Study Abroad

The College of Arts and Sciences believes that studying abroad can be a transformative part of your education in the liberal arts and sciences.  A&S students study abroad for a variety of reasons: 

• to immerse themselves in another culture
• to develop language proficiency
• to pursue a unique curricular opportunity in their major field of study

With college permission, most A&S students may study abroad for one or two fall or spring semesters on programs approved by Arts and Sciences.  (Students may also pursue short-term programs independently.)

Well-prepared, committed students interested in studying abroad should review the information below  to begin planning for their semester or year abroad.

To be eligible to study abroad, A&S students must meet all of the following requirements:

• have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
• be in good academic standing at the time of application and until departure
• be a second-semester sophomore, a junior, or a first-semester senior while studying abroad
• resolve any grades of "incomplete" before studying abroad
• have completed the College’s FWS and foreign language requirements
• be admitted to a major (or be eligible to be admitted to a major) at the time of application
• have a reasonable plan for completion of degree requirements within eight semesters
• study abroad prior to their eighth semester, or before their final semester if graduating early
• meet any additional eligibility requirements and prerequisites for their desired program 

For A&S students studying abroad in Spring 2026 and after:

Prior to departure:  If the language of your host country is offered at Cornell, you must:

Complete whatever language preparation is required by your program.  Some highly regarded programs require 4-5 semesters of language preparation prior to departure, so it’s very important to plan early!

OR

If your study abroad program doesn’t require any language preparation, Arts and Sciences requires that you take a minimum of one course at Cornell (for a letter grade) at whatever level you place into.  You may not test out of this requirement.

Remember that you must complete both the College’s general foreign language requirement and any language requirements relevant to your study abroad program.  Many students choose to use the same language to fulfill both of these requirements.

While abroad:  All students studying abroad in a non-English speaking country must take at least one course in the language of the host country while studying abroad.

First Year

• Attend information session as available
• Complete the FWS requirement, work toward completion of the A&S foreign language requirement, and take course to explore majors
• Begin exploration of study abroad programs
• Research language requirement of your desired program’s host country and, if appropriate, start language coursework (often in first semester).

Second Year

• Attend information session as available
• Complete the foreign language requirement and declare a major
• Conduct detailed research and planning of potential abroad program experience
• Meet with Education Abroad/A&S study abroad advisors

Application Deadlines

• Application deadlines for most spring programs are from the previous May to September
• Application deadlines for most fall and year-long programs are from the previous February to March

NB: Application deadlines for Oxford and Cambridge are very early

For information on the application process and timelines, see:  https://abroad.globallearning.cornell.edu/apply/apply-semester-and-year.

Study abroad courses may count as elective credit, fulfill college distribution requirements, and fulfill major requirements (with approval of the major department).  For guidance on which major requirements may be fulfilled abroad, see the study abroad course approval guidelines for majors.

Once you have selected a program and are ready to apply, there are three steps you’ll take to have your study abroad courses approved.

• Step 1 – A&S Study Abroad Participation and Course Approval Form – You submit this form as part of your Cornell application to study abroad.  You’ll be asked to propose a tentative list of the courses you’d like to take and the requirements they could fulfill, and outline a tentative plan for completion of your degree requirements within eight semesters.
• Step 2 – Final Course Enrollments and Approvals – You submit this form after you’ve enrolled in all of your study abroad courses AND you are certain that your enrollments will not change. This often happens after you are already abroad.
• Step 3 – Final Confirmation of Credit Approval – You submit this form after your return and your study abroad transcript has been received by Arts and Sciences. 

Once started, you can access your study abroad course approval forms here. 

• All students must enroll in a full course load as defined by the host institution; a full course load typically earns 15 Cornell credits.
• No credit is awarded for grades below a C (or equivalent).
• All courses must be taken for a letter grade and in person (no online or hybrid courses).
• Coursework must be eligible for Arts & Sciences credit. Maximum of one non-Arts course allowed with prior college approval.
• Study abroad courses may fulfill college distribution requirements (with college approval), major/minor requirements (with major/minor department approval), or general elective credit.
• Be sure to save all syllabi, reading lists, and completed work for all courses taken abroad. These materials are often required to confirm if a course can fulfill college distribution and/or major requirements.
• Study abroad courses may not fulfill the FWS requirement, the college's foreign language requirement or the PE requirement.
• Internships, experiential learning and certain other courses do not count for academic credit.
• Students may not take Cornell courses remotely during their semester abroad.
• In addition to meeting all Arts and Sciences study abroad coursework requirements, students must follow any additional course requirements set by their host institution.

