Harper College

Study Abroad

Ecuador

                                                               

International experience, cross-cultural communication skills, global awareness, and foreign language skills are becoming increasingly important in all areas of work and study, and your study abroad experience will prepare you for future challenges that will require this knowledge and experience.

Studying abroad through Harper College is an exciting way to gain course credit, while developing skills and traits that will give you an advantage after you transfer and throughout your career.

Types of Programs

All types of programs are credit-bearing and financial aid eligible.

Faculty-led Programs

These programs are a Harper course(s) with a built-in international travel component. They range from one to three weeks and are taken over summer, spring break, or winter breaks. Course offerings vary from year to year.

     

The Study Abroad is available to Honors students and it's a collaboration between two professors: Mukila Maitha and Crystal Pierce. It will convene a cohort of students enrolled in Geography 111 and Biology 103. These courses will take place at Harper's main campus in Palatine, IL, with a study abroad component in various sites in Kenya, allowing students to examine environmental realities and challenges locally and globally. Students will be able to communicate with individuals involved in environmental conservation and biological monitoring in Kenya, which reflects a high degree of biodiversity. In addition, they will have the opportunity to visit sites appropriate to each course's learning objectives.

Program Presentation

Courses: BIO 103 or GEG 111

Dates: 

Course Dates: January 21 - May 16, 2024

Travel Dates: March 21 - 30, 2024

 

Program Fees: $3,350*

Includes: full board accommodation in double room, ground transportation, entrance fees listed in the itinerary, transfer from/to airport in Kenya, insurance, 24h local support.

Does not include: Harper tuition (3 or 6 credits), airfare ($1,500 est.), passport, visa costs,vaccine costs, and miscellaneous.

Professors:

Crystal Peirce - BIO 103 - cpeirce@harpercollege.edu

Mukila Maitha - GEG 111 - mmaitha@harcolege.edu

Apply here: Brochure | Term Information (via-trm.com)

Students will analyze and describe the structure and dynamics of human society. They will use scientific methods to observe social norms, groups, intergroup relations, social change, social stratification and institutions. This course focuses on the basic concepts, research, and theories involved in understanding human behavior and human societies. It's an overview of basic sociological analysis covering a wide range of topics, such as gentrification, immigration and demographic change, economic change/decline, inequality, social movements, and civic disengagement, enhanced by a cross-social comparison between the US and UK during a 10-day site visit to London.

Course: Sociology 101

Dates:

Course Dates: 04/01/24 through 06/02/24

Travel Dates: 05/22/24 through 06/02/24

APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Tentative itinerary: 

(possible changes to the itinerary can happen at any time due to availability, weather, safety concern, etc)

Day 1: Depart for London
Overnight flight from ORD to LHR
Day 2: Arrive LHR
Walking Tour of London
Instructor-led walking tour of central London. (City of London/South Bank)
Group Welcome Dinner (Included)
Day 3: Breakfast (Included)
Walking Tour of Westminster
Instructor-led walking tour of Westminster. (Covent Garden/West End/Westminster)

Academic Tour: Liminality and Marginality in Urban Space
Instructor-led academic tour of central London focused on the unhoused population. (Covent Garden/Holborn/Waterloo) Topics include the social, physical, and cultural contexts in which they live and work.
Day 4: Breakfast (Included)
Orientation Activity
Instructor-led city navigation exercise/London transit scavenger hunt.
Group Dinner (Included)
Day 5: Breakfast (Included)
Academic Tour: East End Reforms in the Victorian Era
Instructor-led academic tour of East End communities. (Shoreditch/Spitalfields/Whitechapel/Bethnal Green/Bow) Topics covered include the Old Nichol slum, the Matchgirl’s Strike, the Whitechapel murders, Toynbee Hall and the Settlement Movement, and the London Dock Strike.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Performance
Students attend a Shakespearean play at the Globe Theatre.
Day 6: Breakfast (Included)
Academic Tour: Third Places – London’s Markets and Pubs
Instructor-led academic tour of several of London’s markets. (Brick Lane/Borough/Camden) Topics covered include the nature of third places, the role they play in fostering civic engagement, and the structural and physical features of London that enable their development and operation.
Afternoon High Tea (Included): Students enjoy a traditional high tea experience.
Day 7: Breakfast (Included)
Guest lecture on British government (pending confirmation)
Students will attend a lecture focused on the structure of British government and politics.
Academic Tour: Social Movements, Antifascism, and Class Politics
Instructor-led academic tour of notable sites in the social movement history of London. (Whitechapel/Lewisham/Trafalgar Square) Topics covered include the Battle of Cable Street, the Battle of Lewisham, and the Poll Tax Riots.
Day 8: Breakfast (Included)
Academic Tour: Brixton Rising and Coming of Thatcherism
Instructor-led academic tour of notable sites in the 1981 and 1985 Brixton riots. (Lambeth) Topics covered include intergroup relations and the history of racial dynamics in London as well as the political context of the riots.
Day 9: Breakfast (Included)
Academic Tour: Immigration, Succession and Gentrification
Instructor-led academic tour of select ethnic enclaves in London. (Chinatown/Peckham/Stamford 
Hill/Tooting) Topics covered include assimilation and pluralism, Anglo conformity, and multiculturalism.
Migration Museum
Instructor-led tour of the Migration Museum in Lewisham.

