FAQ

You must have a GPA of at least 2.7, not be behind in credits, have the approval of your major department and, if applicable, the appropriate language department, and be in good academic, financial, and disciplinary standing. You must also have a plan of study that is transferable to Mount Holyoke and will enable you to graduate on schedule. See Requirements for details. 

Start by thinking about your goals for study abroad. Consider your academic, personal, and career goals. Do you want to improve your proficiency in a foreign language? Sharpen your focus on your major? Study a particular place or issue through community-based learning? The more clearly you can articulate your goals, the easier it will be to find a suitable program. See Get Started for more advice.

Yes, once you have completed at least one semester at the College, you can make an appointment in Pathways with Adelia Pope, Study Abroad Coordinator, or April Stroud, Director of Study Abroad.  It will help us focus on your particular interests if you have done some preliminary research on the web and/or attended a general info session before making an appointment.

No, students may study abroad for during the academic year as second semester sophomores or first-semester seniors, provided that they meet the usual requirements. Students may study abroad during J-term and summer at any time they are enrolled students at Mount Holyoke College.

We will consider petitions for programs not on our approved program list only in exceptional circumstances, such as if you have a compelling reason to study in a country that is not represented on the list, or a highly specialized major that cannot readily be accommodated. If you have difficulty identifying a suitable program from the list, consult with April Stroud, Director of Study Abroad. Note the early and firm petition deadlines: November 30 for programs beginning in the fall, and the third Friday in April for programs beginning in the spring.

There are thousands of study abroad programs, and their quality is highly variable; it is not possible for Mount Holyoke to evaluate every program. With the advice of faculty, we have identified a series of programs that meet our expectations for study abroad (academic and cultural) and in which we have confidence based on our own evaluation and previous students' experience.

"Laurel Preferred" programs are high quality programs that are competitively priced for their location. Program quality does not reliably correlate to program cost. Students applying for Laurel Fellowships must apply to Laurel Preferred programs. By taking program cost into account, we are able to fund more students for study abroad. (Students not applying for Laurel Fellowships often enroll in Laurel Preferred programs as well because they represent good value.)

No! Science majors in all disciplines regularly study abroad. Your advisor can help you figure out how best to fit study abroad into your program, and to negotiate any particular issues with course sequencing. 

Should I wait until I'm accepted to tell my program?

We strongly recommend that you discuss your learning disability (or any chronic medical conditions or other concerns) in advance of applying with Disability Services, your treating physician, and with potential program sponsors. Not all locations will be able to accommodate all needs; if you address those needs at the beginning, you will be better able to find a program that will work for you. 

The McCulloch Center does not maintain a list of approved short-term and summer programs, but does serve as the approving body for all Mount Holyoke College credit-bearing study abroad programs. Students wishing to participate in short-term or summer programs for credit are required to apply for approval from MCGI (no later than 2 months prior to the program start). We encourage students to start their search for short-term or summer programs offered by the organizations and universities on our approved list of semester/year programs. The acceptance and transfer of short-term and summer credits are handled by the Registrar's Office and students should check in advance about whether and how such courses will transfer.

Students who plan on participating in a short-term or summer study abroad program but are NOT seeking to transfer credit toward their Mount Holyoke degree do not need approval from Mount Holyoke College as participation is not considered a College sponsored/affiliated activity.

Simply complete the Study Abroad Decision Google Form (link available in the Study Abroad Moodle) indicating that you will not be going abroad. Students applying for programs that begin in the fall have until May 15 to submit the form, and students applying for spring programs have until November 15.

In most cases, you will need to apply to only one of the programs for which you have been approved by MCGI. If you are applying to a competitive program (e.g., Oxford, Cambridge, AIT Budapest), it is advised to submit applications to another program. Keep in mind that applying to programs takes time, and money for application fees and transcripts.

If you meet the program's requirements and apply in a timely way, you can generally expect to be accepted. Most programs offer rolling admission, meaning that applications are reviewed as they are completed: if you qualify and there is space, you will be accepted.  Some rolling-admission programs may fill early just because they are popular. Some programs will be more competitive, with a higher GPA requirement, for example, and with admission decisions made only after all completed applications have been reviewed.

While some study abroad programs offer opportunities for internships or research as part of their curriculum, you may wish to participate in an internship abroad either before or after your study abroad program. Lynk funding may be used for international internships and students may participate in both study abroad and an international internship--it's not either/or! However, you should be aware that you will likely need a different visa for study abroad than for an internship. Sometimes it is not possible to obtain the necessary visa for the second experience while you're abroad on the first visa. It is therefore recommended that you research visa requirements on the embassy website for the relevant country/countries and ask questions early of both your study abroad program and the internships supervisor.

The McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives facilitates a small number of international internship opportunities (see examples of regularly posted international internships); they are posted and searchable in Handshake (see the Career Development Center) as they are confirmed by the host organization. If an international internship requires a narrow set of skills/qualifications, such as knowledge of a language or subject area, MCGI will reach out to the appropriate academic department(s) to get the word out to potential qualified applicants.

