SIT Study Abroad: Belgrade, Budapest, and Vienna - Comparative European Perspectives on Conflict and Democracy

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Spend your semester in three European capitals and engage with sophisticated analyses of Europe’s most complex challenges around the future of war, peace, and democracy.Analyze the continent’s most pressing sociopolitical and economic challenges—i... read more

All Reviews

OVERALL RATING 4.8
Based on 4 Reviews
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Overall Experience
I've been abroad a few times before this experience, so I couldn't help but compare and contrast my experiences with each other. However, this semester was overall great and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a semester in a city that's not traditionally chosen by US college kids! - Colorado College View Entire Review
I got to learn about the history, culture, and politics of a whole new region about which I knew nothing before. I also got experience living in another country for the first time and navigating a brand new city in my day to day life. - Brandeis University View Entire Review
Yes, this program helped me focus on Peace and Conflict Studies and the Balkans region better than I could at my home institution. The independent research project experience was very enjoyable and helpful for my Honors Thesis. - Macalester College View Entire Review
Very worthwhile. Finally got the opportunity to hear personal accounts and opinions of events I had only read about in books. - Brandeis University View Entire Review
I had the opportunity to work with some NGOs and governmental organisms, which I could never have had back here. - Middlebury College View Entire Review
The obvious answer would be that it's much easier for me to write research papers. The ISP process is an invaluable experience that I wish for everyone to have, and I have learned that I want to conduct research in the future. But I also gained a lot of confidence outside of the area of academia. I feel much more comfortable ... - Brandeis University View Entire Review
It was definitely worthwhile in the sense that I was exposed to an entirely different culture and way of living. - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I gained so much confidence from my semester, and I learned that I was capable of more than I thought I was. I've also come back home with a stronger sense of what I want to do with my life, and my ISP made me incredibly excited for life after college. I definitely think my semester abroad was worthwhile, even if it was a diffic... - Fordham University View Entire Review
I just applied for a teaching assistanship program in Macedonia because I want to go back to the Balkans soon! - Grinnell College View Entire Review
I want to return to the Balkans, and I'm sure that I will. That changes my future plans, since I hadn't been sure before if I'd want to live abroad. I think I do want to spend some years in Belgrade now that I've been there. - Tufts University View Entire Review
Past Review
It definitely was... the most important thing for me on this trip was the gaining on self-confidence. Wellesley is a tough school: all the women are extremely smart and talented, and sometimes I feel like I am in an intellectual bubble. This program definitely popped that bubble for me and helped me really push myself in the f... - Wellesley College View Entire Review
July 09, 2024 A Great Experience!
I gained academic and professional knowledge through my coursework and internship during independent study month. I now have a unique perspective to bring back to my academic endeavors in the US, as well as my future career. I also gained confidence from trying new things and learning to adapt in a new environment. - San Diego State University View Entire Review
I learned a lot about new authoritarianism, illiberalism, and populism in Serbia, Austria, and Hungary and how the history of conflict from the Ottomans to WWI and II, to the Yugoslav Wars, all have immense influence on the region to this day, through memory politics, social norms, and more. - Wellesley College View Entire Review
Overall, I had mixed feelings about the semester. As parts of the overall experience ranged from amazing, insightful, and inspiring, to stifling, irrelevant, and narrow minded, it's safe to say it was a real roller-coaster ride. The Balkans are an incredible place full of every kind of person imaginable, awe-inspiring sights, an... - University of Michigan - Ann Arbor View Entire Review
This experience was "worthwhile" in terms of being able to immerse myself - as much as is possible given Western, Asian, upper middle class identities - in local cultures. I'm glad to know more about this part of the world, and to know more about myself. I've grown more resilient and less dependent on institutions to support me. - Carleton College View Entire Review
Living independently, adjusting to new cultural environments, greater insight into the history and politics of the region - Wellesley College View Entire Review
It is nearly impossible to write in this box what I learned from this experience so quickly after it has ended, but I will say that it is certainly worthwhile. If you want a fulfilling study abroad experience both academically and socially/culturally, I would highly recommend choosing an SIT program (especially the Balkans!) - Berea College View Entire Review
I fell in love with an amazing part of the world, that is extremely misunderstood in the United States. I got to meet amazing people, and make contacts that I can rely on forever. I came away so confident in what I could do academically and my ability to join this world after I graduate. I've made a lot of decisions about what I... - Brandeis University View Entire Review
Yes, i gained a much greater understanding of the region and what i want to do in my studies - Austin College View Entire Review
Absolutely. I learned so much more by living in Serbia and traveling to Kosovo, Bosnia, and Croatia than I could have in any course or book. Having the opportunity to design and conduct my own research project was also invaluable. I learned how challenging and rewarding fieldwork can be and was able to create original research o... - The University of Texas at Austin View Entire Review
An adventurous student who is willing to see an unfamiliar world and learn for it. - Carleton College View Entire Review

