ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Applying to Semester at Sea

All students must apply to participate in Semester at Sea under one of the following categories: 

1. Gap Year Student

2. Undergraduate Student

3. Recent College Graduates (Post-Grad Students)

*All students must be at least 18 years of age by the date of embarkation

Application Process

1. Create an application at semesteratsea.org/apply/

2. Complete and submit application, along with transcripts and any other supplemental materials (vary by student type, or university they are attending).

3. Allow two weeks for applications to be reviewed once completed.

4. If admitted, secure a spot on voyage with a $1,000 deposit.

5. Complete all post-acceptance checklist items through the online student portal.

Eligibility Requirements:

Gap Year Students 

The Gap Year / Start at Sea Program is open to recent high school graduates, who have NOT been previously enrolled full-time at an undergraduate college or university. 

To complete their application and be eligible to sail, gap year students must:

• Have graduated from a secondary/high school by the time of the voyage.

• Submit their High School Transcript(s).

• Request a Disciplinary Clearance Form be completed by secondary school official and sent to Admissions / Regional Director

• 250-word response to the following question: 

  • What do you hope to gain from a Semester at Sea experience?

• Identify an Academic Referrer who is ideally a faculty member or school counselor familiar with academic performance.

• Preferred cumulative GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0

  • If needed, the Enrollment team will complete a GPA conversion as part of the application review process

• 18 years old by day of embarkation

The most up to date admission requirements for gap year students can be found here.

Undergraduate Students

To complete their application and be eligible to sail, undergraduate students must:

• Submit an unofficial transcript from current or most recent institution.

• Be enrolled full-time in a degree-granting institution (domestic or international).

• Completed at least 12 credits, full-time, at the post-secondary level.

• Preferred cumulative GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0. 

  • In some cases additional evidence of academic support may be requested to review an application holistically, such as an academic explanation and/or an academic letter of recommendation.

• Be in good academic standing and not on disciplinary probation at the time of embarkation.

• 18 years old by day of embarkation

The most up-to-date admission requirements for undergraduate students can be found here.

Recent College Graduate

Formerly known as Postgraduate applicants, Recent College Graduate applicants will participate full-time in the academic program alongside their undergraduate peers. Here’s what Recent College Graduates need to complete their application and be eligible to sail:

• • Unofficial transcripts from all colleges/universities attended as an undergraduate.

  • 250-word response to the following prompts:

    • Why are you interested in sailing as a post-bachelor's student?

    • How do you see this experience adding to your credentials and helping you achieve your personal and professional goals?

  • Preferred cumulative GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 during undergraduate career.

  • Graduated with a bachelor’s degree from a post-secondary institution by time of voyage but no longer than 1 year prior to embarkation.

The most up-to-date admission requirements for post-grad students can be found here.

English Language Proficiency Requirements:

Students whose first language is not English, or whose curriculum is not taught in English, must provide an English language proficiency test score:

• • TOEFL, PTE Academic, IELTS Academic, or Duolingo results are preferred

  • Minimum score required for admission consideration: 

    • TOEFL IBT – 79

    • PTE Academic – 53

    • IELTS Academic – 6.5

    • Duolingo – 110

  • Alternatives to TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, or Duolingo may be considered on a case by case basis

Application Deadlines

Semester at Sea operates on a rolling admissions basis, meaning there are no application deadlines for specific voyages. However, it is recommended that students begin the application process 9-12 months before the semester in which they would like to participate. Applications will continue to be accepted until approximately one month before the start of the voyage or until the voyage reaches capacity.