Office of International Programs

The Committee on Examinations and Standing reviews your Study Abroad Proposal to ensure that you intend to take the equivalent of four Princeton courses per semester. The actual number of courses you take abroad may vary according to the foreign institution or program you attend. Normally, you cannot receive more than four Princeton course credits per semester, even if you take more than the equivalent of four courses.

You must earn a C or above in preapproved courses taken abroad to be granted credit. You may not take a course on a pass/fail basis.

In your Study Abroad Proposal, you will list courses that you intend to take abroad and outline your plans for completing Junior Independent Work, if relevant.

• Courses that you plan to take for departmental credit must be preapproved by your departmental representative. Each department has its own rules regarding the number of departmental courses that can be taken while on study abroad. Usually departments allow two courses per semester and three or four per year to count toward departmental requirements.
• You may use two courses taken abroad to fulfill any two distribution area requirements, but they must be in two different areas. You may have the courses approved for this purpose either before or after your time abroad by the departmental representative in the appropriate department.
• Elective courses are reviewed by the Office of International Programs.

Students in the B.S.E. program may take up to two of their humanities and social science electives abroad. Some required technical courses usually taken in the first two years may be taken away from Princeton as well. Since the engineering curriculum is highly structured, it is important that engineers discuss their plans with their intended department as early as possible.

Once you have been approved to study abroad, you will receive, with your letter of approval, a copy of your Study Abroad Proposal so that you have a record of the courses that have been approved for Princeton credit. A copy of this form is also sent to the department in which you are concentrating.

Once you arrive at your destination, you may find that a course you have chosen is no longer offered or that scheduling conflicts prevent you from taking certain courses. You may also find a course that is more appealing than one you had chosen earlier. It is not unusual to substitute one course for another once you have become better acquainted with the opportunities abroad. Reasonable substitutions are not a problem, but you do need to seek approval for your changes from the Office of International Programs.

If you wish to substitute one departmental course for another, contact your  departmental representative as soon as possible to be sure that the substitution is acceptable. Before you leave campus, it is a good idea to discuss with your departmental representative the range of courses that would be acceptable for departmental credit.

If you wish to drop a course during the semester, be sure to contact Mell Bolen via e-mail to discuss the possibility and how it will affect your standing at Princeton.