FAQs

Click here for step-by-step instructions. We're excited to work with you!

No appointment is necessary! Once you’ve completed your first steps, in-person advising is available on a drop-in basis. Our office is located in the Center for Community (C4C) room S355. Advisors are available Monday – Friday, 9 am- 5 pm (9 am to 4:30 pm in the summer).

If you can't make it in to the office, feel free to contact us via phone, live chat or email us atstudyabroad@colorado.edu.

All of our programs have a class standing requirement. Most programs require sophomore or junior standing. If you have transfer credit, it will be considered in determining your class standing.

Speak with your academic advisor and consider your extracurricular involvement to decide when study abroad will best fit into your schedule.

In order to give yourself time to research, select, and apply to a program we recommend that you begin planning your study abroad experience a year in advance. Application deadlines are typically early in the semester prior to the term you intend to study abroad. That said, admissions is rolling for most programs, so it’s in your best interest to apply early (over summer or winter breaks). For more information on specific program deadlines click here.

Note: some scholarship deadlines precede program deadlines; planning early will enable you to apply for more scholarships!

There are hundreds of CU-Boulder approved study abroad programs, so you have a lot of options! We encourage you to find a program that is a great fit for you by considering factors such as courses offered, location, program type, cost, etc

There are many benefits to studying on a CU-Boulder approved program including the ability to earn CU-Boulder credit, the ability to use federal/institutional/state financial aid, and more.

Any program you find through our program search is a CU-Boulder approved program. A program is considered “approved” after it has been evaluated by the CU-Boulder Study Abroad Committee and determined to meet CU-Boulder academic standards. If you participate in a CU-approved program you will earn in-residence credit (as if the work had been completed on the Boulder campus) for courses taken abroad, and can apply federal, state, and institutional financial aid to the program.

Try using our program search to find options that match your goals and priorities. Search by: location, term, housing, cost, program type, academic subject, eligibility, and much more. Of course, advisors are also available to help!

CU-Boulder partners with universities worldwide allowing students to “exchange” a term at CU with a student from a partner university abroad. These partnerships internationalize the Boulder campus and present unique opportunities for both incoming and outgoing students. Click here to learn more!

When exchange positions are available, it reduces the overall cost of the program. While exchanges are among our most affordable programs, they require a high level of independence.

Use the “Exchange Positions Available” parameter of our program search to explore exchange options.

Some exchange programs can be competitive; speak with a study abroad advisor to learn more.

Yes! You can take courses taught in English in over 50 countries. Use the program searchparameter “Language of Instruction” and select “English” to find programs that offer courses in English. Be sure to check the course prerequisites for any program you are considering, as some of our programs have other prerequisites besides language background.

Our foreign language course requirements are based on CU-Boulder’s language course structure. For example, if a program requires 4 semesters of college-level Spanish, you need to have completed Spanish 2120/50 (or another university’s equivalent) before your program begins. If you haven’t taken language classes at the college level, you can find out your estimated proficiency by taking the online language placement exam available here.

Results from this exam are a good indicator of what programs you may be eligible for, but they do not guarantee that you can apply for those programs. It’s important to know that language exam results tell you what language level you have placed into at CU-Boulder, not what you have placed out of. For example, if you take this exam and the results yield SPAN 3000, this indicates that you have placed out of SPAN 2120/50. However, this does not make you eligible for programs with a SPAN 3000 requirement; you would need to complete SPAN 3000 in order to apply for those programs.

For languages not listed here, please contact a study abroad advisor for assistance.

Students attending other University of Colorado schools (UCD or UCCS) or other institutions may be eligible to apply to some CU-Boulder study abroad programs. Check the Non-CU-Boulder Students page to see which programs are available to non-CU students.

It’s possible to complete your final degree requirements while on study abroad, however, based on transcript timelines, your graduation date and receipt of diploma may be delayed. It’s important to work with your department or college to make sure that you will receive the credits you need while abroad. Keep in mind that study abroad programs often don’t end until after CU’s graduation dates; being abroad may preclude participating in a commencement ceremony (although you will be permitted to participate in an earlier or later May or December ceremony).

You can study abroad the term immediately after your last term on the Boulder campus. For example, if your last term in Boulder is spring, you may study abroad on one of our summer programs. Important considerations, such as receipt of financial aid and/or payment of loans, are among reasons that you may choose to delay graduation until after your study abroad program. Regardless of whether you’ve graduated, the academic record from your study abroad program will appear on your transcript.

Study Abroad 101 is your first step. It’s important to complete this even if you know what program you want to go on. (Note: graduate students are exempt from this requirement). Then, contact a study abroad advisor either in-person, via email, live chat, or over the phone. An advisor will determine your eligibility and work with you to ensure this program is the right fit. (S)he will also make sure you have reviewed all of your options. From there, an advisor will open an application, which you can access through your MyCUAbroad account.

