Study abroad program Carolina Global Launch welcomed its third cohort of students to campus as they began classes on Wednesday. The semester-long program allows first-year students to study abroad during their first semester at college and move onto UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus the following spring.
Students in the program have the opportunity to attend the University of Granada in Spain, the University of Limerick in Ireland or the University of Stirling in Scotland. Two new programs, Veritas University in Costa Rica and Korea University in South Korea, will be available in the fall of this year.
During their time overseas, students complete classes that fulfill UNC’s general education curriculum requirements, which are then counted as transfer credits when they arrive on campus in the spring. Once students are admitted into the program and accept the offer, they make preliminary course selections from a list of available classes at their specific university. Participants then enroll in courses and create a schedule during the summer.
“It’s different than just taking a vacation, too, I think — working or studying abroad or serving or volunteering — you really are immersed in the lifestyle,” UNC first-year and CGL student Christian Jahnel said.
Students traveling to Spain and Costa Rica live with host families. Ireland and Scotland’s cohorts stay in apartment-style accommodations on or near campus, and students studying in South Korea will be placed in a renovated dormitory adjacent to campus.
Jahnel spent last semester in Ireland and said the weekend trips to Dublin, the Cliffs of Moher and Connemara National Park created a more holistic experience.
The program works with Academic Programs International, an independent study abroad provider based in the United States, which provides resident directors on-site at each program to guide students through their study abroad experience.
Sophomore Felice Dong spent her first semester in Spain in the fall and said the resident directors were extremely knowledgeable and helped prepare her for both the semester abroad and the move to Chapel Hill. Once they arrive, all students attend a comprehensive orientation where they meet other program participants and explore their host cities.
As an out-of-state student, Dong said the jump from high school to studying abroad made the transition back to the U.S. and onto campus less of a jump.
