Maximize your study abroad experience by getting involved at your host university, joining a club, or volunteering in your community! 
Meet other local students, make a meaningful connection with your campus and community, and enhance your own experience through volunteer work, campus clubs and societies, sports, theatre, and more! Cultural Integration is an important part of your study abroad experience. GlobaLinks Learning Abroad has collected these resources to help you make the most of your time abroad: The Czech Republic CESP Prague (University of Economics) Buddy System Program
The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) VSE Buddy System is an organization that facilitates the cultural integration and social life of foreign students in the Czech Republic. Students from abroad are offered the opportunity to pair up with a Czech student who will help them to settle more easily into the new environment. The Buddy System organizes trips, meetings, parties and other activities for students throughout the entire academic year. http://buddy.vse.cz/web/en/node/122 Learn more about CESP Prague> TOP OF PAGE England Kingston University StandOut Volunteering This group has volunteering opportunities available in many different local organizations, including schools, day centres, charities, and with environmental projects. You can choose from a wide range of activities, from working with children, adults or animals, to practical hands-on work or office based roles. Whether you want to volunteer once or twice through one-off projects or make a regular commitment, they can find the right opportunity for you. http://www.kusu.co.uk/content/74585/volunteering/
Kingston University Students' Union Kingston University Students' Union - KUSU - exists to ensure you have the best possible experience of University, no matter what course you do or which campus you study at. We aim to make sure we can fully represent your views and fully involve you in partnership with the University. This website is a great resource for university clubs/socities, events, sports, discounts, and more!
http://www.kusu.co.uk/ Learn more about Kingston University>
TOP OF PAGE Lancaster University Lancaster University Volunteering Unit (LUVU)
Launched in 2002 LUVU has quickly developed a culture of community volunteering at Lancaster University, focusing on developing innovative, community-based projects led by staff and student volunteers. http://www.luvu.org.uk/ On-Campus Activities There are over 70 clubs and societies on campus, as well as a wide range of sports teams and facilities including indoor swimming pool, climbing wall, floodlit hard play area and life fitness and weights room. Many social activities take place within your residential College including inter College sports events and there are regular concerts and performances, both by professional companies and students in the concert hall and studio theatre on campus. The Film Society shows several films each week and the Chaplaincy Centre is open to all faiths or none. You can become involved in SCAN, the student newspaper or Bailrigg FM, the campus radio. Check out all student activity opportunities at Lancaster> Learn more about Lancaster University> TOP OF PAGE Queen Mary, University of London Mind The Gap
This site has been designed to help you understand why skills and employability are important themes to think about while you study at Queen Mary. Mind the Gap is intended as more than just a reminder of the announcement you'll hear on London 's Underground! It's also a phrase that can help you understand the current emphasis with skills and the theme of employability that is occurring not only within universities, but in all sectors of education.
www.mindthegap.qmul.ac.uk/
PROVIDE - Student Volunteering Program
This organizaiton, available through the Queen Mary Students' Union, offers Queen Mary students the opportunity to get involved in the local community, with charities, and organizations in Tower Hamlets and across London. These opportunities range from a wide variety of one-off volunteering opportunities through Community Action Days and a large selection of regular placements with over 140 local organizations and charities. www.providevolunteering.org/ On-Campus Activities There are plenty of ways to get involved in campus life once you arrive at Queen Mary. From socializing in one of the cafes, bars, and food outlets on campus to joining one of the many clubs and societies or playing for one of their sports teams: all enable you to make new friends and add another dimension to your study abroad experience. The campus environment will give you every opportunity to become a fully integrated member of the Queen Mary student body. The Students' Union is run by and for Queen Mary students and you will automatically be a member, allowing you to use their excellent range of facilities and services. The Students' Union runs numerous sports clubs and special interest group societies, ranging from rowing and football to belly dancing and Politics. Learn more about Queen Mary, University of London>
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University of Kent - Canterbury Kent Union "Volunteering"
Run through the student union, this program a central placement service for any and all kinds of volunteer projects with the local community, or coordination of student-led projects. http://www.kentunion.co.uk/volunteering/ On-Campus Activities One of the best ways to integrate into British culture is by living with local people in their own homes. Students who enroll in University of Kent’s HOST program are able to take advantage of weekend-long family homestays where they choose to visit a British family in different cities of the UK. Students choose the city they would like to visit and are then matched up with a host family. All families are vetted and students can also choose to go in pairs if they would prefer not to go alone. This scheme is incredibly successful and allows students to see cities around the UK and experience them in a depth and manner impossible for tourists. This is also very low-cost to students who only normally pay their transportation costs from Kent to the destination city. The Sports Federation on campus allows students at the University of Kent to join various Student Sports Clubs. Funded by the Students’ Union, the Sports Federation runs over 35 different clubs at a range of levels, so experience is not necessary. Learn more about University of Kent - Canterbury> TOP OF PAGE University of Manchester Manchester Student Volunteers
Manchester Student Volunteers (MSV) is a project based at the Careers Service which links you to local not-for-profit organisations and other volunteering opportunities.
