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Arkansas Tech University is preparing to launch an array of study abroad experiences in 2026.
According to Gabriele Haulmark, the study abroad coordinator the experiences will range from brief, faculty-led trips to immersive semester or full-year exchange programs.
“Our unique offerings provide students with a diverse range of opportunities to explore global perspectives and foster academic growth,” she added.
Set to launch in 2026, ATU’s short-term, faculty-led programs offer concentrated study and experiential learning abroad during summer breaks or other academic intersessions. These 1‑to‑4 week trips — led by ATU faculty — provide a structured curriculum alongside cultural immersion, allowing students to earn credit while traveling as a group, Haulmark said.
These reduced-duration programs, which may involve on-site visits, local lectures, and guided exploration in foreign countries, are ideal for students who desire a global experience but are not willing to spend an entire semester abroad, she said. ATU is offering the following programs this semester:
Greece: Explore the birthplace of democracy, theatre, and the Olympic Games
French Immersion: Teach English outside of Paris, France
Learn Spanish in Costa Rica
Ecuador and Galapagos: Experience giant tortoises, sea turtles, penguins, and marine iguanas on the Galapagos Islands
Intercultural Understanding: Business in Germany
For students looking to dive deeper, ATU offers long-term exchange opportunities that span a whole semester or an entire academic year. These reciprocal exchange arrangements allow ATU students to study at partner institutions abroad, while incoming students from those institutions study at ATU.
Such placements are typically supported through programs like the National Student Exchange and equivalent international partnerships. Students pay tuition to ATU (home tuition) and can take courses overseas, live in host campuses, and fully immerse themselves in overseas academic and cultural life.
Haulmark said advantages to those programs include in-depth cultural immersion and academic integration abroad, credit transfer toward ATU degree milestones and experience living and learning in global academic environments.
Haulmark said students going abroad for a couple of weeks or a whole year should do the following:
- Go through the Study Abroad Office webpage www.atu.edu/studyabroad to get an overview of the programs and the time limits. Learn about scholarships for study abroad https://www.atu.edu/studyabroad/scholarships.php
- Attend study abroad information sessions to speak with staff, former exchange students, and faculty leaders.
- Connect with the Haulmark for personalized guidance on applications, scholarships, and program planning. She can be reached at studyabroad@atu.edu or in Dean 116.
These initiatives are not only educational but also life-changing, Haulmark said Employers look for durable skills that students develop on both short and long term study abroad programs, such as communication, flexibility, and adaptability. The short-term shows you what living in another country is like.
At the same time, spending a semester or a whole year abroad provides a profound immersion, which is one of the best ways to develop flexibility, cultural understanding, and academic knowledge, she said.
“If you don’t have time but still want a deeper experience, the study abroad options for 2026 at ATU are available to every student with a global mindset, capable of sparking their personal and academic growth,” she added.
For more information see: www.atu.edu/studyabroad
