Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST)
COST enables students to spend a semester abroad practicing their teaching skills in a unique environment. Teacher candidates are placed in countries on six continents where English is the language of instruction. These countries include: Australia, Bahamas, Belize, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland (coming soon).
Benefits
- Provides an opportunity for teaching candidates to practice their skills in an international setting.
- Gain non-U.S. perspectives on world events.
- Acquire an appreciation of the differences in family life between the U.S. and the host country through a host-family community setting.
- Allows participants to bring an international knowledge and perspective to their instruction in the U.S.
- Teach in a bicultural and/or bilingual setting.
- Promotes global understanding, intercultural communication and a meaningful educational experience.
Requirements
- It is mandatory that students attend the COST meeting scheduled one year prior to the semester in which student teaching takes place. The meeting for fall is in late October and for spring in mid to late-February. Check this website or email kelsey.mclean@uwrf.edu for more information.
- Teacher education students must be cleared through the College of Education, Business and Allied Health by completing an application.
- Candidates will complete the first half of their student teaching in the United States.
- All UW-River Falls standard eligibility requirements must be met.
- Students in this program need to demonstrate above average ability, good character, flexibility and strong motivation.
Key Reminders
- UWRF's COST program is unique to our university. Information found on other COST websites is not necessarily pertinent to our program.
- The best way to get information about the UWRF COST program is to attend the mandatory meeting one year prior to the semester you would like to teach overseas.