An application typically includes short-answer personal statements, an e-recommendation or contact information for an academic reference (college level professor or graduate TA), transcript(s), online forms and materials for our office and/or your study abroad organization or host university, and an application fee.

Your application is complete when all of the items in your MyCUAbroad checklist have been marked as received. There is no final submit button; once you see that all boxes are checked, your application is complete! Within 1-3 days, you will receive an email explaining next steps. You do not need to notify us when you’ve completed your application.

We verify your eligibility when we open your application. If you submit a quality application by the posted deadline, you have a good chance of being accepted. Weak personal statements and/or discrepancies in your academic/disciplinary histories may affect your chances of acceptance. Note that most programs fill on a rolling basis and some have limited enrollment. It is always in your best interest to apply early!

We work hard to help you find a program that is a good fit for your academic and personal goals. We limit you to one program per term, so that you can invest your time and effort into one strong application. Note: you may apply for more than one summer program if the dates don’t overlap and you plan to attend both.

Applications for most programs are reviewed on a rolling basis while applications for certain exchanges are reviewed after the posted application deadline. For programs with rolling admissions, you will receive an admission decision 1-3 weeks after you complete your application. If you are applying to a program without rolling admissions, you can expect a decision 1-3 weeks after the deadline. You will be notified via email in all cases.

If you are not accepted to your first choice program, a good alternative is likely available. We will work with you to explore options that suit your academic and personal goals. If you are not accepted because of your disciplinary status, you may be eligible to reapply at a later date. Please note that our office cannot guarantee acceptance into any program.

While your application is in review, there is still plenty to do! Start entry requirements for your country and make sure your passport is up-to-date. Also, begin to search course offerings for potential courses you may want to take while abroad.

Both applications must be complete by the CU-Boulder deadline. Many study abroad organizations require hard-copy items (official transcripts, passport photos, etc.). If you need to mail items, they should be post-marked by our deadline.

Nothing is wrong – CU-Boulder Study Abroad sends appropriate materials once we have made an acceptance decision, so it may take 2-3 weeks before they are sent.

Contact an advisor to have this checked off. Live Chat or email are the easiest ways to get in touch with us about this!

It can take several days for forms to be uploaded to your checklist. We date-stamp every piece we receive, so even if it takes a few days to check in, we know when you submitted it.

Carefully read the instructions in your MyCUAbroad or study abroad organization application about the reference requirements. Several weeks before the application deadline, ask a professorm instructor or graduate-level TA if s/he is willing to complete an e-recommendation form for you. Once s/he has agreed, log in to MyCUAbroad and either:

• Request the e-recommendation by clicking on “Request E-Recommendation” and following the prompts to enter their contact information, or
• Enter the person’s contact information under “Academic Reference Contact Information so that we can contact them should a recommendation be required.

Usually no. For almost all programs, references MUST come from a graduate TA or faculty member who has taught you in a college course, either at CU-Boulder or another institution. References that come from an advisor or supervisor will be considered supplementary and will not count as a required reference.

The exception to this is if you are applying to an ISA internship or other select internship programs. In these cased, your reference should come from an employer or advisor.

Please contact a study abroad advisor in our office to discuss your options.

Use the costs that are posted from the most recent term as an estimate. If you don’t see any costs posted for your program this means that the program is new. Please contact our office for assistance.

Yes. You are required to report all incidents--including warnings--on and/or off-campus. For questions about how your disciplinary history can affect your participation, read the Eligibility webpage.

If and when you are accepted, you'll find an already-checked-off item on your MyCUAbroad checklist called "Personal CU-Boulder Acceptance Information." Either Exchange or Non-Exchange will be listed under "Billing Types."

Generally yes, but many factors have to be taken into account. In most cases you will still need to apply for the program for the following term and meet all deadlines, but there are sometimes exceptions if you are staying on the same program in the same location. In some situations it is not possible to stay abroad longer due to visa requirements. You should email your CU Program Manager if you are considering extending your stay.

Credit earned on a CU-Boulder study abroad program is considered "in residence" credit. This means that your coursework on a CU-Boulder approved program counts just like the coursework you complete here in Boulder. In order to determine what degree requirements these courses will fulfill, you will submit courses you intend to take while abroad to have them evaluated for any of the following:

• Major, minor or certificate credit
• A&S Core or MAPS credit

All courses will appear on your CU transcript. At minimum, your courses will be elective credit unless you take a course(s) that is not eligible for credit at CU-Boulder. Visit General Elective Credit & Courses Not Eligible for CU Credit for more information.

If you complete a for-credit internship but do not get written review & approval from your college or department, the course will appear on your transcript with a 'grade' of No credit (NC). See the Essential Guide & Study Abroad Internship Credit Approval Form for more information.

All majors available at CU-Boulder are available abroad. To search for programs by subjects available, used our advanced search.

Studying abroad may allow you to take courses that fill quickly or are closed to you at CU. Gain a new perspective on your area of study or challenge yourself by taking a course in a topic you're not familiar with. Study abroad is a great opportunity for you to understand new concepts and discover new methods of learning.