After final grades have been posted for your study abroad semester, be sure that an official transcript is sent from your host institution/program to the Office of Global Learning.  For specific instructions, see information on transcripts and credits here.

Upon receipt of your official transcript, the College will send you one final credit approval form, which you’ll need to complete before your credits can be processed.

All courses taken abroad and grades received will appear on your Cornell transcript exactly as they appear on your study abroad transcript.

Grades earned abroad are not calculated into the Cornell GPA.

Students who do not complete their study abroad semester in good academic standing will be reviewed by the College upon receipt of their study abroad transcript.

A&S study abroad advisors can help you plan for how your study abroad experience will contribute to your academic goals and progress toward the degree. If your questions are about non-academic matters (housing, visas, financial aid, your external application, etc.), get advice from your Education Abroad advisor.

To meet with us:

For quick questions and follow-ups, stop by Zoom drop-ins (Mon-Thurs, 3-4 PM). 

For longer discussions (e.g. choosing a program, long-term degree planning), schedule a 30-minute appointment with your study abroad advisor here.

Questions?  Email us at as-studyabroad@cornell.edu. 

Short-term programs (i.e. winter, spring break, summer programs) are not subject to Arts & Sciences study abroad policies outlined above.  If you wish to study abroad on a short-term program, you may apply independently to the program of your choice.  You do not need permission from Arts and Sciences to study abroad on short-term programs. 

The kind of academic credit that may be earned for short-term programs depends on whether the short-term program is a Cornell or non-Cornell program:

• If you are considering a Cornell Short-Term Program [https://abroad.globallearning.cornell.edu/discover-programs/short-term], meet with the Education Abroad advisor for short-term programs .
• If you are considering Non-Cornell Short-Term Programs, please refer to the College’s transfer credit guidelines to ensure you understand how coursework taken on these programs may or may not fulfill A&S degree requirements.  If you have any questions, please meet with your A&S advising dean.

When can I study abroad?

Most A&S students study abroad in their junior year or in fall of their senior year.  You cannot study abroad in your first year or in your final semester, and most programs do not accept sophomores. 

Where can I study abroad?

You can apply to any study abroad program approved by Arts and Sciences, as long as you meet all eligibility requirements for that program.

Can I fulfill the foreign language requirement while abroad?

No.  The foreign language requirement must be fulfilled through Cornell courses.

How will study abroad courses count toward my degree?

Study abroad courses may fulfill major and minor requirements (with department approval), distribution requirements, or count as elective credit (toward the 100 Arts or 120 total credits required for the degree), but you should not assume that you will be able to fulfill any specific degree requirements other than 15 Cornell credits.

How will study abroad courses appear on my transcript?

Study abroad courses and grades will appear on your Cornell transcript exactly as they appear on your study abroad transcript. Learn more about study abroad transcripts and credits here.

I'd like to take some courses other than the ones I proposed when I applied to study abroad. How do I get approval for these new courses?

If you need to have additional courses evaluated between Step 1 and Step 2 of the course approval process, please email your A&S study abroad advisor and major department (for major courses) for approval.

How will study abroad courses affect my Cornell GPA?

For all approved fall, spring, or full-year study abroad programs, grades do not factor into the Cornell GPA. 

I have an internship in the summer after my semester abroad.  Can I leave the program early? 

No. When you commit to studying abroad, you are committing to be there from the start to the end of your program. 

How much will study abroad cost? Will my financial aid be applied to my study abroad experience?

To learn more about the financial considerations related to studying abroad, see Education Abroad's advice on Finances.

I have non-academic questions about housing, finances, my visa, etc.  Who do I contact? 

Your Education Abroad advisor. You can find your Education Abroad advisor’s name on the snapshot page of your desired program as you discover programs.