Program Overview

This seven-week service-learning and cultural immersion experience allows international students exposure to generalist social work practice in the United States (U.S.). Students will be placed in a local organization and gain hands-on experience in social work. Students’ interest and previous experience are taken into consideration when seeking placements for them. Because of the length of the experience, as well as policies that govern social work practice in the U.S., students will not be participating in clinical learning experiences. This service-learning experience is best suited for undergraduate students.

Along with experiential learning, students will participate in an interactive, hybrid, seminar course, SOCW 299, which they will register for in April-May 2026 and can achieve 3 credits, as non-degree seeking students. This course will be facilitated by an experienced social work practitioner. The focus of this seminar course will be to assist students in understanding the cultural differences and/or similarities that they experience in the U.S. learning and make comparisons with social work practice in their home country. The seminar course will engage students through discussion and assignments aimed at helping the students to gain a deeper understanding of the organization in which they are placed.

As part of this seminar course, students will visit a variety of social service organizations in the Champaign-Urbana community. Since students will be interacting directly with the community in a helping role, we ask that students pass an English proficiency exam in accordance with the expectations outlined in the Affiliation Agreement between your University and the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana. A month before arrival in the U.S., the students will participate in a mandatory, online discussion with field education faculty and their seminar class instructor. This online discussion will lay the groundwork for students’ participation in the summer practicum experience.

Housing and Transportation

Living arrangements are secured for students through University of Illinois campus housing. Students stay in our two-bedroom, fully furnished apartments that include separate rooms with bed linens, cooking utensils, etc. Housing is near a bus line that allows easy access for students to travel around the Champaign-Urbana area to their service learning sites, grocery stores, University of Illinois campus, as well as other areas they may want to explore.

Program Costs

The cost billable to students directly is approximately $3600 USD.

The instructional fee (tuition) for 3 credit hours includes health insurance fee, library/information tech fee, local transportation, and other University of Illinois student fees. Other costs include: housing accommodations, field trips, two dinners/lunch events and an administrative fee.

Student Indirect Costs

Students must arrange their own air transportation to and from the U.S., as well as transportation to Champaign/Urbana upon arrival in the U.S. Meals are not included in the cost of the housing, and students will be responsible for the purchase of their food.

2026 Schedule

Arrival Dates: June 13-14, 2026

First Day of Class and Welcome: Monday, June 15, 2026

Start service-learning at sites: Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Last Day of Field Experience: Thursday, July 30, 2026

Last Day of Program (Final Presentations): Friday, July 31, 2026

Deadline: There are a limited number of spaces available for this program and multiple Universities participating. Please let us know by January 15, 2026 how many students are interested in attending and by March 1, 2026, how many students are committed to attending the program.

Questions?