SFS-Australia: Marsupials of Australia
Program Details
| Program Location |
Yungaburra, Australia
|
| Sponsor |
School for Field Studies |
| Program Type |
Co-sponsored |
| Course # |
SA 35002
|
| Duration |
Summer
|
| Upcoming Program Dates |
| To Be Announced |
| Past Dates |
|
Summer 2025 |
05/31/25 to
07/01/25 |
Please Note: Programs may be altered or adapted with little notice
Overview
Australia is a land of strange and fascinating wildlife. Study abroad in Australia with SFS and spend your summer observing tree-climbing kangaroos, egg-laying mammals, flightless birds, giant lizards, and the many other iconic animals that live in Australia’s ancient rainforests and dry savannahs. Learn how each of these species has developed special adaptations to Australia’s unusual habitats and consider the policies and actions needed to preserve these precious ecosystems.
- Go spotlighting in the rainforest, hear night wildlife, and observe hopping bandicoots and gliders emerging from trees. Learn about these species’ history of connecting people with the land.
On the Marsupials of Australia program, you will take one 4-credit course. This course is participatory in nature and is designed to foster inquiry and active learning combining lectures, field exercises, assignments, and tests. This course is taught in English.
For more program information, please visit the
program website.
This program is sponsored by:
School for Field Studies.
Eligibility
The program is open to Purdue students in good standing who have completed at least two semesters of university study by the start of the program. Successful candidates will demonstrate academic success, maturity, and a desire to experience another culture.
GPA Requirement:
2.6 on a 4.0 scale
Language Requirement: none
Purdue Credit
Direct Credit
available from the following:
[
College of Agriculture] [
College of Liberal Arts]
Specifically from:
All (AG) and Liberal Arts majors fulfilling their science requirement
Students interested in completing courses while abroad from Purdue colleges or departments that are not listed above should discuss this with their study abroad advisor before applying to the program.
Academic Program
This academically rigorous program follows a six-day/week schedule. The interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to help students actively discover and understand the complexities of environmental, social, and economic issues in Australia.
Major academic themes include:
- Evolution, biogeography and taxonomy of major wildlife groups of Australia
- Physiology and behavioral ecology of marsupials
- Adaptations of Australia’s wildlife to different environments
- Impact of climate change and human development on Australia’s unique wildlife
- Mitigation and conservation policies
Please see SFS website for specific course details.
Attention liberal arts majors! Although credit is awarded by the College of Agriculture, the College of Liberal Arts will count this summer program as fulfilling your four-credit lab science requirement. Please speak to your study abroad advisor for more information!
Non-liberal arts majors should check with their academic advisor to see if this might fulfill their science requirement.
Excursions
You will visit different ecosystems and communities which may include primary and secondary tropical rainforest, savannah habitat, caves, coastal scrub and mangroves, wetlands, and local conservation and restoration groups.
Housing
At the end of a narrow, winding road, in the middle of a lush rainforest, lies the field station, a 153-acre property surrounded by protected World Heritage forests and the nearby town of Yungaburra 20 minutes away.
- Group living in 8-person cabins
- Main building with classroom, lab, and study spaces
- Student lounge with scenic porch views
- Covered outdoor dining area, on-site cooking staff
- Volleyball and extensive trail network for hiking
- Swimming and running trails a nearby Crater Lak
Estimated Program Costs
Students pursuing program participation accept financial responsibility. Purdue will take measures to mitigate financial risks, although will not be liable for loss. Students should carefully note what costs need to be paid to Purdue University or to a co-sponsor or agency, and what costs need to be paid at the overseas study location. This will vary by program. The program and housing fees cover: tuition, room and board, program-related ground transportation and park entrance fees, field equipment, supplies, orientation and pre- and post-program advisory services. Total Program Cost does not include transportation to and from the program location.
The fees below are for the one 4-week summer session with SFS. Please speak to your study abroad advisor for the program costs for participation in two summer sessions with SFS.
Costs for this program are estimated and subject to change. The cost figures listed below are
for: Summer 2025
|
Costs per term to be billed by Purdue
and Co-sponsor
|
| Program Fee |
$5,750.00
|
| Study Abroad Fee |
$609.40 |
| Housing |
$2,580.00 |
| Purdue International Insurance (per month) |
$32.00 |
|
Approximate additional costs per term
|
| To be paid by the student.
|
| Round-trip Airfare |
$3,000.00 |
| Visa |
$60.00 |
| Miscellaneous Personal Expenses |
$0.00 -
$800.00 |
| Travel Documents (passport, photos) |
$175.00 |
Financial Aid
In order to qualify for financial aid (incl. loans), students need to register for at least six credits during the summer. Students needing to use Purdue financial aid in order to participate in this four-credit summer program will need to enroll in at least two more credits during the summer term at Purdue.
SFS offers many scholarships and/or 0% interest loans (no FAFSA form required). Please see the SFS website for more details.
Purdue University financial aid may be applied to the costs of studying abroad. Students interested in receiving financial aid should
NOTE: Recipients of certain tuition remission and scholarship programs should pay careful attention to the regulations for using those benefits for study abroad. Ask your financial aid advisor about any limitations.
Click here for a list of scholarships and grants available to assist with the costs of studying overseas.
Application Deadlines
For full consideration, students must submit all supporting documents (typically an essay, transcripts, 1-2 recommendations, and copy of passport) before or by the application deadline. Popular programs fill quickly, often before the deadline. To ensure a place in a program, apply early.
As soon as a student submits an online application, a My Study Abroad account is created. Applicants should consult this page often to check on the status of the application.
| Program Application Deadline
|
| Summer Programs |
Mar 1 |
Returnees Information
Click below to search for Purdue students who have participated in this program and are willing to be contacted. If you get no results, you can use the search form to find people who studied in the country you are interested in.
Resources
The websites listed below contain information about this program. The accuracy of information at external sites cannot be guaranteed.
For more information on this program, please contact the Study Abroad Office by phone (765) 494-2383
or email
studyabroad@purdue.edu.