http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/employable/volunteering/findvoluntarywork/
Study Abroad plus Leadership and Service
The University has an innovative ‘Study Abroad plus Leadership and Service’ program, which enables students to combine Service Learning and Leadership training with their standard study abroad program. Registration for this course is done in advance and a supplemental application is required.
The program allows students to engage with local community groups, facilitating engagement with British life and society in a more direct way than is possible through academic study alone. The taught leadership element of the program helps students understand the importance of sustainable leadership that promotes environmental care, social justice and prosperity. Please contact us for more details. On-Campus Activities Students at The University of Manchester can take part in a huge range of activities during their period of study abroad. Lots of societies, run by and for students, exist at the University, enabling participants to meet like-minded friends – whether students are interested in Basketball, Dance, Film, Hiking, Swimming, Ice Skating, Jazz, Photography, Tai Chi, Rowing or Tennis, there are clubs to suit! Learn more about University of Manchester>
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Germany Freie Universität Berlin Buddy Program
Freie Universität gives students to opportunity to meet one-on-one with a "Buddy,” a German student with which they can practice each other’s languages, explore cultural differences, and discover the best places and ways to socialize with German students. http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/fubest/doku/FU_Buddy_Program.pdf?1307220269 Freie Universität International Club
The International Club at Freie Universität puts on a wide variety of social and cultural events throughout the semester such as films, visits to museums and exhibitions, parties, guided tours of the city, trips, and panel discussions and talks with politicians. It’s the perfect way to explore Germany and meet Germans and students from all over the world. www.internationalerclub.de Intramural Sports
GlobaLinks Learning Abroad students are eligible to register for the wide variety of intramural sports offered by Freie Universität. However, keep in mind that the U.S.-style semester schedule used by FU-BEST does not mesh with the standard German semester calendar as used by the wider Freie University so sport options will be varied. Learn more about Freie Universität Berlin> TOP OF PAGE Greece American College of Thessaloniki American College of Thessaloniki Student Clubs
ACT has a wide variety of active clubs on campus that you can join from Photography Club to Scuba Diving Club. See a list of current clubs here: http://www.act.edu/index.jsp?CMCCode=1004020601&extLang=LG Service Learning Opportunities
ACT is also happy to connect you to several volunteer opportunities in the Thessaloniki community including teaching English to refugees, helping out at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, learning Greek recipes by volunteering at a local soup kitchen, the Special Olympics, or fundraising and raising awareness for the A21 Campaign to abolish human trafficking. http://www.act.edu/misc/act_volunteering.pdf Learn more about American College of Thessaloniki> TOP OF PAGE Ireland Volunteering Ireland Regardless of where you study, this website is a great resource for finding volunteer opportunities in Ireland! http://www.volunteeringireland.ie/ Dublin Institute of Technology Dublin Institute of Technology Student Union (DITSU) Check out the Student Union website for resources about getting involved on campus and around Dublin!ttp://www.ditsu.ie/ DIT Student Societies
The DIT Societies Office with the support of the DIT Cultural and Social Committee work together to provide an excellent variety of student societies and activities to ensure that you can enjoy a great student experience. There are now over 80 active DIT Societies (clubs) which are run by students for students. Students are encouraged to join societies of interest to enrich your college experience and to meet new like-minded friends.
