General Information

Apply early, applications will be considered in the order that they arrive.

Applications will be reviewed by an admissions committee and decisions made by February 3, 2012. International applicants needing an early response and more visa processing time should try to have their completed application to SPI as soon as possible and should e-mail after that date for confirmation of acceptance.

Applications will be accepted and processed until the first day of the course, as space permits. We maintain a waiting list for each course and qualified applicants who apply after the course is full may be placed on that waiting list.

Transportation

Eastern Mennonite University is located in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Please note that there is no public transportation between EMU and the nearest international airport located about 120 miles away. To get to campus, you will need to request an SPI pick-up, hire a taxi, or rent a car.

International Entry to the United States

All international persons coming to the U.S. to attend SPI will need to carry a valid passport. The U.S. government will require most of you to obtain a nonimmigrant visa before you arrive in country. You will want to apply for either a J-1 Visa or a B-1 Visitor Visa. Please start the process early because obtaining visas can take many months. To check requirements, please consult the US State Department’s visa webpage.

Lodging and Food

All SPI participants who choose on-campus housing will be lodged in apartment-style suites. The two- or four-person suites are air-conditioned with single or double bedrooms that share living room, kitchen, and bath facilities. Participants staying in campus housing will have their weekday noon meals at the EMU cafeteria, but will have to prepare all other meals for themselves. Food supplies may be purchased at stores near campus. Restaurant meals are also an option.

Participants wishing to live off campus need to arrange their own lodging. Information on area hotels, motels and rental apartments is available upon request.

Activities

Come prepared to take part in the life of the SPI community. Please bring traditional dress, special recipes, music recordings, or musical instruments from home. You may enjoy sharing a skill, teaching a song or game, showing slides or video of your work, leading a seminar, reciting poetry or telling a story. We encourage everyone to bring photos of family, home, and work, if possible. Community life is an important part of the SPI experience.

Course Requirements and Credits

All SPI participants are expected to attend class sessions, engage in class activities, and complete the basic reading assignments. Additional requirements for those earning graduate credits will be included in the course syllabus. Coursework for full-time students is due before the start of the fall semester. For part-time and non-residents, coursework is due January 5, 2013. SPI courses can also be taken for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Continuing Education Hours (CUs). Please contact SPI for more information.

Course Material

Final course syllabi and introductory readings will be available via the online classroom (Moodle) prior to SPI. Those who do not have access to the internet will receive these materials upon arrival to campus. Course readers will be distributed the first day of each class. Additional books listed in the syllabi can be purchased ahead of time or at the EMU Bookstore after arrival.

Financial Assistance

SPI does have a small fund for scholarships that are given as matching grants to cover the training fee for an additional SPI session. More info…

Eastern Mennonite University is a smoke-free, alcohol-free, drug-free campus

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