If you know you want to study abroad in the future--or if you're even considering it, meet with your counselor to plan out what classes to take at your home institution, so that you can save the courses that can be taken abroad for when that time comes. There's no such thing as planning too early!
Don't be like me and take all of your UDE (Upper Division Electives) early because those could've been transferred over from studying abroad. Instead, take your WI (Writing Intensive) classes because they are only available through UH. Unfortunately, I will have to take a couple of WI online through UH while I am abroad since I have so many left.
Along with planning out when you want to study abroad, you should really work hard to keep your grades up. Shoot for a GPA of 3.0 or higher. A 3.0 is the minimum requirement for MIX. Their reasoning is because If you can't keep your grades up at home, you probably won't be able to keep your grades up in a foreign country. A good GPA will also help you tremendously when applying for scholarships.
Here are some things to think about:
What country do I want to study abroad in? See MIX Partner Schools for ideas.
What particular courses are offered? Here is Keio University's course equivalents that I found (as of Fall 2015). The course equivalents document means that other students have taken these courses before so it will transfer back. You can, however, petition for other courses.
How many credits will transfer back to my home institution?
How long should I study abroad? A year? A semester? (Make sure that if you are studying abroad for a year, that there are enough courses for you to take that can transfer back. Again, you should discuss this with your advisor).
How much would it cost? (Think about making a budget, calculating expenses, saving money, and/or applying for scholarships).
Where would I stay? (Dorms, Homestay with host family, with relatives/friends, at an off-campus apartment). I did a lot of research on different housing options, and I came to the conclusion that the dorms are the easiest and best fit for me. See my Housing Options page to explore the options that I looked into.
UH MIX vs. SAC
The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa offers different study abroad options. First there is the SAC (Study Abroad Center). Where basically, you along with a group of UH Mānoa students and faculty will be traveling abroad together. You will take one class from the UH teacher and the rest from the host university. Everything is included in a single tuition cost, which differs depending on what school/country you choose. Airfare is not included in this cost.
For the MIX (Mānoa International Exchange) Program, you travel independently. You basically, buy your airline tickets, register for your courses and apply for housing on your own. The independence factor was appealing to me and a big reason why I chose to go with MIX (along with the fact that the Shidler partner Universities were through MIX and that I would be paying the same resident UH tuition that I currently pay). With MIX, you pay your regular UH tuition (resident, non-resident, WUE) and then you pay your housing and living expenses separately. Also, independence kind of equated to freedom in my mind. I wanted to challenge myself and live independently in a new place while really immersing myself in the country's culture.
Pacific Asian Management Institute (PAMI)
Another study abroad option that is offered at UH is the PAMI (Pacific Asian Management Institute) summer program. The benefit of PAMI is that it's in the summer, so it doesn't interfere with your fall and spring semesters. Plus, you travel to many different countries (instead of just one) to learn about Asia's dynamic business environment. I don't know that much about PAMI so for more information, please click here.
Before you make a decision, consider your options, see which program is the best fit for you, and be open minded!
For U.S. undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. Students must be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant in order to apply. Awards are up to $5,000 for a semester, plus an additional $3,000 for students studying a Critical Needs Language (includes Chinese, Japanese, and Korean).
If you are a high achieving Business Student at UH, I recommend looking into the Johnson (for Europe) and Freeman (for Asia) Scholarships.
The Freeman scholarship provides $5900
The Johnson scholarship provides $5000
JASSO Student Exchange Support Program
Monthly Stipend of 80,000 yen per month (roughly $800)
For exchange students going on short-term study in Japan. Students will receive JASSO application forms from the partner university after nomination from the MIX office, if that university has qualified for JASSO funding (Japanese Government Funding).
Keio is a qualified university for JASSO.
Also visit the MIX Financial Aid page for many more scholarship opportunities!