To discover the course options available on a particular program, review the Major/Minor Pre-approvals list and check your program's current offerings on the course descriptions for that program.

For some programs course offerings may not be available until shortly before the program start date, or until you are on-site. In this case, speak to your academic advisor before you leave regarding this situation and find out how to get courses approved after you arrive overseas. Know your remaining degree requirements and have an idea of what types of courses would fulfill these requirements so that you can enroll accordingly once your course options are available on-site.

If appropriate courses are available and approved by your academic department, you can use them to fulfill major and/or college requirements. Start by reviewing the information on our Credit for your Major, Minor or Certificate page; this includes a list of courses that have been pre-approved by major. If you don’t see a course(s) from your preferred program on this list you can have your courses evaluated for major or college credit.

Once you’ve been accepted to a program, you’ll receive instructions for getting courses evaluated for major or minor requirements in the application piece “Start Now: Course Evaluations for Major, Minor and Certificate.” This evaluation process starts by working with your academic advisor(s). You are responsible for getting academic advising, preferably before leaving campus, to determine the applicability of specific courses.

This depends on what degree requirements you are wishing to fulfill. If you hope to fulfill requirements in two major/minor areas, you will need to meet with both Academic Advisors (and submit separate course forms).

Start by looking at the list of pre-reviewed courses on our A&S Core and MAPS page. This list is compiled of courses that previous students have requested to be evaluated. For any new course evaluations, fill out the Arts & Sciences Core & MAPS Evaluation Request Form and submit it and course descriptions to our office. It can take 8 weeks for a course to be evaluated for A&S Core or MAPS; plan accordingly.

Yes. If you need new courses evaluated for A&S Core or MAPS submit a new request form & course descriptions/syllabi. Be aware that the request will still take up to 8 weeks.

Language exemption exams (FLATS) are conducted by Career Services (Center for Community, N352, 303.492.5854). There is a fee and pre-registration is required. If passed, the exemption test fulfills the three-semester A&S language requirement but no credit hours are granted. FLATS cannot be used for placement purposes.

For any courses that you are hoping to apply to your major, minor, or certificate, you will need to speak with your academic advisor(s). Anything related to A&S Core, MAPS, or General Electives will be coordinated through Study Abroad. For more information on these evaluation processes, visit Credit for your Major, Minor or Certificate and A&S Core, MAPS & General Elective Credit.

All study abroad grades will be converted to pass/fail EXCEPT for faculty-led Global Seminars (which will maintain A-F letter grades).

Programs that maintain letter grades: Taking courses pass/fail is not possible on these programs. All grades will appear on your CU-Boulder transcript and are averaged into your CU-Boulder GPA. The only exception is the College of Engineering, which will not allow letter grades for any coursework done away from the Boulder campus. All engineering majors will receive Pass/Fail credit on their transcripts for all work done on all programs.

Programs that convert grades to pass/fail: Taking courses for letter grades is not possible on these programs. Grades or marks earned abroad will be converted to Pass/Fail at CU. Credit earned is exempt from college limits on student-elected pass/fail credit. If you apply for graduate school or jobs in the future that require transcripts from all schools attended, your original grade will be displayed, so even on a pass/fail system you want to do well. The conversion formula is listed below:

• Pass (C- or better)
• No Credit (D+ to D-)
• Fail (F): note that failing grades WILL be averaged into your CU GPA!

It’s possible to have courses evaluated for requirements at any time, although students are strongly encouraged to determine courses/requirements prior to departure, whenever possible. 

Speak to the department in which you are trying to add a new major or minor. They will be able to discuss the steps for adding this to your degree and when you can get study abroad courses evaluated.

See Study Abroad Transcripts for an estimated time of arrival of your program coursework. Once our office has received your transcript, it will be processed and posted to your degree audit, where it can be viewed by you and your Academic Advisor. It will take up to 3 weeks after your courses are available in the degree audit system before the courses will appear on your official CU-Boulder transcript.

By carefully planning their courses, most students who study abroad still graduate in four years. Take the following steps:

• Have courses you plan to take abroad reviewed and approved by your academic advisor(s)
• Keep all documentation about all the courses you took (papers, reading lists, etc.) until you graduate
• Find out when courses are normally received by looking at the Study Abroad Transcripts page

You can study abroad in your final year of college, but you need to work closely with your department and Study Abroad to prepare for the timeline of when your study abroad coursework will be processed. If you study abroad for your final term and need your study abroad coursework to fulfill degree requirements it generally takes too long for credit to be processed to make the graduation deadline immediately following the end of your program.

You may still walk in the graduation ceremony if you wish, and you do not need to return to campus if you have otherwise completed your degree. Additionally, your Academic Advisor may be able to provide you a letter that states you are eligible for graduation upon processing of your study abroad transcript.  Some graduate schools or employers will accept this type of letter.