Program Details
Program Eligibility
Program Structure
This is an affiliate program. You receive resident credit for the courses you take. Your grades factor into your University of Minnesota GPA and each course appears on your transcript with an A/F grade. Consult the Learning Abroad Center's Academic Policies for more information.
SIT Study Abroad creates transformative study abroad experiences through field-based learning and research. Every program is framed around a critical global issue, which provides a lens through which students explore the issue through theory and its local manifestation. Student learning happens through multiple formats—lectures, field visits, language study, homestays, and day-to-day interaction with local communities—in classroom and field-based settings. During the last portion of the program, students will complete either an independent study project or field research project.
Affiliate organizations and partner universities will not accept applications from UMTC students without the endorsement of the Learning Abroad Center. You must participate in affiliate organization and partner university programs through the standard Learning Abroad Center application process.
Visit SIT’s website for specific program features and eligibility requirements.
Coursework
Mexico: Migration, Borders, & Transnational Communities
Course descriptions and full syllabi are available on the program page of SIT’s website.
Key Topics
- Factors contributing to high rates of undocumented migration
- Effects of large-scale migration on communities
- Gender and family culture shifts as women take on new leadership roles
- Experiences of undocumented migration and changes over time
- Border enforcement strategies and their impacts on border communities
- Policy changes that could address the causes of undocumented migration
You will enroll in five courses for a total of 16 credits:
- Political Economy of Migration (3 credits)
- Migration and Borders in a Globalized World (3 credits)
- Spanish for Social and Cultural Studies (3 credits, beginning, intermediate or advanced)
- Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits)
- Independent Study Project or Internship (4 credits)
Dates Details
Visit your affiliate's website for program dates and application deadlines.
SIT grants admission to programs on a rolling basis as long as space is available. Early submissions are strongly encouraged as some programs fill to capacity prior to the application deadline.
Orientation Dates & Locations
The Learning Abroad Center provides a pre-departure orientation(s) in addition to the orientation offered by your affiliate program team. It is your responsibility to know the information shared at these orientations.
Orientation consists of several sessions, all of which are created to support your preparation to go abroad:
- Online Health & Safety Orientation: This asynchronous module can be accessed in your LAC checklist and is mandatory.
- LAC Affiliate Orientation (live Zoom session): UofM-specific information will be covered (academic planning, finances, etc.). Details on the LAC affiliate orientation will be sent to you via email.
- Affiliate Provider Orientation: This orientation will cover program-specific information. Your affiliate provider will invite you to a pre-departure orientation leading up to your departure.
The Learning Abroad Center also offers 2 optional orientations:
Fees
University of Minnesota participants pay the program fee instead of on-campus tuition and fees for the term they are abroad.
How to Calculate the Total Program Fee
To calculate your total program fee
Find your Affiliate program fee
For more specific information about fees, visit the SIT website.
UofM students on SIT programs receive an automatic fee reduction of $2,700 for semester, $750 for summer sessions. UofM students can also take advantage of SIT's financial aid, in the form of scholarships, grants, and pell grant matching.
Add APAAC
Refer to the Affiliate Program Fees. Follow instructions on that page to determine your APAAC.
Add International Health Insurance
You will be billed approximately $2/day for your international health insurance.
Subtract Affiliate Fee Reduction
Visit the Affiliate Program Fees to determine the fee reduction you receive for being a University of Minnesota student.
What Is the APAAC?
Students participating on affiliated programs are charged a program fee that is inclusive of the affiliate's program fee, University of Minnesota Advising, Placement, Academic, and Administrative Costs (APAAC), and international health insurance. The APAAC covers:
- Application processing
- Advising services, orientation
- Course registration
- Grade transfer and posting for resident credit
- Program billing and assistance with financial aid (when applicable)
Based on these additional services and benefits, the total program fee may be higher than the affiliate's published program fee.
Billing & Payments
Visit Billing for information about the billing process for application fees, deposits, and program fees.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Visit Financial Information for information on using financial aid and scholarships for study abroad.
Each of our affiliated programs awards its own array of scholarships. While many are need-based, others are based on merit, location, academic area, or diversity criteria. Explore your options within specific affiliates' scholarship pages.
Bridging Loan
Bridging Loan, a no-interest/no-fees loan that funds the confirmation deposit and/or flights cost, is available for this program for eligible students going abroad during an eligible term.
Cancellation Policy
Before you apply to or confirm your participation on this program, review the Learning Abroad Center's Cancellation Policy to inform yourself of the timeline and financial obligations for canceling
Prepare
Complete pre-application advising.
Apply
You will be charged a $50 application fee for each application you submit.
Complete
If your program and term does not appear in the drop-down list of available programs, select ‘SIT—Other Programs Not Listed Here’ and complete the application item ‘Affiliate Program Information’ found in your application checklist.
In addition to completing the LAC application, submit to SIT Study Abroad:
SIT Study Abroad Online Application
Detailed descriptions and instructions for submitting each checklist item are included on the application checklist assigned to you.
Next Steps
- Upon submitting the online application, you will receive an automated email message indicating your application was received.
- Follow the instructions on your application checklist to submit all of the items. Your application is not considered complete until all items on your application checklist are either received or waived.
- Complete the affiliate program's application requirements as applicable.
- Your completed application is reviewed by our program team. If nominated for participation, the Learning Abroad Center contacts the affiliate's staff to notify them of your status.
- You will be notified of an admission decision by email. If admitted, you will be assigned a confirmation checklist. Log in to the online application to review the confirmation checklist and submit the required items.
- Do not pay the affiliate’s confirmation deposit. The affiliate accepts the Learning Abroad Center’s deposit as indication of confirmation. The Learning Abroad Center deposit is submitted by completing the Confirmation and Payment Agreement found on the confirmation checklist assigned to you.
- If you decide not to continue with the application process, log in to the online application and submit a Cancel Request. You must also notify your affiliate of your cancellation.
Program Contact
For further information or questions about this program, send an email to
Contact Program Alum
If you’re interested in contacting a program alum, visit SIT's Contact a Former Student webpage.