Getting Started

Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience. You learn new perspectives, cultures, and languages. You can pursue a career interest or passion, travel, and step out of your comfort zone. It allows you to become more of a global citizen. Every year, around 25% of Wellesley students travel abroad for academic credit, internships, research, community service, or personal enrichment. 

In order to be eligible to study abroad in the junior year, students must have declared a major and be in good academic standing. Most programs have minimum GPA requirements, which vary from 2.5 and guaranteed admission to 3.7, and a competitive application process. For study in a foreign language destination, Wellesley strongly recommends that students have a background in the predominant local language, even if the program does not have a language requirement. All students planning on studying abroad during their junior year should begin planning during the summer before their sophomore year.

Wellesley offers a multitude of programs, including some Wellesley-sponsored and Wellesley-affiliated options. These are great choices because they have been designed by Wellesley faculty with the particular needs of our students in mind. The Wellesley programs provide extensive pre-departure assistance, easy credit transfer, and seamless portability of financial aid.

In addition, Wellesley students may select from among more than 160 programs or host universities located in every world region and offering courses in every subject offered at Wellesley. 

There are a multitude of things to consider when deciding on study abroad programs, from location to academic interests to extracurriculars to language and everything in between. This video on choosing a study abroad program is a great resource. In general, students are expected to select curricula abroad that will complement studies undertaken on campus, in relation to work in the major field planned for the senior year. 

As a starting point for selecting a program, students are encouraged to explore programs in our Study Abroad Program Browser. You can also meet with OIS staff for a follow-up conversation. Advising hours are posted on the OIS calendar, where you can also find information about OIS information sessions, panel discussions, and the annual Study Abroad Fair.

Most Wellesley students study abroad during their junior year. Occasionally, a second semester sophomore or a first semester senior will study abroad but, in most cases, the junior year makes the most sense because students will have had the opportunity to declare a major and start taking courses in the major field but will not be at the point where they are taking 300-level seminar courses. Whether to spend a single semester or full year abroad is a personal decision. See some of the advantages and disadvantages of each.

But you don’t have to study abroad during the academic year at all. Some students choose to do a wintersession abroad, while others study abroad over the summer. 

Read more about Wellesley's language policy where concerns study abroad.

That depends on the program, but all Wellesley students must complete the following application timeline and checklist. This includes submitting a Study Away Application, a Study Away Agreement, and Financial Responsibility Agreement, and attending pre-departure meetings.

Wellesley is committed to helping make study abroad affordable for students. The Office of International Study and Student Financial Services work together to further this goal and to guide students and their families through the billing and financial aid process for study abroad. To this end, your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) remains the same while studying abroad as it would while studying on-campus.

This finances overview postcard gives a nice overview of study abroad financial matters. You can also visit our Affording Study Abroad page. Additionally, we keep a detailed spreadsheet of scholarship opportunities available for students looking to study abroad.  Abroad101 and MoneyGeek are also good resources for browsing study abroad scholarships.

Students typically earn four units of credit per semester of study abroad. Most majors will accept two 200-level courses from study abroad, and some will accept four. Students can earn major, minor, distribution, and in some cases 300-level credit while abroad, and we have programs suitable for any major.

Courses in the liberal arts will typical transfer back automatically. For courses outside of the liberal arts, students need the approval from a department to receive credit. 

Full details on credit transfer can be found in the Study Abroad Handbook.

Please see this spreadsheet of grade translation scales.

Depending on the location and how you prioritize your time, living abroad can add up. It’s best to think about budgeting in advance. To start, take a look at this presentation from OIS and SFS about the cost of study abroad, including slides about financial aid, living expenses, travel fees, etc. You can also look at specific cost breakdowns by program. We also encourage you to view these slides on budgeting while studying abroad. And here is a financial planning workbook that can help you budget each month. 

More information and advice can be found in the Study Abroad Handbook.

Students enrolled in a full course load as defined by their program typically transfer back four Wellesley units of credit per semester. 

For complete information on credit transfer, please visit the Study Abroad Handbook. 

Before you go abroad, be sure to read up about potential differences in quality of medical facilities, as well as different cultural standards towards medical treatment. TripPrep.com is a great resource for this. If you have a chronic illness or mental health issues, you should discuss studying abroad with your physician. 

All Wellesley students are required to complete the OIS Pre-Departure Module and quiz prior to departure, and all students who submit a leave of absence form for study abroad will be subscribed to a supplemental travel insurance policy through International SOS, providing 24-hour emergency medical, evacuation and repatriation assistance. 

For more information on health while studying abroad, visit the Study Abroad Handbook.

The OIS Instagram page is a great place to start! You can also look through current and past student experiences.