http://www.socs.dit.ie/ Learn more about Dublin Institute of Technology>
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Institute of Technology - Carlow Carlow Volunteer Centre Immerse yourself in the community of Carlow by participating in local volunteer work! http://www.volunteercarlow.ie/ On-Campus Activities The Institute encourages all international students to participate in the clubs and societies as an excellent way to integrate and socialize with people from different backgrounds. Students are also invited to attend various events and trips throughout the academic year, which are organized through the International Office. Some of the more established societies include drama, video, music, human rights, environmental issues, and astronomy as well as academic groups covering areas such as computing, design, and marketing. All this as well as the many sports clubs which include Gaelic games, soccer, rugby, badminton, hiking, basketball, martial arts, fencing, athletics, and boxing. Learn more about Institute of Technology-Carlow> TOP OF PAGE Trinity College Dublin The Central Societies Committee (CSC) The CSC is the body responsible for student societies in Trinity College. Explore all of the different societies (clubs) available at Trinity! http://www.trinitysocieties.ie/ Learn more about Trinity College Dublin> TOP OF PAGE University of Limerick University of Limerick Students Union
The 70 clubs and societies run by UL's Students Union offer international students many opportunities to meet other students and participate in cultural and sporting events. Excursions to various parts of Ireland are organized by the various clubs. Further information is available at: http://www.clubsandsocs.ul.ie/. You can also visit the Students Union website at www.ulsu.ie.
Limerick Volunteer Centre
Get involved in Limerick and meet the locals by volunteering throughout the city.
www.volunteerlimerick.ie Rugby Study Abroad Combination Join a rugby team while you complete your studies at University of Limerick for a semester. More information is available on the University's profile page. Learn more about University of Limerick>
TOP OF PAGE Italy Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC) - Milan Erasmus and Exchange students association (ESEG) ESEG International students club is a non political, nonprofit association whose aim is to promote and organize activities in order to ease the cultural integration among foreign students, both exchange and the ones enrolled in Italian faculties, and Italian students from all the different universities.
http://www.eseg.it/Milano/index.php?lan=en Charities Guide - Milan, Italy A central source of information for charities and non-profit organizations in Milan and across Italy who are seeking volunteers to assist with their efforts. Find a good match to your interests, skills and time available while abroad! http://www.charity-charities.org/Italy-charities/Milan.html Learn more about UCSC Milan>
TOP OF PAGE The Netherlands Leiden University Leiden Student Associations
Leiden has a rich student life, where students can become a member of numerous student associations. In these associations, students have the opportunity to develop their organizational, communicative and social skills to complement their academic curriculum. http://www.leidenuniv.nl/en/students/index.php3-m=10&c=61.htm Learn more about Leiden University> TOP OF PAGE Scotland University of Stirling Stirling Student Union SUSA's main job is to represent Stirling students' interestes - whether it be to the University or to the wider world. Beyond that SUSA is concerned with the lives of students in Welfare, Clubs and Societies, Sport, Bars & Catering, Entertainment, Campus Media and Campaigns on any student-relevant issues. http://www.stirlingstudentsunion.com/ Buddy Program To help you find your way around the university, Stirling, and the United Kingdom, you can request a personal buddy, a current Stirling student, who will answer your practical questions. Most of the buddies will also introduce you to Scottish habits and customs, and the best tips and tricks of being a student at Stirling. Your buddy will have first-hand knowledge of student life. In fact, most of their current “buddies” have studied abroad themselves. But remember, you can probably teach your buddy just as much about your culture as he or she can teach you about Stirling – it’s a two way flow of information! Stirling Volunteer Centre This organization can help you find all the information you need to know about volunteering in the Stirling area. www.volunteerstirling.org.uk/ Learn more about University of Stirling> TOP OF PAGE University of Strathclyde Strathclyde Student Union Central resource for students on all matters including volunteer opportunities on campus
www.strathstudents.com/ Volunteer Centre Glasogw This website is a guide to volunteering opportunities available in Glasgow. You can also search the database for volunteering opportunities across the city and enquire about voluntary positions you'd like to apply for.
http://www.volunteerglasgow.org/ Learn more about University of Strathclyde>
TOP OF PAGE Wales Swansea University Swansea Conservation Society
This organization aims to provide practical experience and educational opportunities in conservation for all members, by undertaking activities in order to contribute to the preservation of the local environment. These activities include: Dolphin Conservation, Bushcraft Training, Beach Cleaning and National Trust Nature Reserve work. http://green-students.co.uk/ www.myspace.com/uwsconservation
Swansea Student Union Societies
Central source for all the information on Swansea's many student societies which offer a large variety of ways to get involved both on campus as well as in the local community, as many societies incorporate outreach of some kind into their mission. Get Involved!!
http://www.swansea-union.co.uk/societies/ Discovery
Discovery is a volunteer organisation and an excellent way to meet people both in the University and the community. Discovery has helped to place over 2000 people in a wide range of projects. The office is located on the ground floor of Fulton House. Schedules are normally free of lectures on Wednesday afternoons to enable students to participate in projects like these. http://www.swan.ac.uk/study/current/Discovery/
Learn more about Swansea University>
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