Frequently Asked Questions

There are three main types of study abroad programs at CWRU: faculty-led, semester/yearlong and summer. Faculty-led programs take place outside of the academic year (Spring Break, Winter Break, or Summer) and involve a CWRU faculty member who takes a group of students abroad to complete a CWRU course. Semester/yearlong programs involve a CWRU student taking courses at a partner university/program abroad and transferring those back to CWRU. Summer is similar to semester/yearlong in that the courses are also transfer credit, but they are usually shorter and have a different financial model. Additionally, some CWRU departments have created Discipline-Specific Programs with pre-defined course transfers built-into the student's academics. 

This depends on your major and personal preference. Some CWRU departments have created Discipline-Specific Programs to make determining when and where students should go abroad much simpler.  For pre-med students, the best semester to study abroad is spring of your second year. For other students, it is based on personal preference. Spring of sophomore year and all of junior year are the most popular semesters to study abroad. 

We recommend planning for your study abroad program about a year in advance, but it's never too early to make an appointment with us!

A list of all semester, year-long, short-term and summer courses can be found in the application system, which can be accessed by going to the CWRU study abroad website and selecting “Program Search” at the top of the page. 

CWRU requires that, if you are studying in a country where English is not an official language, you must take one course that advances your skills in a host country language while abroad, provided those courses are available. If you plan to take courses taught in a foreign language, we recommend that you are very comfortable with the language before traveling.

Definitely! International students study abroad very often. The only difference is in visa requirements, which is rarely a problem. Many international students take courses at a university in their home country when going home for the summer. To have this credit transferred, it must be arranged as a study abroad program through the Office of Education Abroad. Email studyabroad@case.edu for more information.

At CWRU, we strive to provide you with as many high-quality programs as possible so you can find a program that’s a perfect match for your needs. However, we know that looking at a long list of programs can be daunting! Here are some things to think about when you’re trying to narrow down your options:

Academics

• What do you hope to accomplish academically with your study abroad experience? Do you wish to take major requirements? Minor requirements? Breadth requirements? Electives? If you are hoping to take major or minor requirements, first narrow down your search by major.
• How comfortable are you with the idea of a different academic system? Are you the type of student that needs to hand in homework every day to gauge your progress, or are you comfortable with more independent learning? If this is a consideration for you, you may wish to research the academic system in the countries you’re considering.
• Do you want a traditional study abroad classroom experience, a research opportunity or an internship?

Location

• Is there a particular place in which you wish to study abroad? Our online system allows you to search by location.
• How comfortable would you be if English were not the native language of your study abroad destination?
• Do you prefer a larger, more cosmopolitan city or a more rural, traditional town?

Time

• How long do you wish to study abroad? Programs range in length from one week to one year.
• Do you prefer to follow the U.S. academic calendar, or can you be more flexible? Would it bother you to be overseas for certain holidays? If so, you may wish to compare programs by date.

Finances

• How much do finances play a role in deciding your study abroad program? If finances play a large role, you may wish to consider a program whose location capitalizes on the exchange rate of U.S. dollars, or the less expensive short-term programs.
• Consider also the living expenses in various destinations if finances play a role. While the cost of living is much higher in Paris than Cleveland, the cost of living in Bangkok is much lower.

Personal style and preferences

• Are you an independent traveler, or do you prefer more direction? Exchange programs are excellent opportunities for independent travelers, while short-term programs and a few others offer more logistical assistance to students who prefer more direction.
• Would you thrive or feel uncomfortable in a situation where you might be the only American in a program?
• Would you prefer to stay in a homestay, residence hall or apartment?

Eligibility

• Different programs have different GPA requirements. Do you meet the GPA requirement for the program?
• Do you wish to study abroad as a freshman, senior or graduate student? If so, you may want to consider short-term study abroad. (See who can participate in semester-long or year-long study abroad programs? above.)
• If applicable, do you have the required language skills for the program?

Sophomores, juniors and seniors in good academic standing (those that are not on academic probation) and without any outstanding judicial affairs sanctions can participate in a semester- or year-long study abroad. Note that many programs require a 3.0 GPA, however. University policy states that the final 15 hours of coursework must be completed on-campus, so seniors who choose to study abroad for a semester should note that they generally need to complete one semester of their senior year on campus before graduation. 

Graduate students should consult with their advisors before studying abroad on a semester-long program. It is not common for graduate students to participate in traditional semester-long study abroad, but sometimes overseas research opportunities are available for graduate students. All judicial affairs sanctions (including probation) must be complete before a student can participate in any study abroad program.

A short-term or faculty-led study abroad program takes place outside the academic year (Spring Break, Winter Break, and summer). All graduate and undergraduate students in good academic standing (2.0 or above cumulative GPA) can participate in short-term study abroad experience. All judicial affairs sanctions (including probation) must be complete before a student can participate in any study abroad program.

