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David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
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Thailand Development

Dates: 15 May–30 July 2024 (approx.)
Application Deadline: 1 February 2024
Apply Now

Thailand offers many opportunities to experience a very different approach to life than that found in the United States. Thai Buddhism emphasizes coming to accept the impermanence of all things as a way of detaching oneself from suffering. This culture also generates its own unique approaches to development issues. Students will work closely with Thai experts as they seek to identify and resolve local problems. Internship work will depend on the student’s major and area of expertise as well as availability. Opportunities in the past have included working in orphanages and women’s rescue shelters, serving as legal aids to provincial judges, assisting irrigation and water resource projects, and teaching English in local schools. Students have also had the opportunity to work with NGOs that focus on small-scale economic development as well as disease prevention & nutrition. Students will also participate in cultural excursions and weekly trips throughout the country.

Click here to apply today!

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Contact Us

Joel Selway
792 SWKT
(801) 422-8607
joel_selway@byu.edu

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Program Flyer

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
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More Information

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Courses

Students must register for 12 credit hours during the Spring–Summer program from the following courses:

POLI 359R—The Politics of Thailand (3 credit hours)
POLI 346—Southeast Asian Politics (3 credit hours)
POLI 444—The Political Economy of Development (3 credit hours)
POLI 497R—Mentored Research Credit (1–6 credit hours)
POLI 306R—Field Research Methods (3 credit hours)
IAS 399R—Academic Internship (1–9 credit hours)
IAS 397R—Topics in IAS (6 credit hours)
 
Alternative course options may be considered with the program director.

Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
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Cost

$6,700–7,200

Includes Latter-day Saint, undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduate and non–Latter-day Saint students), lodging, at least two meals a day with host family, transportation to and from internships, costs associated with in-country excursions (a possible international excursion, depending on enrollment), and international health insurance coverage.

Does not include airfare (typically $1,400–1,800 from U.S. to Thailand), passport and visa ($100–200), vaccinations ($100–200), meals on excursions, or personal expenses.
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Funding Sources

Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.

Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship.

Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants.

Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
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Preparation

Accepted students are required to participate in an international, cross-cultural preparation course (IAS 369R, 1 credit hour).

This course will be held during the second block of winter semester 2024. Part-time BYU students will need to pay an additional tuition fee. 

Spouses also need to be credit-bearing participants on the program; they must apply online and take the preparation course.

In order to receive internship credit, students will be required to be in Thailand for the duration of the program.

Students must meet all country- and program-specific COVID and health requirements for travel.
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Housing

Students stay with Thai host families or on-site accommodation.
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Travel

Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.

BYU Travel
280 HRCB
(801) 422-6293
travel@byu.edu
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Application Process

BYU welcomes students from any university to apply to participate on our study abroad programs. However, internships and direct enrollment programs are limited to BYU Provo students.

Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Complete the online application here. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required; applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.

Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program. The first payment is due upon acceptance; please refer to the Payment Information page.

Application Deadline: 1 February 2024
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Program Adjustments

International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost.

If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account.

ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.
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Faculty

Joel Selway, Associate Professor of Political Science, is the program director.

792 SWKT
(801) 422-8607
joel_selway@byu.edu
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Contact Us

International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu

Student Assistant
Benjamin Duffield
bentduff@student.byu.edu
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ISP Student Handbook

To see the student handbook, click here.
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Payment Schedule

To see the payment schedule, click here.