University of Wisconsin–Madison
Study Abroad
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UW Ho-Chunk House of Wellness in Wisconsin

Devil's Lake bordered by lush green trees and rocky hills under an overcast sky.

USA, Baraboo

The UW Ho-Chunk House of Wellness program is a 4-week, instructor-led experiential program for UW-Madison School of Nursing (SoN) students in partnership with the Ho-Chunk Nation, the Ho-Chunk Nation’s House of Wellness, and International Academic Programs.

The School of Nursing's experiential learning experiences allow students to spend time 1:1 with preceptors or in small instructor-led groups of four students in both community and acute care settings caring for patient populations across the life span in multiple settings. This specific program takes place in and around Baraboo, WI, located an hour north of Madison.

Students will work with nurses in at least three areas including clinic, public health, and community health. Additionally, participants will shadow other specialties including optometry, dentistry, nutrition, and environmental services (which conducts water quality and mold inspection testing as well as food inspections). These areas are all housed in the Ho-Chunk House of Wellness.

The program also works with Baraboo EMS/Fire where students complete a ride-along shift or two. This allows for a discussion of the specific needs of the community as well as an opportunity to see the care and health related transportation needs in a rural area. 

Learning Objectives

We have overall Goals and Expectations for Study Abroad Participants, covering the personal, academic and professional aspects of study abroad. Additionally on this program, you can:


  1. Take part in providing care to individuals, families and communities, planning, prioritizing and evaluating nursing care that is consistent with clients' needs, goals, preferences and social identities.
  2. Utilize strategies to promote social justice in health, and culturally congruent care while developing a global perspective to care-giving.
  3. Determine collaborative approach to effectively work within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect and shared decision-making to achieve quality individual, family, community and system care.
  4. Develop partnerships with individuals, family, community and systems in decision-making about care and planning for care.
  5. Utilize concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention based on genetics, family history, social ecological factors, and environmental exposure.
  6. Apply learning related to health and illness concepts, and their interrelationships among individuals, families and communities as encountered in experiential practice setting.

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to providing quality study abroad and domestic study away programs for every UW-Madison student. We work strategically to identify, address, and remove barriers that may prevent participation and to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for students. Our staff actively engages with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and prioritizes the continuous development of our knowledge and cultural competence. We also recognize the importance of increasing access to study abroad for historically underrepresented student populations. We are committed to diversity and inclusion so that every student can engage with and understand their identity through a new lens and continue to develop and make progress on their personal, professional, and academic goals.

Sustainability

We recognize that the future of study abroad, domestic study away, and international internship programming requires a Commitment to Sustainability. We are devoted to examining, developing, and improving sustainability in all our endeavors, aligning with campus priorities and following through with UW-Madison's climate action and Resilience Commitment. Join our efforts and learn more about how to study abroad sustainably.

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Eligibility

  • In progress course pre-requisites: N323 and N326. Successful completion of both courses is required to participate in a clinical immersion.
  • Nursing cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
  • 2.5 cumulative GPA
  • Eligibility determined by course pre-requisites
  • Open to UW-Madison degree-seeking students only
  • Good academic and disciplinary standing
  • At the time of application and the semester prior to participation, UW-Madison students must be currently enrolled. Transfer Students to UW-Madison need to be currently enrolled at their home institution

Advising Location

Program Structure

UW Signature

Subjects

Nursing, Indigenous Studies

Classroom Language

English

Housing

Rented Room

Program Duration

Summer: Mid-May - Early June

Tentative 2027 Dates:
May 10: Program starts at UW-Madison
May 17-June 4: Program in Baraboo, WI

Application Deadline(s)

Summer 2027 2/5/2027 Cost Details

Future durations will be posted at a later date.

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During the program, students can expect to be in program activities from 8am-4:30am, with some longer days (such as during EMS ride-alongs or community events). There may be weekend activities during the program, such as if the EMS shifts are scheduled on a Saturday or Sunday, or for cultural activities such as attending a powwow.

Upon successful completion of the program, you will earn 3 credits of N436: Health and Illness Concepts with Individuals, Families, and
Communities: Experiential Learning. N436 is a degree requirement in the Bachelor of Science-Nursing program, and as with all experiential learning courses in the BSN program, is graded Credit/No Credit.

Affiliate Institution(s)

Ho-Chunk House of Wellness Site

Course Equivalents

Use the links below to see a list of courses that past students have taken on this program and the UW equivalents. Note: This list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses, departments or equivalents. Courses may not be available the semester you are abroad. You will receive instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance. View Course Equivalents

Program Leader

Dr. Katie Collins, MS, DNP, AGPCNP-BC, FNP-BC, Clinical Associate Professor and Global Health Coordinator

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IAP Study Abroad Scholars

Description

This competitive scholarship provides students with financial awards starting at $1,500 towards the eligible study abroad program of your choice, and the chance to share your experience with the UW-Madison community upon return. Students attending any program, except the funded Global Gateway programs, in IAP, CALS, ENGR, or WSB are encouraged to apply to become a Study Abroad Scholar.  Please read full scholarship details, including eligibility requirements, and considerations on the Study Abroad Scholars page.

CALS majors must apply for Study Abroad Scholars to be considered for CALS donor scholarships. Award Amount
$1,500-$8,000

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be considered for the Study Abroad Scholars scholarship for this application round, an applicant must:

Be in the process of applying, or have already applied, to an IAP study abroad program (UW Global Gateway Programs are not eligible)

Be a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate UW-Madison student

Academic merit and financial need will be considered

Submit completed application materials online by the posted deadline

 

How to Apply

Students can apply for this award at Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH).

Study Abroad Promise Scholarship

Description

Undergraduate students who are part of a UW-Madison Promise Program (Bucky's Tuition Promise, Bucky's Pell Pathway, BANNER, Wisconsin Tribal Education Promise, and Badger Promise) are eligible for this scholarship of up to $6000 towards a faculty-led program during winter or summer.  Review full eligibility on our Study Abroad Promise page.

Award Amount
$6000

Eligibility Criteria

This scholarship is open to undergraduate students who:

Students participating on Global Gateway programs or have previously participated on any UW study abroad program are not eligible.

How to Apply
Eligible students will be automatically reviewed and notified of award amount prior to acceptance to program.

IAP WISc Scholarship

Description

This scholarship was established by International Academic Programs (IAP) to assist undergraduate student participants in the Wisconsin International Scholars (WISc) Program with building their global competence and citizenship skills, which is the core goal of the WISc Program.  Each WISc Scholar is eligible to receive scholarships as follows: 

1) 1 scholarship of $2500 toward participation on a short-term study abroad program duration (winter intersession, spring break, or summer), and

2) 1 scholarship of $4000 toward participation on a semester program OR 1 $6000 towards a year long program.

These scholarships can be used for students attending any approved UW-Madison study abroad program. 

Award Amount
$2500-$6000

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible for student participants of the Wisconsin International Scholars (WISc) Program at UW-Madison.

How to Apply

Students apply through the WISc Scholar Travel Grant application.

Social, Environmental, and Economic Development (SEED) Scholarship

Description
SEED stands for Social, Environmental and Economic Development. The Authentica SEED Scholarship is a $1,500 study abroad sustainability scholarship — $1,200 toward your program cost and a further $300 once you submit a post-program report on your project — awarded twice a year to a student who turns a real observation abroad into a practical, SDG-aligned idea. It is open to students worldwide, with any program or provider — no application fee and no minimum GPA. Award Amount
$1500 $1,200 applied toward your program cost · $300 released once you submit your post-program repor

How to Apply
For more information and to apply, visit the scholarship website.