If you’d like to participate in a short-term or faculty-led study abroad program but aren’t sure which program is the best fit for your needs, the Office of Education Abroad is an excellent place to start. You can email studyabroad@case.edu to set up an appointment. If you already know which program you’d like to participate in, you can contact the faculty leader for that specific program (listed on each program's page) and begin the application process.

While Case Western Reserve University has carefully chosen programs and institutions to meet the needs of the vast majority of students and to keep our students safe, we recognize that some students have compelling academic reasons for looking at alternate programs or at programs in areas with a travel or Center for Disease Control and Prevention warning. Any student who desires to enroll in an overseas program that is not on the list of approved programs must submit a petition. This is to ensure that students are participating in high-quality programs both in terms of academics and student services support. This process also allows CWRU to better manage risk and prepare for emergencies.

Students must have an academically compelling reason for submitting a petition. The petition process is a case-by-case review of the individual student’s academic reasons for wanting to participate in a program or submit an application past the deadline.

For instructions on how to petition, students must contact one of the study abroad advisors at studyabroad@case.edu.

It depends on the program. If you are doing a semester program that has been pre-approved by Case Western Reserve, then you pay your tuition directly to CWRU as you would if you were staying on campus. The difference in cost will come from travel and housing. Depending on where you are going, housing may be less than it is at CWRU. 

For all approved semester-long programs, you pay CWRU tuition. Note that the cost of the program does not affect the amount of money you pay for your tuition at CWRU. All other expenses (room and board, excursions, etc.) are paid to the institution abroad. 

Upon applying for a short-term program, you will be asked to pay a $200 deposit with your application. The rest of the program fee is levied through your student account.

Yes! All of students' CWRU aid and scholarships are eligible for study abroad.

Absolutely. Simply contact Nancy Issa in the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Absolutely not! CWRU has study abroad programs available for all majors and the study abroad advisors can help you determine which ones are best for your major.

Yes! All of your study abroad coursework can be transferred to meet major or minor requirements, breadth requirements and/or electives.

No. You will receive credit for your study abroad coursework if you receive above a C for your coursework abroad, but the grade will not be figured into your CWRU GPA.

SAGES courses can only be completed at CWRU. Additionally, some other courses that are highly multidisciplinary and thus cannot be claimed by a single department at CWRU may not be eligible for transfer credit. 

Some CWRU students complete internships, research and co-ops abroad. The Office of Education Abroad can share with you various internship opportunities, but note that it’s very difficult to find paying internships abroad due to visa regulations. However, the Office of Education Abroad is happy to share with you tips and procedures for searching for internships, research and co-ops abroad. After you’ve secured an internship, research position or co-op, the Office of Education Abroad will work with you to ensure that you are registered properly at CWRU and that you receive health insurance and cultural preparation for your experience abroad.

Nursing students can participate in NURS 395, a faculty-led CWRU study abroad program, during May of their junior year and may also be able to participate in a summer program the summer after their freshman year.

There are a wide variety of programs available to all types of engineering majors. In the Program Search function of the CWRU study abroad website, you can search by courses offered. This will bring up a list of all programs that offer courses in your field of engineering. Additionally, CWRU is part of a global engineering exchange partnership called GE3. There are GE3 programs in many different locations, and all have engineering programs comparable to CWRU. To find GE3 programs, go to the study abroad program search and search for ‘GE3’.

It depends on your role in the organization. If you have responsibilities that require you to stay on campus, it’s probably best to choose a different semester to study abroad. However, if you can do your work while abroad, you can still go. Several study abroad students have maintained their roles in organizations while abroad. Talk to other members of your organization to see if studying abroad would be feasible.

Definitely! Varsity athletes frequently study abroad. Sports that are confined to one semester (baseball, track, cross-country, football, etc.) are easier because you can go abroad during the off season. Varsity athletes often compete in sports at their study abroad host school. Talk to your coach to see when you can study abroad.

Find more information on FBI background checks.

We address many of these concerns on our Identity Abroad page.

That’s a great question. There are many steps—and we’ve lined it out all for you.

Visit our process page to get all of the details. In addition, it’s always a great idea to talk to students who have gone through the program before—and, of course, stop by Tomlinson Hall, Room 143, to talk with us in person.

CWRU students in good standing with the university who are not on academic or student conduct probation, and who are otherwise eligible to register on campus, can apply to study abroad. Some study abroad programs have additional requirements of their own. Common ones include a GPA of 3.0 or higher and being at least a second-year (or infrequently, a third-year) student. Students should talk with their study abroad advisor about these requirements.