Advisers

• Academic standing:
  Any UW student in good academic standing can participate in most programs. Exceptions apply in cases of academic or other misconduct.
• Class standing:
  For exchanges, being a junior or above is a requirement, but otherwise most programs are open to all class levels.
• Undergraduate/Graduate:
  Most study abroad programs are aimed at undergraduate students, but will consider applications from graduate students. Graduate students tend to have fewer opportunities to study abroad due to their shorter degree programs, or the absence of the right kinds of credits on most programs.
• Major:
  Most programs are open to all majors, but some study abroad programs are open, or give priority, only to students in specific departments or majors.
• Program-specific requirements:
  Any application requirements or restrictions are listed in the program brochure. If students require academic, medical, or physical accommodations while traveling abroad, we can advise and support them. We also support the health & safety of all student travelers through our required global travel insurance and our 24/7 emergency line.
• Prerequisites:
  Most study abroad programs do not have any academic prerequisites and do not require proficiency in a foreign language.
• Multiple study abroad opportunities:
  Students can study abroad more than once.

• Faculty-led Programs:
  Created by UW faculty, sponsored by departments, and supported by UW Study Abroad, these are our most popular programs—about 100 offered annually. They range from 10-day Spring Break trips to 3-week Early Fall programs, 4-week Summer A/B sessions, and full-quarter (10-week) programs. Some programs give priority to majors in the sponsoring department, but most are open to all applicants. A small number of faculty-led programs each year take place within the United States.
• Rome in Residence:
  Offered at the UW Rome Center, students choose from 6–7 UW courses to create their own quarter-long, 15-credit program. All courses focus on Rome and include Art History & Archaeology, Architecture, Food Cultures of Italy, Italian 101, and Travel Writing (for Composition credit). All instructors are based in Rome. Rome in Residence is offered in Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer.
• Exchanges:
  Students study at one of the UW’s many partner universities abroad. These are our longest and most independent programs. They attract students interested in foreign language acquisition or a more immersive and independent experience. Exchanges last one or two semesters (each equals 1.5 UW quarters). Typically, autumn semester overlaps UW’s autumn quarter; spring semester covers winter and spring quarters. Departmental exchanges prioritize certain majors, but all offer courses in English.
• Partner Programs:
  Offered by vetted external providers such as CIEE, IES, CET, and SIT, these programs span diverse locations and disciplines, with some including internships. Many are semester-long, and some focus on foreign language proficiency.
• Fieldwork, Research and Independent Learning Abroad (FRILA):
  This is mainly for graduate or professional students undertaking essential academic work towards their degrees.
• Global Internships:
  Internships give students the opportunity to explore workplaces and careers outside of the United States and earn credits.
• Unaffiliated Program Petition:
  This petition allows students who find their own study abroad opportunity—one not offered by UW Study Abroad—to request that the program be reviewed by us. As part of this petition, the student must make a case for participation, which must be endorsed by an adviser or faculty member in their department.

• If your student wants to apply now:
  The Upcoming Programs page lists programs that are currently accepting applications. Sometimes deadlines are extended so that’s always worth checking.
• Application deadlines:
  Study abroad application deadlines are a lot earlier than registration deadlines for on-campus classes. Students should know that trying to go on study abroad ‘next quarter’ (or even the one after that) is often not possible. ‘Around 6 months before departure’ is a good rule of thumb for the majority of programs.
  • Exchanges:
    Exchange application deadlines are the furthest out.
    • Autumn semester & academic year – January 31 (November 30 for exchanges in Japan)
    • Spring semester (winter & spring) – May 15
  • Faculty-led programs:
    • Early Fall & autumn – February 15
    • Winter – May 15
    • Spring Break – December 1
    • Spring – November 15
    • Summer – January 31
  • Partner programs:
    3-6 months before the program start date. This makes partner programs a good option for students on a tighter timeline.
• Enrollment deadlines:
  Students must complete their pre-departure requirements in order to be concurrently enrolled at UW while abroad by the deadline specified in their payment contract. Review our Pre-departure requirements & enrollment page for more details.
  • Early Fall – June 1
  • Autumn –  August 1
  • Winter – November 15
  • Spring Break – December 15
  • Spring – February 15
  • Summer – May 1
• Withdrawal from a study abroad program:
  Students must submit a Withdrawal Request via their program application. The withdrawal fee is determined by the date the student officially withdraws from the program. Students who are no longer able to participate due to an extenuating circumstance can petition UW Study Abroad for Emergency Withdrawal. If approved, this may allow complete or partial relief from their financial obligations.