Canal Cruise
Students tour Regent’s Canal as they ride from Little Venice to Camden Market for a group dinner.
Group Farewell Dinner (Included)
Day 10: Depart for Chicago

 

Program Fee: $2,477* 

Includes: transport from/to airport; accommodation (10 nights); 14 meals; local transport pass (zones 1-3) 

*Does not include: Harper tuition (3 credits), airfare (aprox. $1,000) and miscellaneous.

 

Payment schedule (based on: $2,477 program cost + 1,000 est airfare

Feb 1st: $500

Feb 15: $1,500

March 1: $1,500 (final payment is estimate due to airfare)

 

Professor: Jim Gramlich, jgramlic@harpercollege.edu| 847-925-6279

 Apply here: Brochure | Program Overview (via-trm.com)

VISIT ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN 2024 (NYTimes List)

This blended class will combine virtual and in-person meetings, providing students a learning immersion experience. Students will take their first three weeks online as an asynchronized course. Then, they will travel to Merida, Mexico, for two weeks to continue their studies. After their immersion experience, students will return to the United States and continue their online studies for three more weeks to complete the course. While in Merida, students will engage in daily language instruction and Mexican history. Some of the cultural excursions included in the program are Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Las Coronadas, and Ring of Cenotes.

Courses: Spanish 102, 201 and 205

Dates:

Course Dates: June 3 to July 28, 2024

Travel Dates: June 24 to July 8, 2024

NEW APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 31, 2024

Tentative Schedule:

First Week: Monday

-Arrival to Merida International Airport

- Welcome 

-City tour

 

Tuesday

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:15-5:00                     Paseo de Montejo

 

Wednesday

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:15-5:00                     Museo de Antropologia

 

Thursday

 

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:15-5:00                     Visita al centro historico

 

Friday

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:15-5:00                     Puerto Progreso Sona natural

 

Saturday

8:00am-9:00pm          Chichen Itza

 

Sunday

9:00am -6:00pm          Uxmal

 

Second Week: Monday

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:15-7:00                     Izamal, Pueblo Mágico

 

Tuesday

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:00-7:00                     Free time

 

Wednesday

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:00-7:00                     Visita a Valladolid

 

Thursday

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:00-7:00                     trip to different business such as: hamacas, artesanias, guayabera

 

Friday

09:00 – 11:00              Spanish classes

11:00 – 12:00              Break

12:00– 2:00                 Cultural class

2:00 – 3:00                  Lunch

3:00-7:00                     Las coloradas- pink lake

Saturday

9:00-7:00pm                Aniño de cenotes

Sunday

9:00-7:00 pm               Cancun

Monday                      Return to the United States

 

Program Fee: $2,500* 

Est. amount includes: accommodation in double room with two meals/day, ground transportation, excursions fees, transfer from/to airport in Mexico, and insurance. Does not include: Harper tuition (3 or 4 credits), airfare (aprox. $500), and miscellaneous.

 

Payment schedule (Price based on: $2,500 program cost + 500 (est airfare):

March 15 $500

March 1: $1,250

April 15: $1,250 (final payment is estimate due to airfare)

Apply here: Brochure | Program Overview (via-trm.com)

 

This program will introduce nursing and allied health students to the healthcare system in South Africa. For 10 days, students will visit Cape Town, where they will observe healthcare practices and actively participate in giving care through service-learning work. Students will also engage with local professionals and students, giving them insight into local career paths. In addition, students will participate in a number of cultural experiences aimed at immersing them in the local customs. Upon their return, students will complete assignments reflecting their personal growth and understanding of South African culture and the healthcare system compared to the USA.

Highlights: 

  • Tygerberg Hospital - Desmond Tutu TB Center
  • Baphumelele
  • Red Cross Children's Hospital
  • Special Lecture with Carol Martin on Intl Health Nursing
  • Table Mountain
  • Cape Malay Cooking Experience
  • District Six Museum
  • Zeitz MOCAA Mueseum
  • Robben Island
  • Cape Point Nature Reserve
  • Boulders Penguin Colony
  • Djembe Drumming & Dinner at GOLD Restaurant

Course: IDS290 Independent Study, Service Learning for Health Career (3 credits)

Course Dates: May 18 to July 13, 2024

Travel Dates: May 21 to May 31, 2024

Application Deadline: February 29, 2024

Program Cost: $3,900  (includes $2,600 program cost + $1,400 approx airfare)

Program fee includes transport from/to airport in Cape Town, room and board - a few of meals are not included - local transportation, and guide available 24h.

