Mercer On Mission combines study abroad and service-learning to provide life-changing experiences for students through academic instruction, cultural immersion, applied research and meaningful service.
Individual Mercer On Mission programs run on varying schedules. Most programs take place during the first session of summer school, which means they can begin no sooner than the Monday after graduation and conclude no later than June 30. Some programs take place during the second session of summer school, which means late June through early August.
Mercer On Mission programs are offered in a number of low- and middle-income countries, with offerings changing yearly. Explore our website to see which countries we currently have active programs in.
Each Mercer On Mission program is designed to be a five-week experience. Two weeks are spent on campus doing coursework and preparing for travel. Three weeks are spent abroad.
Please visit our financial information page to learn about Mercer On Mission tuition and fees, as well as available scholarships and financial aid.
Mercer On Mission is designed for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors. If open spaces are available after all returning students have been chosen, then graduating seniors may be considered. If you are selected as a graduating senior, you will need to re-enroll as a nondegree seeking student.
There are a few spaces in some programs for students enrolled in graduate school at Mercer. Please email merceronmission@mercer.edu to inquire about programs that include graduate students.
First, you should take some time to explore our website and decide which programs interest you. Then, fill out and submit the online application. The application allows you to indicate the top three programs you are interested in.
After you submit your online application, it will be reviewed by the program’s faculty. Acceptance decisions usually are finalized in late December or early January, but some acceptance notices may be sent out earlier.
If you indicated second and third choices on your application, it will be returned to the Mercer On Mission office and sent to those programs’ faculty to review.
After being accepted into a Mercer On Mission program, you should do the following:
Yes. Mercer On Mission is a service-learning program that requires students to be enrolled in at least six hours of coursework. These will be high-quality academic courses that are an essential part of the Mercer On Mission experience. All students will receive grades that will be applied to their Mercer transcript. No S/U grades are permitted. No student may withdraw from Mercer On Mission courses once the travel portion of the program has begun.
No. The registrar will enroll you in courses for your program. An email will be sent to accepted students with the steps to take to select courses. You will be registered for one class from each of the program’s faculty.
Call the Housing and Residence Life Office at (478) 301-2687 to arrange housing.
All Mercer On Mission programs depart from and return to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. You are responsible for your transportation to and from the Atlanta airport.
Students are not permitted to divert from the group travel itinerary. There are several reasons for this. Most importantly, we keep airfare low by buying tickets at a group rate. This requires all members of the group to travel together for the entire itinerary.
Vaccinations depend on several variables, including your destination and your own medical profile. It is best to contact your private physician or county health department to find out what vaccinations you need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also provides information about vaccinations by region.
First, discuss your Mercer On Mission travel plans with your physician to determine if it is appropriate for you to participate. As you discuss this with your physician, please indicate you will be traveling to a low- to middle-income country where access to electricity may be irregular, and the climate may be hot and humid. You may be required to do a substantial amount of walking or physical labor. You may not have immediate access to advanced medical care.
Second, inform the faculty members in your program of any medical condition that may require special accommodation. This information will be held in strictest confidence between you and the faculty members.
Yes. Students must have personal health insurance or student medical insurance that covers international health visits. You are advised to check your personal insurance policy coverage for international travel. While your study abroad fee includes on-call travel insurance, this is not health insurance. The travel insurance covers emergency evacuation for medical or safety reasons.
Visit the U.S. State Department’s website to find out about current travel warnings and additional safety information.
Immediately contact the Mercer On Mission office at (478) 301-2992. Please remember that you cannot withdraw from courses once the travel component has begun. Also, if you withdraw, you are financially responsible for any non-recoverable expenses, such as airfare and hotel deposits, that were purchased on your behalf. The $500 deposit and $75 study abroad fee are not refundable.
