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Global Engagement

One of California Baptist University's Core Four outcomes is for students to be globally minded. As such, CBU provides a plethora of opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to study abroad. 

Be Globally Minded

One of California Baptist University's Core Four outcomes is for students to be globally minded. As such, CBU provides a plethora of opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to study abroad. The benefits of study abroad are limitless—students develop spiritually, gain professional skills, grow personally and gain a global perspective and experiences to last a lifetime.

Why Go Abroad? 

Students gain self-confidence and independence from studying abroad. Students also become more globally minded and competent as they learn about new people, places and cultures. Students can learn new languages while abroad and also develop lifelong friendships with local and international students. Many students grow in their faith while on study abroad as God stretches them and they are forced to rely on Him more.

Additionally, students who studied abroad saw 100% greater improvement in GPA.1 84% of students felt that studying abroad helped them build valuable job skills such as tolerance for ambiguity, adaptability and more.2 92% of employers are looking for the skills and traits that students develop in study abroad.1

*Sources: 1: Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative 2010; 2: EF CST Global Study Symposium 2018 - University of California Merced (2018).

Opportunities at CBU

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Undergraduate Opportunities

Study Abroad, Global Practicum Courses, And More

Frequently Asked Questions

About Global Engagement

Once you applied to study abroad and have completed all parts of the application process, including registering and submitting your final courses on Terra Dotta, your application will be forwarded from the Registrar's Office to Financial Aid for review through Terra Dotta. Your Financial Aid advisor will add your financial aid award amount on your study abroad application. Student Accounts will then be in contact regarding your study abroad invoice. Remember, students will not pay their program directly but will pay through their Cashnet portal.

The cost for your study abroad program must be paid in full to CBU Student Accounts by the CBU semester payment due date for the semester you will be abroad or 2 weeks before your date of departure, whichever comes first.

Yes. The Community and Global Engagement (CGE) scholarship was created to support students pursuing opportunities that involve the integration of academic discipline with gospel-centered, cross-cultural community engagement opportunities internationally. Applications are received on a rolling basis. Up to $500 per student may be awarded three times a year; for summer, fall and spring community and global engagements.

Criteria for Approval
  • Demonstrated financial need and/or solid academic record
  • Good disciplinary and judicial standing (Student Services)
  • Full-time undergraduate or graduate enrollment status at CBU
  • Undergraduates must have at least sophomore status at the time of academic group trip
  • Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
Application Process
  • Eligible students will apply through the Terra Dotta online registry.
  • Applicants will submit a personal statement, reflecting on;
    • The program they want to participate in
    • How the scholarship will help
    • Previous community and global engagement involvement and experience
    • How they feel this opportunity will make them more globally minded and what they anticipate will be the impact of their experience abroad
    • What they hope to learn through this engagement
  • One recommendation letter from a CBU faculty member, advisor, department head or dean
  • Submit package to Office of the Provost.
  • Blind review by an interdisciplinary committee (3-5 faculty from various fields of study)

 

For more information on this scholarship and others, please see InsideCBU.

Freshmen need to have at least one academic year completed at CBU before they can go abroad. Transfer students need at least one semester completed at CBU. Senior students cannot study abroad during their last semester before graduation.

Transferring credit from institutions abroad varies from country to country. As part of the study abroad process, students have the Registrar's Office evaluate and approve their study abroad foreign courses before they even depart CBU. This means students will know what their foreign courses will count as at CBU in advance of study abroad. However, it is up to the student to report to the Registrar's Office and Director of Academic Engagement any changes in courses once abroad.

You must first attend a study abroad information session before you can meet with the Director of Academic Engagement. 

Global Engagement and COVID-19

While some study abroad programs have been canceled given the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to plan for future programs knowing things can change rapidly. CBU is monitoring the situation abroad on a case-by-case basis with the criteria mentioned below.

  • Department of State Country-Specific Advisory Levels, US Embassy, Center for Disease Control (CDC), and Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) guidance
  • In-country status and situation, particularly in regard to COVID-19
  • Entry restrictions and/or protocol, border controls, visa availability
  • Available support and resources during a possible quarantine
  • International insurance availability for location
  • Availability and accessibility of adequate health care
  • On-site support
  • Student accommodations
  • Contingency protocols

Students should avoid booking flights until they are given official approval from CBU to participate in their program. The timeline will depend on the program and host country. Some programs have recommended students wait until 30 days before the program start date. They should remain enrolled at CBU, communicate with Housing so that Residence Life is aware of their plans in case of cancellation, and be aware of refund and programmatic deadlines for study abroad. Once a study abroad program is approved, students should obtain international insurance that provides medical coverage, emergency evacuation, cancellation for any reason, potential quarantine coverage, and more.

CBU is not responsible for any expenses incurred in preparing for the program, including (but not limited) to, airfare, supplies, passport fees, visa fees, and medical expenses.

CBU does not have a requirement for students to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to travel, but the Study Abroad Office encourages students to review and follow Center for Disease Control (CDC) and State Department guidance, as well as host country, third-party/study abroad program, and airline requirements. Many countries have implemented additional entry requirements for travelers, which may include a negative PCR test upon arrival, quarantine requirements, or vaccinations. Students can also review host country ministry of health and government websites as well as US embassy websites for more information.

Should CBU or the global engagement program make the difficult decision to suspend any program prior to departure, students will have multiple options:

  • Defer or postpone their study abroad or global engagement program to a future semester.
  • Depending on the program (ISA, CISabroad, AIFS) pivot to a virtual global internship option instead.
  • If applicable, switch study abroad or global engagement application to a different location or another available program (this is dependent on a number of factors, including the program, timeline, and more).
  • Withdraw your study abroad or global engagement application and receive refund from the program.

 

Ready to Take the First Step?

Current Undergraduate Students: The first step to studying abroad is to attend an information session. The information sessions are usually held twice a month, every month. At the information session, the presenter will go through the when, where and how of study abroad as well as finances, scholarships, planning, program selection and the application process. Please see InsideCBU for more information on attending these meetings.

Current Graduate Students: The first step to participating in global engagement is to speak with someone in your graduate program about current opportunities. 

Prospective Students: Start your journey at CBU by applying today