Study in Madagascar for a Semester!
Institution
SIT Study Abroad offers small (10-35 participants) semester and summer programs for undergraduate students in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs in multiple locations. Students step beyond the boundaries of a traditional classroom to analyze the critical issues shaping local communities around the globe. On the Madagascar program students will experience the natural wonders of Madagascar’s rainforests, spiny thickets, savannah, mangroves and coral reefs while you explore environmental challenges, conservation, and development in a biodiversity “hot spot” that has been isolated from neighboring land masses for more than 100 million years..
Location
In addition to spending time in the program's home base students will have the opportunity to explore other areas of Madagascar through program related excursions.
Academic Calendar
- Fall Semester: Late August to Early December
- Spring Semester: Late January to Early May
For more information about the Academic Calendar and program details please visit the
SIT Madagascar web page.
Housing
The homestay is an integral part of the SIT experience. During your homestay, you’ll become a member of a local family, sharing meals with them, joining them for special occasions, talking with them in their language, and experiencing the host country through their eyes. Homestay placements are arranged by a local coordinator who carefully screens and approves each family.
Other accommodations during the program may include campsites and small hotels.
Financial
Program Costs
Paid to Appalachian State
| |
Semester |
| 1SIT Tuition |
See SIT |
| SIT Housing & Meals |
See SIT |
| SIT Deposit |
$400 |
| 2OIED Program Development Fee |
$200 |
| Intl Health Development Fee |
$60 |
1Tuition, fees, meals and housing are charged at the SIT rate.
2The OIED Program Development Fee will be placed on students’ accounts upon acceptance by the Education Abroad Office. The fee payment confirms your spot and is non-refundable.
Estimated Additional Costs
| |
Semester |
| Airfare |
$1400 - $2200 |
| 1Personal Expenses |
$400 - $600 |
| Books and Materials |
$40 |
| Local Transportation |
$100 - $200 |
| Visa (for US Citizens) |
$60 |
| Passport |
$150 |
| 2US Based Health Insurance |
Varies |
| 3Personal Travel and Spending |
$900 - $1500 |
1Personal expenses includes but is not limited to: toiletries, cell phone, emergency funds, laundry, basic travel and entertainment, etc.
2Students are encouraged to maintain a US based health insurance plan while abroad (to exempt out of AppState insurance students must follow the App exemption process - proving that they have insurance coverage for the entirety of the semester.
3Personal Travel and Spending amounts will vary by student and will be affected by how often a student goes out, travels, and the items they purchase.
Please note that non-billable costs are estimates only and will be affected by personal spending habits, currency fluctuations, etc. Prices listed in USD unless otherwise noted.
Students are encouraged to start planning for their study abroad program costs well in advance. Please use the Student Financial Planning Worksheet to help estimate your anticipated expenses and your anticipated financial resources. When planning for estimated additional costs students are encouraged to research currency conversion rates.
Financial Aid
The majority of financial aid and scholarships can apply to semester and year-long study abroad programs. For more information please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid web page.
Scholarships
SIT Pell Grant Match
SIT offers matching funding to Pell Grant recipients. To qualify for the Match program students must submit a scholarship application through SIT.
SIT Need-Based Scholarships
SIT Study Abroad only awards need-based scholarships and grants. Average awards range between $500 and $5,000 for our semester programs, and between $500 and $3,000 for our summer programs. Our scholarships and grants are available to all students accepted into an SIT Study Abroad program irrespective of citizenship, national origin, or home school.
OIED Scholarships
Each semester OIED offers a variety of different scholarship opportunities for students. Scholarship awards range from $500 to $2000.
Benjamin A Gilman Scholarship
The Gilman Scholarship Program application is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study and intern abroad programs worldwide.
Fund for Education Abroad
Applicants from groups underrepresented in study abroad and those destined for non-traditional locations are given preference, in an effort to make the demographics of U.S. undergraduates studying abroad reflect the rich diversity of the U.S. population.
For information about additional scholarships please visit our External Scholarships web page.
Academics
SIT offers a field-based, experiential approach to learning in a small group environment. Classes are conducted mainly in academic French, with university professors and experts in relevant fields teaching the Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management seminar. The Environmental Research Methods and Ethics seminar, conducted mainly in English, focuses on research techniques and cross-cultural adjustment skills and is intended to prepare students for the Independent Study Project. Readings and classroom sessions for the Research Methods and Ethics course are supplemented by a short field research project undertaken in a rural village. The program’s French language course builds students’ capacity through a focus on conversational French and aims to enhance their use of French in the context of the natural sciences. Coursework in Malagasy provides students with the foundational and essential tools required for daily use.
In the final month of the program, you will conduct an Independent Study Project (ISP) or Internship. This will provide you with an opportunity to pursue original research on a situation or topic of particular interest to you.
For more information about the courses and structure of the program please visit the SIT Madagascar web page.
All students are expected to maintain at least the equivalent of a full time course load according to Appalachian State and the host university while abroad (whichever is greater). Students participating on the SIT India program will be required to enroll in 16 credits per semester. For more information about study abroad enrollment policies, credit approval, and credit and grade conversions please visit the Academics section of our website.
How to Apply
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and some programs may fill up before the listed deadline. Each year applications for Fall, Spring, and Summer will open up on August 1st. Once open the deadline will be listed below and an Apply Now button will be available at the top and bottom of this page. Most applications will have a 2 part application process so students are encouraged to complete their OIED application well before the listed deadline.
Students applying to a SIT program should complete the
SIT application while also completing the Appalachian application.
For more information about deadlines and how to apply please visit our
Guide Me web page.