• Your role in credit planning:
  For students, making study abroad work means aligning life, academics, and finances. Academic advisers—especially in a student’s home department—are key to the academic piece, helping with DARS audits and graduation planning. Advisers guide students on how study abroad affects their degree and timeline, and students may need to consult multiple departments if credits span disciplines.
• Gen ed, major, and elective credits:
  Students go on study abroad to meet General Education requirements, major requirements, and/or to earn elective credit towards their 180 credit minimum. Most students do not earn major credit while on study abroad, but some do especially on major-specific programs. This is true especially of STEM majors: there are not many study abroad programs offering upper-level STEM credits, in many cases because of the need for labs or other specialized teaching spaces.
• Concurrent enrollment and study abroad placeholder:
  Students on our programs stay enrolled full-time at UW while abroad. A ‘foreign study’ placeholder (FSTDY 300) is placed on their transcript and stays there until their post-return credit conversion has been completed. This placeholder is not necessarily related to the actual amount of UW credits that will eventually show up on the transcript. All study abroad credit converts to specific UW credits which can be used to meet Areas of Inquiry or other Gen Ed or major requirements in the same way as credits earned on campus. All study abroad credits are resident credits: this is important to know if a student decides to study abroad during their last 60 credits at UW. Our pre-departure requriements & enrollment page explains this in detail.
• Faculty-led programs:
  Faculty-led programs promise specific UW credit which automatically appears on the student’s transcript after program grades have been submitted. No post-return credit conversion required: UW Study Abroad reports these courses and grades directly to the Credentials Team in the Registrar’s Office.
• Exchanges and partner programs:
  Students earn credit awarded by the host institution or the partner provider’s school of record. UW Study Abroad receives transcripts with final credit and grade information directly from host institutions or partner providers. Before considering or committing to an exchange program or a partner program, students should share details about their planned study abroad courses with their advisers and/or specific departments, to determine in advance if specific or general UW credits might be awarded upon return.
  • No guarantees on credit equivalency:
    In some cases, students may not know exactly what classes they will register for in advance. In this case, it is helpful to set expectations that there is no guarantee how their credits will transfer back to UW.
  • Credit conversion process:
    UW Study Abroad enters credit and grade information in our electronic Credit Evaluation Form. Students share this form with advisers in relevant departments to initiate the process of converting foreign credit to UW credit.
    • See our Study Abroad credit conversion guide for advisers for more information.
    • Watch the video available on our Academics & credit page on how to initiate and complete the credit conversion process.
  • Your role in credit evaluation:
    The decision to award specific credit for a study abroad program, and which type of credit to award, lies entirely with academic advisers and academic departments. It is the responsibility of students to communicate with advisers about this process. Many departments have generic study abroad course numbers which can be used to convert any credits that do not correspond to a specific course. On credit conversion we completely defer to you and to academic departments!

• Program fees:
  Students on study abroad programs do not pay UW tuition. Instead they pay program fees, and an administrative fee to UW Study Abroad (which is a self-sustaining unit). All students abroad are covered by international medical insurance and emergency assistance which is an additional cost. Students are responsible for the costs of travel to and from the program and any visa costs and personal expenses.
  • Faculty-led programs & partner programs:
    All participants pay the same program fee regardless of their residency status. This program fee covers instruction and housing as well as any excursions or field trips and, depending on the destination, some or most meals.
  • Exchanges:
    Students on year-long exchanges pay a program fee equivalent to their UW tuition, which depends on their residency status. Students on a semester-long exchange pay a program fee equivalent to 1.5 quarters of their current UW tuition to account for the adjusted credits. They do not pay tuition to the host institution. Students pay the host institution directly for housing and students cover their own costs of living.
• Estimated cost:
  UW Study Abroad can provide all students with estimates of the total cost of their study abroad program. This includes the program fee as well as estimated living expenses and travel costs.
• Financial aid and scholarships:
  Students may be able to use their financial aid to pay for study abroad (they submit revision requests to OSFA to cover any additional costs). UW Study Abroad also awards need-based scholarships: students simply indicate on their study abroad application that they want to be considered for a scholarship. Many departments and offices across the university also offer awards or scholarships for study abroad.
• Scholarships and funding advising:
  UW Study Abroad offers information, resources and advising about paying for study abroad. For questions about study abroad financial planning students should make an advising appointment with UW Study Abroad.
• Other scholarships:
  Students should also check with the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (OMSFA) for information and advising about other scholarships.

