Summer Opportunities
At Swarthmore, “Study Abroad” is considered semester-long or year-long study outside the United States during the academic year. There is no official study abroad programming during the summer. Nor does GEO maintain a centralized list of vetted/approved programs for foreign study over the summer.
Beyond Study Abroad, if students are seeking a summer opportunity outside the United States, the Global Engagement Office (GEO) endeavors to connect students with relevant tools and resources to support their experience.
Summer Opportunities Funding
While GEO does NOT provide funding for summer opportunities, funding is available from several campus offices. For details, students should consult the Swarthmore College Summer Opportunities website. Through this centralized platform, students can submit applications/proposals for field research, internships, archival research, creative arts, faculty-student collaborative research, civic engagement project, language immersion experiences, or other independent initiatives.
Students are encouraged to attend an in-person or virtual info session. The "Summer Opportunities Fair" is hosted in late-October each year, and GEO hosts a resource table as part of this annual event.
As an additional resource, GEO centralizes information on several external funding sources that can provide alternate and/or supplemental funding.
Transferring Credit
Students can pursue transfer credit for foreign study opportunities during the summer (language immersion, etc). However, transfer credits work differently from study abroad credits and are not overseen by GEO. If you are pursuing academic coursework or another credit-bearing activity, consult the Registrar's Transfer Credit page, as well as your departmental website for details on the approval of potential transfer credits.
Documents to Support your Candidacy
In some cases, programs may have an external application that requires paperwork from your home institution. While GEO will not have specific prior knowledge of your plan of study or candidacy, we are happy to complete this paperwork for you as a courtesy. Interested students must complete a Document Request for Foreign Summer Study — your responses will make it possible for GEO to gather the necessary information on your behalf.
Assessing Risk Factors when Developing Projects
Any students seeking Swarthmore sponsorship for travel outside the United States should be aware of the College's Requirements for International Travel. Additional details on project eligibility can be found on the Summer Opportunities site. Students are encouraged to email questions to globalsafety@swarthmore.edu if/when a potential project may include elevated risk.
Support Before You Go and While Abroad
When traveling on (approved and registered) Swarthmore Global Travel during the summer, students will have access to 24/7 global assistance through International SOS and will be registered for Swarthmore's international travel medical insurance. To help with planning, students can also access GEO resources on Preparing for International Travel.
