Study Abroad Fast Facts 2018-2019

Demographics

          

          

       

  

Race/Ethnicity 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19
White  
     National Study Abroad % 74.30% 72.90% 71.60% 70.80% 70.00%  
     WMU Study Abroad % 80.00% 76.57% 78.86% 76.63% 77.62% 76.48%
     WMU Student Body % 78.78% 77.22% 76.50% 75.73% 74.99% 74.18%
Hispanic or Latino(a)  
     National Study Abroad % 8.30% 8.80% 9.70% 10.20% 10.60%  
     WMU Study Abroad % 5.62% 12.16% 9.19% 10.90% 8.51% 9.76%
     WMU Student Body % 4.81% 5.12% 5.42% 5.61% 6.12% 7.26%
Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander  
     National Study Abroad % 7.70% 8.10% 8.40% 8.20% 8.40%  
     WMU Study Abroad % 2.47% 2.68% 3.47% 3.16% 1.98% 4.48%
     WMU Student Body % 1.73% 1.91% 2.12% 2.27% 2.45% 2.78%
Black or African-American  
     National Study Abroad % 5.60% 5.60% 5.90% 6.10% 6.10%  
     WMU Study Abroad % 8.54% 7.33% 7.28% 8.96% 10.69% 8.00%
      WMU Student Body % 11.22% 12.08% 12.32% 12.39% 12.22% 11.61%
Multiracial  
     National Study Abroad % 3.60% 4.10% 3.90% 4.30% 4.40%  
     WMU Study Abroad % 2.47% 7.84% 0.52% 0.18% 0.99% 0.64%
     WMU Student Body % 2.98% 3.19% 3.21% 3.55% 3.75% 3.68%
American Indian or Alaska Native  
     National Study Abroad % 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.40% 0.50%  
     WMU Study Abroad % 0.22% 0.72% 0.69% 0.18% 0.20% 0.64%
     WMU Student Body % 0.48% 0.49% 0.43% 0.45% 0.47% 0.48%

Destinations

Top 10 Destinations:

  1. Italy (64)
  2. Costa Rica (48)
  3. Ireland (47)
  4. Thailand (45)
  5. Spain (42)
  6. United Kingdom (41)
  7. Dominican Republic (40)
  8. Germany (37)
  9. China (36)
  10. Japan (36)

By Continent:

  • Locations in Africa: Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland
  • Locations in Asia: China, India, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Nepal, South Korea, Thailand
  • Locations in Europe: Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
  • Locations in Latin America/Caribbean: Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru
  • Locations in Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

Graduation Statistics

Percentage of baccalaureate degree recipients who had studied abroad:

  • Fall 2018: 11.46%
  • Spring 2019: 12.17%
  • Summer I 2019: 13.00%
  • Summer II 2019: 7.35%
  • Average 2018-2019: 11.63%

Percentage of master's degree recipients who had studied abroad: 

  • Fall 2018: 11.32%
  • Spring 2019: 7.25%
  • Summer I 2019: 6.67%
  • Summer II 2019: 3.18%
  • Average 2018-2019: 7.63%

Types of programs

Number of students on academic year or semester exchange programs: 42

Most popular destinations:

  1. Japan (19)
  2. Netherlands (5)
  3. Australia, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom (3 each)

Number of students on short-term, faculty-led programs: 468

Number of students on Non-WMU programs: 26

Number of unique university-approved Non-WMU providers used by students: 10

Most popular providers:

  1. AIFS (5)
  2. ISA (4)
  3. CIS and SAI (3 each)

Haenicke institute Scholarships & External Funding


Total funding provided by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education Study Abroad Scholarship: $68,654.

  • Fall: $2,500
  • Spring: $12,204
  • Summer I: $26,200
  • Summer II: $27,750

Total funding provided by the President's Grant for Study Abroad: $226,227

  • Academic year: $92,782
  • Fall: $45,353
  • Spring: $64,269
  • Summer I: $6,359
  • Summer II: $17,464

Total funding provided by the Global Engagement Scholarship: $23,872

  • Fall: $5,314
  • Spring: $18,558

Total funding provided by the HIGE Passport Scholarship: $67,210

  • Academic Year: $1,650
  • Fall: $8,470
  • Spring: $21,230
  • Summer I: $20,680
  • Summer II: $15,180

Total funding provided by the Jennifer C. Wenger Memorial Study or Work Abroad Fund: $6,000

  •  Fall: $1,000
  • Spring: $5,000

Total funding provided by the Bruce W. Mesara Study Abroad Airfare Scholarship: $27,000

  • Fall: $6,000
  • Spring: $9,000
  • Summer I: $7,000
  • Summer II: $5,000

Percentage of students on eligible faculty-led programs that received scholarship funding from the Haenicke Institute for Global Education: 45.27%

Percentage of students on long-term programs that received scholarship funding from the Haenicke Institute for Global Education: 50.71%

Total funding provided by the Gilman Scholarship (national award; applicants are advised by WMU SA): $22,500

  • Fall 2018: $2,500
  • Spring 2019: $9,500
  • Summer 2019: $10,500

WMU applicant success rate was 33% (national success rate is 28%).

College-Specific Data*

College of Arts and Sciences:

  • Number of students: 203
  • % based on college enrollment: 4.15%
  • Short-term programs led by college faculty: 13

College of Education and Human Development:

  • Number of students: 83
  • % based on college enrollment: 2.41%
  • Short-term programs led by college faculty: 6

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences:

  • Number of students: 26
  • % based on college enrollment: 0.86%
  • Short-term programs led by college faculty: 1

College of Fine Arts:

  • Number of students: 56
  • % based on college enrollment: 4.52%
  • Short-term programs led by college faculty: 2

College of Health and Human Services:

  • Number of students: 101
  • % based on college enrollment: 3.37%
  • Short-term programs led by college faculty: 7

Haworth College of Business:

  • Number of students: 173
  • % based on college enrollment: 4.06%
  • Short-term programs led by college faculty: 5

Lee Honors College:

  • Number of students: 225
  • % based on college enrollment: 13.15%
  • Short-term programs led by college faculty: 1

*Data refers to a student's primary academic college as coded within University systems. This list does not necessarily reflect the subject area from which students took courses while abroad.

Open Doors Study Abroad RANKING of Michigan Public Universities (2017-2018)

National   Ranking Institution Total Study Abroad Participants
4 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor 3,130
12 Michigan State University 2,543
118 Grand Valley State University 720
120 Central Michigan University 708
160 Western Michigan University 537
331 Eastern Michigan University 258
468 Oakland University 165
331 Eastern Michigan University 258
485 Northern Michigan University 156
489 Saginaw Valley State University 154
516 Ferris State University 139
674 University of Michigan - Flint 80
692 Michigan Technological University 74
not ranked Lake Superior State University unknown
not ranked  University of Michigan - Dearborn unknown

Exchange and American University Experience

  • Number of exchange partners: 29
  • Number of exchange partners sending students: 17
  • Number of exchange students from abroad: 37
  • Number of students studying abroad at WMU: 28

Top locations sending exchange and students studying abroad at WMU:

  1. Japan (44)
  2. Germany (6)
  3. Netherlands (4)

Passport Acceptance Facility

Passport applications since certification in July 2016: 2,234

Busiest months:

  1. September (109)
  2. January (102)
  3. March (100)