.

Official Change of Tuition Status - Every student classified as out-of-student shall retain that status until such time as that student shall have petitioned for reclassification in the form prescribed by the institution and shall have been officially reclassified in writing as an in-state student by the proper administrative officers. No more than one application may be filed for a given semester.

Reclassification - Every student who has been granted in-state tuition, as a legal resident of Georgia shall be reclassified as an out-of-state student whenever anyone shall report, or there have been found to exist, circumstances indicating a change in legal residence to another state.