MCGI provides support for the students who successfully secure an international internship by providing documentation they may need for the necessary visa (e.g., proof of enrollment, proof of funds). We also work very closely with the CDC and Lynk Steering Committees to evaluate the safety and security in international internship locations. 

The McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives coordinates ONLY applications for study/academic leave in countries other than the United States. For students interested in study in the United States or seafaring programs, contact the Office of Academic Deans. email them at academic-deans@mtholyoke.edu or call 413-538-3610.  See this page for more information.

Does that mean I have to study in an English-speaking country?

No, there are many good programs in other places that are taught in English and do not require previous knowledge of the host country language; examples include many locations in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and eastern and central Europe. Our approved programs list identifies the language of instruction for each program.

How many semesters of language do I need to complete before going abroad to a non-English-speaking country?

Most programs taught in the target language will require between 4 and 6 semesters of language study, or the equivalent. Some programs taught partially in English, or focusing on language acquisition, or in a country whose language is not widely taught in the US, will require less (perhaps just a year, or even none). For study in a Francophone country, students must take a French course in the semester prior to departure and complete at least one course in culture and literature at the 200 level (215, 219, 225, or 230) prior to their departure. For study in a German-language program, students must take at least one four-credit course in German each semester prior to going abroad.

While you are abroad, we strongly recommend that you take a language course even if your program does not require it. Knowing a little bit of the language will help you to interact with local residents and learn more about the culture.

I want to study in a country whose language isn't taught at Mount Holyoke; how can I learn the language before I go abroad?

You may be able to find other language courses at the other campuses in the Five College Consortium, or at the Five College Center for World Languages, which offers mentored or independent courses in more than 25 languages, from Afrikaans to Zulu.

No, except for Mount Holyoke programs and exchanges, students pay their program directly. All students pay Mount Holyoke an administrative fee for study abroad, which is currently $900 per semester.

Most programs abroad cost less than study at Mount Holyoke, though there are exceptions. Students who are receiving little or no financial aid at Mount Holyoke will often find that it is less expensive for them to study abroad. For students who are approved for Laurel Fellowships, their family contribution will generally be the same while they are abroad as if they were on campus.  For some students who receive a combination of need-based and merit aid at Mount Holyoke, their family contribution may be higher than it is here, as Laurel funding is based on need.

Mount Holyoke aid does not travel. The Laurel Fellowships substitute for the need-based aid that students would have received here.  We typically fund all students who apply for Laurel who meet the academic and financial criteria.

If programs abroad generally cost less than Mount Holyoke, isn't it less expensive for Mount Holyoke to send me abroad than to have me here on campus?

No. The aid that you receive on campus essentially represents a tuition discount. The Laurel Fellowship funds that we provide for study abroad represent an actual (and greater) cost to the College, even if the amount of aid you receive is less. (Think of it this way: a shop might offer you a coupon for $5 off any purchase in the store, but they would not offer you $5 to spend in another store.)

How much will it be?

Your budget will include tuition and related required academic fees (if any), room and meals, Mount Holyoke's administrative fee for study abroad, and allowances toward books, personal expenses, and roundtrip airfare. You will be expected to make the appropriate family contribution, and to carry the appropriate loan. The amount of your Laurel Fellowship will be based on need and, just like the aid you receive here, is meant to cover the difference between your own resources and the budget for your program.

Mount Holyoke aims to fund all qualified students. Typically we approve all students who meet the academic and financial criteria (more than 90% of Laurel applicants each year).

No, but you do have to outline academic goals for study abroad. Those goals may be related to your major or minor, to developing language proficiency, or (for students with little or no previous experience outside the U.S.) the educational benefits of developing a broader perspective on yourself and the world through study in another country. See Laurel Fellowship for additional information.

Because there are many different credit systems, we transfer credit on a full-load for full-load basis rather than course-by-course. Mount Holyoke College requires students to be enrolled in a full-load of transferable credit. If you complete at the equivalent of a C- or better what your host program or university defines as the normal full-time course load for a semester, you will receive 16 credits here. For example, most programs that award 3 credits per course will define the normal full-time course load as 5 courses (15 credits) per semester, which transfers as 16 credits.

Study abroad is NOT pass/fail!  You will receive grades, and you must earn grades equivalent to C- or better for credits to transfer.  Only the credits, not the grades, will appear on your MHC transcript.  When you apply to graduate school, for employment, etc., you will need to submit both your MHC and study abroad transcripts.

Yes, provided that the courses are approved for that purpose by the chair of the appropriate department here. It is wise to discuss such approvals in advance, however approval can’t be finalized until your abroad courses/credit have been recorded on your MHC transcript. See Credit Transfer for more information.

Liberal arts courses completed with grades equivalent to C- or better will transfer automatically as elective credit.  See Credit Transfer for more information.