Getting Started

Direct enrollment/Exchange programs allow students to spend a semester or year at a host university as an exchange or visiting student. Some direct enrollment programs require students to apply to a specific academic department (sometimes called a faculty) or take a specific number of classes from their major department. While students are often able to choose from the course catalog offerings, some courses are restricted for study abroad/visiting students. 

Provider programs include those which have been established by an organization like CIEE, IFSA, IES, CET, etc. These programs are specifically designed for students attending U.S. colleges and universities who wish to study in another country. Providers often offer comprehensive support which can include housing arrangements, academic assistance, group excursions, social activities, and more. Provider programs may offer a mix of courses taught by provider faculty as well as some through the local universities. 

Theme/field experience programs focus on a specific academic topic or subject area. These programs offer the least variety of classes and courses are often prescribed. Theme programs typically center on hands-on experiences which take place outside of the classroom. These programs tend to be smaller in size and often offer the ability for students to focus deeply on a specific area of interest within their field.

GPA and language requirements vary by program. Ensure your transcript verifies you meet established eligibility criteria. Note: Elementary 1 & 2 = 1 year or 2 semesters of language study. Intermediate 1 & 2 = 2 years or 4 semesters of language study; regardless of when you started or finished the course sequence.

Programs in the Southern hemisphere typically do not align with Barnard semesters and follow the reverse of our academic calendar: July-November = term 2; February/March-June = term 1. Pay close attention to the final day of classes and exams. Programs may not allow you to reschedule a final exam or depart early for an internship or other obligation. 

In general, programs located in major cities tend to be more expensive than those in smaller cities or towns. Travelling programs are also more costly since the price of group travel is included. Check the currency conversion to get an idea of the average cost of living and adjustments you may need to make to your personal spending budget. Remember to account for out of pocket costs like round trip airfare, local transportation in-country, and personal excursions. Regardless of your program choice, you will continue to pay Barnard tuition. Non-tuition fees are specific to the program and may include: housing, meal plan, insurance fee, excursion fee, general program fee, etc. Use non-tuition fees to compare programs. Read more details about study abroad finances in the money matters section.

Many host universities will not make their full course catalogs available until closer to the start date of the program. However, the course catalog for the previous academic year is often accessible. Review the course information you can find to see what has been offered in past terms. Pay close attention to the language of instruction and whether any prerequisites are listed. Make an appointment with your major advisor to discuss departmental and general education requirements and how best to fulfill some of them while abroad.

If you need specific courses in order to stay on track for graduation, please make an appointment to meet with the chair of the relevant department. Unfortunately, it is not possible to guarantee a specific course offering nor space availability in any course.

On-campus housing, student apartments, and homestays are just a few of the options which may be available on a study abroad program. Some programs offer a wide array of living arrangements, while others require you to participate in a homestay with a local family. Knowing the type of accommodations you want can help you to narrow down your top choice program. As you are searching keep these questions in mind, are all study abroad students housed together? Does the program help arrange housing, or are students expected to arrange it on their own? How far is the commute from your apartment to classes? Are meal plans available and/or included in the housing fee?

We strongly advise you to narrow your program choice down to your top pick.  If you opt for a highly selective university, we recommend having an alternate. It is not usually necessary to apply to multiple programs as long as you meet the necessary prerequisites. Note the preliminary Barnard application will only allow you to apply to one program (per term). Remember an early application is to your benefit, as some popular programs fill before their posted deadline date. Most programs will make admissions decisions on a rolling basis.

Students who wish to apply to a program or university that does not appear on the approved list are required to submit a petition for approval. Petitions are reviewed by the Study Abroad Committee and are not guaranteed approval.

Petition Deadline: February 15th

Petition for Non-approved program