Student Application Requirements for the Work Abroad Program
To request an application for the Georgia Tech Division of Professional Practice Work Abroad program, please e-mail workabroad@dopp.gatech.edu. Your request should include the following information: Your name, major, year in school, and a list of the countries that you wish to work.
Eligibility:
- Completion of 30 hours of academic coursework
- Transfer students must complete one semester of full-time study at Georgia Tech
- Acceptance into the Work Abroad Program
- Have at least a minimum 2.0 Grade Point Average
- Have no failing grades for the term immediately preceding the work assignment
- Completion of a full course load during the term immediately preceding the work assignment
Receiving Co-op and Internship Credit
In order to receive credit for your Work Abroad experience, you must:
- Be registered in the appropriate (tuition-free) co-op/internship course
- Complete the minimum required number of work weeks (a minimum of 16 weeks for the fall/spring and 12 for the summer)
- Complete a Work Abroad Orientation and Cross-Cultural Orientation at Georgia Tech
- Submit an Assignment Record to DoPP during the first three weeks of the work term
- Complete an online pre- and post-assessment
- Return a Student Performance Evaluation from your direct supervisor
- Complete a work report after you finish your work experience
You will be considered enrolled at Georgia Tech full-time while working and the international co-op/internship course will appear on your transcript. If you are seeking either the co-op designation or international plan designation on your diploma, the work experience will count toward those requirements.
International Plan
If you are seeking the International Plan designation on your diploma/transcript, it’s important that you speak with your advisor in your academic unit to ensure that you are meeting all of the necessary requirements. The International Plan mandates that a minimum of 26 weeks are spent abroad in no more than two terms. If you have questions regarding the length of your international experience, please contact your academic advisor and the International Practicum Coordinator.
Language Proficiency
If you are seeking the International Plan designation from Georgia Tech, you will have to demonstrate language proficiency. All students completing the International Plan with the foreign language option must demonstrate a designated minimum proficiency level in one foreign language. Oral Proficiency Interviews will be conducted via phone with qualified professional testers from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The tests are objective and standardized. Costs will be paid by the International Plan. Students may fill out an application form to take the test when returning from abroad. For more information on language requirements for International Plan students, please visit http://www.modlangs.gatech.edu/international_plan/ or http://www.internationalplan.gatech.edu.
If you are not enrolled in the International Plan and your employer does not require proficiency in the language of the host country, it is in your best interest to learn as much of the language of your host country as you can before leaving the U.S. This is important in understanding the culture, even if your work will be in English. Do not panic, however, if you are not completely fluent. There is no better way to learn a language than to spend time working and living in a place where that language is spoken. If you have no experience at all with the language of your host country, you should try to take a language course, listen to some language training tapes, or have someone tutor you privately before you leave. Developing foreign language skills requires effort, but you will learn much more about the host country and the culture if you are able to communicate in the local language.
