International Placement Procedures

You will need to:

1. Meet with Student Services to determine a course sequence that ensures all program requisites are met before placement and identify a plan for meeting degree requirements, including the expected date of graduation.
2. Inform the Field Education Office by email at sw-field@buffalo.edu as early as possible that you wish to pursue an international placement, but no later than the due date for advanced year field applications. Additional time allows for the degree of planning that is often required. Include in the email your preferred geographic area and reason for interest.
3. Also indicate interest in an international placement on the field placement application and submit it to the Field Office on time. Note: You should also identify local agency choices in case an international placement is not secured.
4. Once you are assigned a placement coordinator (the Assistant Dean for Global Partnerships or Field Education faculty/staff), submit the three required reference forms to them for approval to move forward.
5. Research potential agencies, narrow down options to a reasonable number and provide your placement coordinator with a list of prospective sites. Your coordinator will help determine a site's interest in hosting a UB MSW intern and must approve the site to ensure it meets the course objectives of advanced year field and will provide appropriate supervision. Some placement choices may not be feasible because of limited resources and the availability of qualified personnel to provide supervision.
6. In conjunction with your placement coordinator, make initial contact with an agency by email or phone. You should limit contact to serious inquiries only. Based on that communication, you may follow up by sending a hard copy of a cover letter and resume (supplementing one that may have been sent electronically).
7. Field Education staff will follow up with requisite paperwork. Please note that formal affiliation, where required, can take months to complete.
8. Set up an interview to occur in person, by phone or through other technology.
9. Secure confirmation of acceptance early in the process and no later than six months prior to planned departure.
10. Obtain additional medical insurance, as well as relevant visa and vaccinations. You should also plan to visit the UB's Financial Aid Office regarding eligibility.

To be eligible for an international placement, you must be in good standing and cannot be in the midst of an unresolved review process. The Field Education Director will assign you a faculty liaison before the placement starts to serve as a resource and source of accountability. During your placement abroad, you must also complete a journal assignment and may be provided additional supervision by the school.