In order to be approved for study abroad, students must:

• Be in good academic and conduct standing as determined by the Division of Student Affairs.
• Have no outstanding balances/charges on their student accounts.
• Have no "incompletes" (INCs) in their academic records. (Any incompletes must be completed by the deadline to submit program acceptance forms).
• Be accepted into a major, or in the case of sophomores, provide a plan for applying for a major.
• Have completed on average 4 credits per semester in the terms prior to studying abroad.
• If returning from a leave of absence, students must be re-admitted to the college, then successfully complete at least one semester at Swarthmore before being approved for a subsequent semester abroad.  Consult the Leaving and Returning pages on the Office of Academic Success' website.
• Meet the eligibility requirements of the program(s) for which a student is applying (see below). Students are responsible for checking whether their programs of interest have additional eligibility requirements.

Continuing Eligibility:

Permission to participate in study abroad can be revoked at any time if the student no longer meets the stated eligibility requirements of Swarthmore College and/or the requirements to study abroad.

Many programs have specific eligibility requirements. Before students decide to apply for programs, it's important to confirm that they meet each program's eligibility requirements. Common eligibility requirements include:

• GPA minimum (students can calculate their own GPA)
• Language requirement (e.g., a minimum number of college-level language courses or minimum score on a language proficiency test)
• Course pre-requisite(s) for programs with a specific academic focus

No. Only juniors, second-semester sophomores, and first-semester seniors can study abroad. Requests to study abroad in other terms will not be approved.

• Most Swarthmore students study abroad during their junior year.
• Second-semester sophomores may study abroad if they receive Sophomore Approval from the Division of Student Affairs.
• First-semester seniors may study abroad if they receive Senior Approval from their major department(s)/program(s). Students considering study abroad during their senior year should meet with department(s)/program(s) to confirm that they can complete their major(s) if they study abroad.
• Students are limited to a maximum of two semesters abroad.

Yes, Swarthmore students with any major can study abroad! That includes engineering majors, honors students, double majors, or any other major you thought could not study abroad! In some cases, students will have to plan well in advance, and work closely with their major advisor to make sure they can fit study abroad into their academic plan, but Swarthmore has programs to accommodate all academic needs.

No. Swarthmore offers many programs in Anglophone countries, as well as a range of programs in non-Anglophone countries where classes are taught entirely in English. Most programs offer classes in the local language(s) that may be optional or required. If a student does speak another language, study abroad is an excellent opportunity to immerse themselves in that language and to acquire more confidence and fluency. If a student has advanced language skills, they can even decide to take some or all their classes in the target language!

Depending on a student's immigration status, there may be limits on their ability to travel abroad and return to the U.S.

International students at Swarthmore may be subject to different travel requirements than those to which U.S. citizens are subject. These may include requirements for leaving the US, entering their destination countries, and re-entering the U.S.  

F1 regulations require students to be enrolled in a full course of study in the U.S. for at least two semesters prior to the study abroad experience [8 CFR 214.2(F)(10)]. During study abroad, all F1/J1 students must be enrolled full-time in order to maintain their student status. International students must explore what the student visa requirements are for their destination country (if any). They should consult with the International Student Center about their plans well in advance of their scheduled travel.

DACA students can study abroad and return to the United States when granted advance parole. There are strict requirements, and students will need to plan ahead well in advance. Undocumented students may be able to participate in domestic study away programs within the US. For support with understanding their options, students can consult with the International Student Center.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a U.S. federal law and does not necessarily apply abroad.  That being said, many international universities and programs do have disability services and at times can provide accommodations. 

We encourage students to be as open as possible about their needs or concerns so we can best assist them. Sharing information with their study abroad advisor will make it possible to match students' needs as part of program selection. 

We encourage students to plan in advance and to discuss their intention to study abroad with Swarthmore Student Disability Services early on.  

Be aware that students may need to be proactive and follow particular processes and timelines. 

Students should consider their own physical and mental health needs when reviewing study abroad programs. When under the care of a physician or mental health professional, it is important for students to determine if adequate care will be available at the proposed site and to discuss their plans with their health care provider. Please refer to this page for details about whether and how health needs can be met abroad.

With proper planning, many Swarthmore athletes are able to participate in study abroad. Students should work with their coaches to determine the best time frame in which to study abroad and how to network with athletic programs while abroad.

Swarthmore students can often participate in a study abroad semester during the same year that they hold other campus leadership positions (Resident Assistants, Writing Associates, Career Peer Advisors, etc.), if these positions only require a one-semester commitment, and training can take place before or after the semester abroad. 

For positions that require a one-year commitment, students can usually study abroad the semester before or after the year in which they hold the position, without study abroad impacting their chances of being selected for the position.

Contact the relevant office for detailed policies surrounding campus leadership positions and study abroad.

If students plan to complete an internship before or after a semester abroad, they should be aware that start and end dates might not be flexible and may be in conflict with the dates of the study abroad program. Students are not allowed to change the start or end dates of their programs.  If a placement requires an interview, students can consider asking the employer if the interview can be done by phone or Zoom. The Career Services website provides information on how to arrange internships and externships.

Occasionally, a student may choose to take a "leave of absence" to pursue an independent foreign study opportunity, before returning to their academic program at Swarthmore.

Students who choose this option are NOT eligible for financial aid and can NOT transfer the credit earned while on-leave overseas to their program at Swarthmore College.

For planning purposes, please be aware that some institutions and/or programs will only allow students to participate if they are "study abroad" students who have been approved by the Global Engagement Office and are not able to host unaffiliated students.

If considering a leave of absence, students must follow the instructions on the Office of Academic Success' website about taking time off: they should consult the Leaving and Returning pages, and be sure to remain in regular contact with their academic/major advisor, and/or Dean.