University-Approved Program Providers

Third-party or external study abroad “providers” are companies that facilitate study abroad programming. Some providers specialize in traditional travel and virtual study abroad and others specialize in internship travel and virtual study abroad.

Students may participate in programs offered through providers that have been approved by Western Michigan University (see list below) if the program is not offered where WMU runs a similar program and the location has been approved for travel by the WMU Study Abroad Risk Management Team. Students who wish to participate on a program offered by a non-approved provider will be required to submit additional paperwork and participation will be subject to review and approval by WMU Study Abroad.
Students whose main purpose is to seek an internship are strongly encouraged to work with The Intern Group or with Sage Corps. Other providers are better suited to students who plan to take a wide variety of coursework.

Students whose main purpose is to seek an internship are strongly encouraged to work with The Intern Group or with Sage Corps. Other providers are better suited to students who plan to take a wide variety of coursework.  

Students who work with a provider are required to complete a study abroad application in Broncos Abroad and consult with academic advisors to find suitable courses for their plan of study. Students taking study abroad courses (including internships) to fulfill “WMU Essential Studies” and electives usually seek course approvals from college and department advisors. Students taking study abroad courses and internships to fulfill requirements for their majors and minors must seek explicit approval and signatures from an academic advisor in the respective department.   

WMU Study Abroad signs separate agreements with each provider. It is the student’s responsibility to understand and abide by a provider’s billing structure, especially costs paid to the provider directly by the student and costs billed to a student’s WMU student account. Students should pay careful attention to application fees, housing arrangements, and withdrawal policies and deadlines.  

 

Non-WMU Program Application