About

Spend your semester in three European capitals and engage with sophisticated analyses of Europe’s most complex challenges around the future of war, peace, and democracy.

Analyze the continent’s most pressing sociopolitical and economic challenges—including the war on Ukraine—and how they intersect with issues of mass migration, refugee crises, and the rise of far-right nationalism and populism. You will examine the threat of illiberal democracies on the future of political organizing and evaluate impacts of civic engagement and social movements from the streets of large urban centers, where everyday citizens are demanding change.


The program’s base is the city of Belgrade, the largest urban and political center of southeast Europe known for its vibrant culture and nightlife. There, you will examine European perspectives on conflict and democracy through the lenses of EU member and non-member states, and grassroots and social movements that include Ukrainian refugees and Russians who fled to Belgrade to avoid the draft.

Program Type(s):
Study Abroad
Program Length(s):
  • Fall
  • Spring
Instruction Language(s):
  • English
Relevant Study Subject(s):
  • European Studies
  • International Relations
  • Political Science and Government
  • History
Minimum GPA:
2.5
Website
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Statistics

SIT Study Abroad Scholarships

Students who are Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) Scholars will receive a $2,000 award for SIT Study Abroad semester or summer programs.

$2,000

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

To recognize and support alumni of EIL summer high school programs who also participate in SIT Study Abroad programs. $1,000 for semester programs and $500 for summer. A $400 scholarship is also available to students who indicate that they have an immediate family member who has participated in an EIL or its College Semester Abroad program.

$400 - $1,000

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

For students enrolled at Hispanic-serving institutions, including member institutions of HACU who demonstrate financial need, SIT will award a $3,000 scholarship for participation in a semester program and $2,000 for a summer program.

$2,000 - $3,000

Deadlines:
Deadlines April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

For students enrolled at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and who demonstrate financial need, SIT will award a $2,000 scholarship for participation in a semester program or $1,500 for a summer program.

$1,500 - $2,000

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

To recognize students participating in this community service program. Upon receipt of confirmation from a student’s Bonner mentor, SIT will award $2,500 for semester programs and $1,000 for summer programs.

$1,000 - $2,500

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

To recognize students participating in the National Security Education Program (NSEP) funded award, which focuses on study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to US interests and underrepresented in study abroad. Upon receipt of the student’s Boren confirmation letter, SIT will award a $1,000 scholarship.

$1,000

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

For students enrolled at Big 10 Academic Alliance universities. Eligible students demonstrating financial need will receive a $1,500 scholarship for semester programs and a $750 scholarship for summer programs.

$750 - $1,500

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

This is an automatic scholarship to recognize and support students who participate in two or more SIT Study Abroad programs, including alumni of short-term summer programs. The scholarship will be applied to a student’s second full term of study with SIT. The scholarship is $1,000 for a fall or spring semester program or $500 for a full-term, international summer program.

$500 - $1,000

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

An average of $4,500 (amount varies) is awarded to one female student, 22 years of age or younger, who demonstrates international awareness and a desire to create a more peaceful world through international exchange. This scholarship is available for summer programs only.

$4,500

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

This $10,000 scholarship opportunity is for one student per year. The student must demonstrate extreme financial need, attend an HBCU (or other minority-serving institution), be a first-generation college student, and have never previously traveled abroad.

$10,000

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

SIT matches Federal Pell Grant funding up to $2,500 for semester students who use their Pell Grant to help pay the cost of their SIT program. Students utilizing their Federal Pell Grant for SIT Study Abroad summer terms receive up to a $1000 match.

$1,000 - $2,500

Deadlines:
April 1 for summer programs May 15 for fall programs November 1 for spring programs

Guidelines/Requirements:
The SIT Study Abroad scholarship application process has been fully integrated into our online program application.

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