If you are thinking about summer study abroad, please N.B.:
1. Summer study abroad is outside of Swarthmore's Semester/Year Abroad program.
This means:
A) Financial aid is not applicable to summer study abroad.
B) Courses done abroad in the summer will be evaluated for
Swarthmore credit under the same regulations that apply to summer school courses done domestically.
This means that intercultural credit cannot be awarded for summer work done abroad, which in turn means
that there is less flexibility in awarding credit for summer work abroad than for work done under the Semester/Year Abroad Program. Therefore, if you plan to study abroad over the summer, and if you want
or need Swarthmore credit for the work that you will do abroad during the summer, be sure scrupulously
to complete the course pre-approval/credit pre-estimation procedures for summer academic work, the forms
for which can be obtained in the Registrar's office. Regardless, though, of whether or not you get
Swarthmore credit for summer work done abroad, you will be fully credentialized for all such work that
you complete by the transcript that is issued to you by your summer program or university.
2. Summer study abroad pickings are significantly less rich than those of the academic year, because:
A) There are many less programs (although there are a lot);
B) The programs are normally of much shorter duration (usually no more than 4-6 weeks);
C) The academic expectations are often lower.
Further, if you will be attending a foreign university over the summer, just about certainly the university will not be in
session for its degree candidate students, so the normal, full, academic year life and culture of the university will not be
available to you. There are, however, some very good summer possibilities for study abroad, including especially intensive
language work and a few other strong programs, including internships.
3. If you are thinking about summer study abroad, please be assured that this office will be glad to help and advise you with your planning.