Office of International Programs

The International Friendship Programs pairs international students/scholars at Appalachian State with a local individual or family who lives in locally. This family or individual will be a contact, resource, and friend as you transition to life in Boone.  Together, you will get to learn about each other and explore the local area.

This is not a homestay program, so you will not live with your Local Friend.

Appalachian endeavors to balance the value of participation in education abroad experiences against potential risks and crises that may develop. The health and safety of Appalachian personnel and participants abroad are of primary concern to the University and its overseas partners. Senior administrators, education abroad administrators, education abroad program leaders, and host institution representatives abroad share the responsibility for monitoring local and national conditions affecting participant health and safety and providing relevant information to program participants.

It’s also helpful to be supportive of your student once they are overseas, but remember that this is their experience and they should be given the opportunity to explore their new home. Student communication may vary from immediately letting you know they have arrived to not saying anything for a number of days. Please note that sometimes this may simply be due to lack of internet or cell coverage upon arrival.

While it is important to be supportive in the study abroad process, please also be aware that it is a student’s responsibility to not only learn details themselves but be independent each step of the way. This is a valuable skill to develop and will be especially useful when he or she is overseas. You may feel that you’re aiding your student by taking up some of the responsibilities as he or she may be busy with school, but this can actually hinder their development and ability to handle situations that may come up when they are abroad.

This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about your student’s interests and provide support as they go through the process. Be sure to ask them questions; let them know that your door is open for them to discuss their plans with you. We encourage you to:

If you plan to aquire language credit abroad there will be a language level requirement.  However, speaking the language of your study abroad destination is not a equirement for study abroad.  Many countries have programs and courses taught in English even if their primary language is not English. Destinations like England and Australia are obvious choices for studying in English; however, you can also study in English in Thailand, Finland, South Korea and the Netherlands to name a few.

You can take courses for your major, minor, electives, or general education. While not all areas of study are available in all locations, students can find appropriate courses for their program as long as they begin planning well in advance. Appalachian actively promotes the advantages of studying abroad by assisting students in matching credits from foreign institutions to their own curriculum.

Studying abroad doesn't have to be expensive. Look into the details of the study abroad programs you are considering to determine which options fit your budget.  If you are eligible for federal and state financial aid you can apply it to your study abroad expenses.  Scholarships are also available in our Study Abroad office, academic departments as well as outside the university (see our scholarship database).

With careful planning, you can receive credit towards your major, minor, elective, or core curriculum requirements and still graduate on time. The key is to come to a general information session early – your first semester at Appalachian is not too soon – in order to explore your options. Many students within certain majors can study abroad for an entire year and still graduate on time. For others, study abroad programs during the summer semesters may be a good choice.

The best time to study abroad depends on the student. With our Appalachian Faculty-Led Programs, students can study abroad as early as their Freshman year.  Once you have completed at least two successful semesters at Appalachian, you are eligible to participate in our semester or year study abroad and exchange programs. Studying abroad during your senior year is an option; however, note that academic calendars abroad do not always coincide which ours and could create conflicts for you if you want to walk in graduation.