Transfer students are highly encouraged to study abroad as early as possible! Potentially even before transferring to UW. Our programs range from 10 days to a year long, so transfer students are still able to include study abroad in their degree plans with proper preparation. Many students also partake in summer, Spring Break, or Early Fall programs even if they are unable to study abroad in the traditional academic year.

International students who wish to study abroad during their programs are encouraged to do so. There are some key considerations to think about when planning to study abroad.

• Students wishing to maintain their F-1 status should be enrolled full-time (12 credits for undergraduate students, 10 credits for graduate students).
  Students who do not enroll full-time may wish to request a leave of absence or take a vacation quarter.
• When students come back to the U.S. to resume their studies at UW, they’ll need to make sure that they have a valid F-1 visa. If the visa is expired, they must renew it before traveling back to Seattle. They should also check the validity of their travel signature before making plans to return to the U.S.
• Many study abroad programs follow the semester system. If the student chooses a spring semester study abroad program, for example, they would be outside the U.S. for winter and spring quarters at the UW. The credits for their study abroad program would need to transfer back so that they are full time for both quarters which requires 24 UW credits.
• If international students are considering studying abroad, International Student Services (ISS) and the Study Abroad office recommend that they choose to do so during winter and spring quarters. These quarters offer the smoothest transition for international students. While it is possible to do so, studying abroad in their final quarter can present challenges to their immigration status. We recommend students to consult with an ISS advisor.

Depending on learning goals, UW graduate students can participate in faculty-led programs, exchanges, global internships or independent learning (FRILA). Graduate students are welcome to join these programs, as long as their graduate adviser approves.

Our Fieldwork, Research & Independent Learning Abroad (FRILA) program, formerly known as “Independent Learning Abroad”, allows graduate students to undertake degree-related international travel (whether for credit or not) while being fully enrolled at UW, covered by insurance abroad, and supported by UW Global Travel Health & Safety to ensure their health & safety. Graduate students can email us at studyabroad@uw.edu to find out more about this process.

Students under age 18 can absolutely study abroad! They will need to have their parent/guardian’s permission to travel internationally before they are 18.  For students who can’t or aren’t comfortable traveling internationally, UW offers domestic programs as well, even some in Washington state. Finally, opportunities exist for a period of one week to one year so students and families can find an opportunity that works for their needs.

The UW Study Abroad office encourages all students who meet program eligibility requirements to study abroad as part of their UW degree. If a student wants to study abroad, but anticipates barriers to participation due to a disability or health concerns, they should discuss their personal needs and concerns with a program manager early on. A program manager can:

• Work closely with the student to identify program options that match their interests.
• Coordinate with the student, UW Disability Student Resources, and program staff abroad to arrange reasonable accommodations to meet their personal needs and concerns.
• Connect the student to both UW and external resources for additional information and support.

Although the UW Study Abroad office cannot guarantee that any or all its program sites can accommodate every specific need and situation, we will do our best to inform students about their options abroad and assist with planning. Students can email us at studyabroad@uw.edu to talk about programs of interest, or contact DRS with questions.

To Request UW Accommodations:

Disability Resources for Students Office
011 Mary Gates
Box 352808
Seattle, WA 98195-2808
uwdrs@uw.edu
206-543-8924 (Voice)
206-543-8925 (TTY)
206-616-8379 (Fax)