Payment Schedule:

02/01: Deposit $500

02/15: 1st Installment $1,700

03/15: 2nd Installment $1,700 (subject to change based on airfare costs)

Program Brochure and Itinerary:

Apply here: Brochure | Program Overview (via-trm.com)

 

ICISP Programs

Harper is a founding member of ICISP (Illinois Consortium of International Studies and Programs). Tuition and fees** for these programs are at the Harper in-district rate. Summer and Semester options available. For more information, please visit the ICISP website.

 

Affiliate Programs

These are programs offered through Harper College's accredited study abroad affiliates. Our affiliate partners offer programs varying in length (a few weeks, a month, a whole summer, a semester, and/or a full academic year), varying locations (over 30 countries!), and offer courses in almost every area of study.

Explore all our programs

Want to learn more?

Want help finding the right program for you?

For any questions, please email studyabroad@harpercollege.edu.

Virtual Exchange

Want to have a global experience but can't travel? Virtual exchanges are growing in popularity, allowing students to engage with other students or professionals abroad. Intercultural Dialog and Exchange

Are you the type of person who likes to meet new people from all over the world? Join this Learning Community to connect with students overseas and discuss issues relevant to our global society. You will gain college writing, communication, and study skills that you’ll need to succeed in school and your future career. In these classes, you will practice self-reflection and intercultural communication.

ENG 101-BL4 CRN 64641 (T, 12:30pm - 1:45pm) -  Instructor: Richard Johnson

FYS 101-BL4 CRN 64642 (T, 2pm - 3:15pm) - Instructor: Kimberly Jeager

Learning communities are two or more classes with a common group of students focusing on a central team.

 

 

Scholarships

There are two Harper College Educational Foundation Scholarships available for students:

Award: $500–1,500

 Castle International Studies Scholarship - Harper College Scholarships (academicworks.com)

This scholarship is awarded to a student who meets the following criteria:
*Study Abroad – Students in a Harper College Faculty-Led Study Abroad program. Priority will be given to students applying to a program that is going to a country within the designated Global Region of Focus.
*Demonstrate financial need
*Preference to students from under-served populations
*Completed at least two semesters of study at Harper College
*3.0 GPA (Students with a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 may be considered)
*Students enrolled in a degree-seeking program and planning to transfer to a four-year college.

Award: $500–1,000

WorldView Study Abroad Fund - Harper College Scholarships (academicworks.com)

This scholarship is awarded to a student who meets the following criteria:
*Open to Harper students participating in a Harper College study abroad program to developing countries.
*Demonstrate financial need
*Completed at least one year of study at Harper College
*Available to students who are working towards a goal of earning a degree or transferring to a four-year college or university to earn a degree.

Scholarship should not underwrite the entire cost of the program.

 

There are also a number of other scholarships available to Harper students, including

  • $500 awards made to students attending a CCID member institution
  • Virtual programs eligible

October 2023

  • Application open Mid-August 2023
  • Deadline - Thursday, October 5, 2023, at 11:59pm Pacific Time
  • Eligibility: 
    • A citizen or national of the United States;
    • An undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States (including both two-year and four-year institutions);
    • Receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship;
    • In the process of applying to, or accepted to, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship program. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
    • Applying for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country or location with an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System. It is important to note that certain areas within a country or location that has an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2 may be designated within the Travel Advisory as either Level 3 or Level 4; Gilman Scholars will not be allowed to travel to these specific areas. Gilman Scholars are unable to participate in programs located in a country or location — or an area within a country or location — that is designated as either a Level 3 (“Reconsider travel to”) or Level 4 (“Do not travel to”).
  • Gilman Application Walkthrough Video

The Gilman-McCain August 2023 Deadline Application is open now for applicants whose programs or internships start between September 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. The application deadline is Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 11:59pm Pacific Time, and the advisor certification deadline is Tuesday, August 8, 2023. 

Eligibility: Applicants for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship must be a dependent (child or spouse) of active or activated United States military personnel during the time of application (including Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Space Force, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and USPHS Commissioned Corps), and also be receiving any form of Title IV Financial Aid.  All applicants must provide proof of dependent status as part of the Gilman-McCain application.

Gilman Application Walkthrough Video

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an immersive summer opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America's engagement with the world.

