Global Bridge Program (GBP) Auburn University

1. Global Bridge Program (GBP) Auburn University

2. Purpose: Normally, to be admitted to an undergraduate degree program, an international student must have: • a TOEFL score of 550 pBT/79 iBT, or an IELTS score of 6.5 • an ACT score of 22 or an SAT score of 1030 • a high school GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale • With the GBP, students can be admitted without test scores, and with a high school GPA of 2.5.

3. Can students with beginning-level English skills be admitted to the GBP?

4. Most of the GBP courses are academic courses, and students need an appropriate level of English to pass them. • For entry to the GBP, students need to have a TOEFL of 500 pBT/61 iBT, or an IELTS of 5.5, or be able to demonstrate a similar level of proficiency through other means (to be approved on a case-by-case basis) such as essays and Skype interviews.

5. What are GBP courses?

6. Students in the GBP take 5 courses in the summer, for a total of 15 academic credits. Three of these are ESL courses that are available to regular international undergraduate and graduate students: • INTL 1800: Oral Proficiency for International Students • INTL 1830: Writing Proficiency for International Students • INTL 1840: Reading Strategies for International Students

7. The other two summer courses are academic courses. These courses fulfill undergraduate degree requirements once students complete the GBP. • All Auburn undergraduate students are required to take courses from a “common core,” from which these GBP courses are selected. • Common summer courses with GBP students are Microeconomics, Global Geography, Music Appreciation, World History, and Public Speaking.

8. What happens in the fall semester?

9. Students who complete the summer with a 2.5 GPA in their coursework enroll in 4 or 5 courses in the fall. These, too, are chosen from “common core” courses that will fulfill degree requirements for any major a student decides to pursue. • *Note: Throughout the summer and fall, students work with an advisor to choose their courses. Students who maintain a 2.5 GPA will be admitted unconditionally to a degree program in the spring without the need for TOEFL or ACT/SAT scores.

10. Why does one need to complete two semesters (summer and fall) at Auburn before being admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student, rather than only one semester?

11. Students who are admitted after two semesters are considered “transfer” students. • Transfer students do not need TOEFL or ACT/SAT test scores, and can be accepted with a 2.5 GPA in their high school work and in their completed university work.

12. If I am taking all my courses at Auburn University, how can I be considered a “transfer” student? How can I transfer from Auburn to Auburn?

13. It’s a technicality. A transfer student is one who transfers academic credits from outside an Auburn degree program into an Auburn degree program. • You will be earning official university course credits, but will not be in a degree program until you finish the GBP.

14. What is my Auburn status during the first two semesters? I am not yet a transfer student – am I an ESL student?

15. You are a “transient” student. A transient student is someone who is not pursuing a degree at Auburn, but is allowed to enroll in courses under certain conditions and only for a specified period of time. • Transient students also include international exchange students – university students from Korea, for example, who are attending Auburn University for a year and will return to Korea, taking their Auburn credits with them. You will have full student privileges – use of the library, athletic facilities, etc.

16. I have already taken university courses in my country – can they substitute for courses I need to take at Auburn?

17. Yes, if they cover the same material that Auburn courses do. A course syllabus, in English, will be required for the courses you took in your country.

18. What kind of visa will I have?

19. You will have an F-1 visa (the basic “student visa”). The I-20 form issued by the university – the document that says you have been accepted as an Auburn University student – will say, “Student is a participant in the Global Bridge Program for the summer/fall 2013.” Line 5 of the I-20 asks for a “major,” either an academic department or else language learning. • The GBP is not an academic major, so Line 5 will say “language learning,” but you will not be an ESL student.

20. Auburn has an intensive ESL program, but you will not be enrolled in it for any courses. The I-20 will be valid for the duration of the GBP (two semesters).

21. When I apply at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for an F-1 visa, will they be confused about whether I am an ESL student or an academic student?

22. No. You will have a letter of conditional admission that lists an academic major and says you will be admitted to it upon successful completion of the two semesters of the GBP.

23. Is it possible to be admitted to a degree program at Auburn after only one semester of the GBP?

24. Yes, but in that case you will need to have acceptable TOEFL and ACT/SAT scores. If you successfully complete the GBP, those scores are not necessary. • You might also be required to have a GPA of 3.0 in your high school studies.

25. What happens if I do not successfully complete the GBP?

26. You may apply for admission to a degree program at another school of your choice. Auburn’s admission standards are higher than many schools’, which have lesser TOEFL, ACT/SAT, and GPA requirements. • Credits earned in GBP courses, being official Auburn University credits, are transferable to other schools depending on the new school’s policies on transferability. • Some students choose to enroll in Auburn’s intensive ESL program if their difficulties in GBP courses are language-related.

27. If I attend the intensive ESL program as just described, will I be able to re-enter the GBP once my language skills have improved?  If I fail my GBP courses, can I reapply at a later date?  

28. The important point here is that you need a grade point average of 2.5 to enter a degree program at Auburn.  • If you do not have a 2.5 average as a result of your GBP courses, you will need to raise the average with better grades in course work taken at another institution.  (These courses must meet Auburn’s course-transfer requirements.)

29. If I have difficulty with my coursework, is any assistance available? 

30. Tutoring, at no charge, is provided through the International Student/Scholar English Center (ISEC). • ISEC counselors are very knowledgeable about the challenges students have when studying in a foreign language.

31. Other resources available in the fall include: Study Partners, Supplemental Instruction, private tutoring, and academic coaching. These can be found at www.auburn.edu/tutoring

32. What kind of housing is available?

33. There is on-campus housing during the summer.  • There is usually no on-campus housing for the fall semester.  Fall semester housing is usually all reserved as early as February.  • However, there are reasonably priced housing choices available nearby with easy access to the campus.  • There are people on staff who assist students with finding appropriate housing.

34. Costs: • Global Bridge Program Fees: • Application fee: $60 • Summer Tuition and fees: $12,325 • Fall Semester Tuition and fees: $12,325 (approximate, pending Board of Trustees’ decision) • Summer Insurance: $320 • Summer Housing On Campus: $2,086 • Fall Insurance: $762 • Fall Housing Off Campus: $2,000 (approximate) • Additional Costs (Estimated): • Books and Supplies: $1,100 • Meals: $3,086 (meal plans are available on campus)

35. Application: • Application materials include: • High school transcript (official copy and a certified English translation) • IELTS or TOEFL score (or other pre-arranged, acceptable proof of English proficiency) • A statement from a bank or a scholarship letter showing $32,460, which is the estimated cost of attendance in the Global Bridge Program for two semesters • Copy of the passport photo page (and visa, if already in the U.S.) • Application fee • The application process can be found at: • http://www.auburn.edu/academic/international/esl/gb_app_process.php

36. About Auburn University • Established in 1856 • 25,078 students • 1,841 acres (745 hectares) • Ranked 37th among all U.S. public universities (2012) • The city of Auburn was ranked as one of the 10 best places in the U.S. to live (2009) • Located 80 kilometers from Atlanta, Georgia and a 4-hour drive from the beaches of the Gulf Coast • Warm and sunny climate with mild winters. • Low crime rate