Languages Offered

Russian

Swahili

Turkish

Urdu

 

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the CLS Program applicants must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or national at the time of application.
    • Others, including Permanent Residents, are not eligible, even if they anticipate naturalization by the beginning of the program.
  • Be at least 18 years old by May 15, 2023.
  • Be enrolled in an accredited U.S. degree-granting program at the undergraduate (associate, bachelor's) or graduate (master's, doctoral, professional degree) level at the time of application.
    • If applicants are not taking classes at their home institution in the fall term, they should confirm that they are, in fact, enrolled. Institutions have different requirements to maintain enrollment status and applicants will be required to provide a signed letter from their registrar stating that you were enrolled during the fall term.
    • If applicants are taking a leave of absence to participate in an organized term- or year-long study abroad program, or to participate in a substantive internship program, they may request an exception to the enrollment requirement. Exceptions may only be granted in these two cases, and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
      • In either case, applicants must submit a signed letter from their home college or university in the U.S. explaining their situation and their intent to re-enroll following the completion of their study abroad or internship program. They must also submit documentation from the program provider explaining the opportunity and confirming their participation. This documentation may be submitted to American Councils by email at cls@americancouncils.org.
    • Applicants must be enrolled in a program that results in a degree. Applicants who are taking stand-alone or continuing education classes are not eligible.
    • Applicants must be enrolled at an accredited U.S. institution. Students earning degrees at foreign institutions that are not based in the U.S. or its territories are not eligible, even if those institutions are accredited by a recognized U.S. accrediting agency.
    • Applicants in an undergraduate program (associate or bachelor's) must complete at least one full year of study (two semesters or three quarters) by the beginning of the CLS Program in Summer 2023.
    • Applicants must be enrolled at this institution in the fall term of 2022. There are limited exceptions to the enrollment requirement; please read the following information carefully:
    • Applicants must successfully complete academic requirements for the fall term in order to remain eligible for the CLS Program. Applicants who withdraw or fail to maintain a passing grade average are not eligible to participate in the program.
  • Applicants must meet the language requirements of the program to which they apply.
  • Applicants may only apply once, for one language, each year. Applicants who submit multiple applications will be considered ineligible.

The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population. FEA makes life-changing, international experiences accessible to all by supporting students of color, community college, and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs.

In today’s inter-connected world, we believe education abroad is an integral component of higher education. We envision a future in which all U.S. students are given equal access to education abroad experiences, regardless of race and socio-economic status. We foresee a future in which our scholars work to increase global understanding, give back to their communities, and mentor future generations of Fund for Education Abroad scholars.

The Spring 2024 application is open!

FEA invests in deserving U.S. undergraduates who are least likely to study abroad. More than 100 volunteer reviewers read applications each cycle. In partnership with them, we consider financial need, demographic factors, and academic plan and preparedness to decide our scholarship recipients.

Financial Need is determined by the FEA Financial Aid Form we provide when you begin an application.

Demographic Factors that are considered include minority background, first-generation college student status, and community college experience.

Academic Plan and Preparedness is determined by your essays and unofficial transcript.

The DiversityAbroad.com Overseas Ambassador Scholarship was formerly known as the DiversityAbroad.com/AIFS Blogging Scholarship. Diversity Abroad, in cooperation with the AIFS Foundation, will offer $500 scholarships for fall and spring semesters as well as summer term. Five scholarships are available for each semester and two scholarships are available for summer. Students going abroad for the full fall, spring or summer terms are eligible to apply. Economically disadvantaged students, first-generation, students with disabilities and ethnic and racially diverse students are strongly encouraged to apply. Click "request information" above, or visit http://www.diversityabroad.com/overseas-ambassadors for application details and additional information.

An initiative of the National Security Education Program that provides funding for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad.

Awards: Up to $12,500 for 12-24 weeks

Up to $8,000 for 8-11 weeks (STEM majors only)

All applicants must be:

  • U.S. citizens at the time of the national application deadline
  • A high school graduate, or have earned a GED
  • At least 18 years of age or older at the time of the national application deadline
  • Planning an overseas program in a country outside of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand
  • Planning to study in a country of which they are not a citizen
  • Matriculated for the duration of their Boren Awards-funded program in an undergraduate or graduate degree program located within the United States and accredited by a body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
  • (For ROTC cadets and midshipmen and members of the military Reserves or National Guard) In inactive, non-drilling status for the duration of their Boren Awards-funded program

Homepage | Boren Awards

Financial Aid

Students that are interested in enrolling in a Study Abroad Program may be eligible to use financial aid to assist in paying for Study Abroad costs. Please follow the instructions to be considered for financial aid.

Financial Aid Form

A student’s enrollment in a program of study abroad approved for credit by Harper College will be considered enrollment at Harper College for the purposes of applying for Assistance under the Title IV, HEA program.

Learn more about our study abroad programs!

Visit our student and faculty blog: WorldingUS: Situating Harper students and faculty in a globalized world!

Story Maps Journals

Many of our faculty-led study abroad courses include a Geographic Information Systems component. Check out some interesting student ArcGIS Story Map Journals about a recent program to Nicaragua:

**Cost of Attendance Information

Last Updated: 3/19/24