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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Over the years, we've heard a number of mistaken notions from students about the feasibility of study abroad at Princeton. We hope this brief Q&A session will help you distinguish fact from fiction!


Does Princeton encourage study abroad?
Princeton fully recognizes the many benefits that study abroad affords and is committed to providing high quality programs for Princeton students.The University is making concerted efforts to increase the number of students who study abroad. Students who wish to study abroad have a variety of good program options and academic advisers available to guide them through the process. Furthermore, students approved for study abroad can use their University financial aid for their term or year abroad. To learn more about Princeton's developing international efforts, read "Princeton in the World," a report by President Shirley Tilghman and Provost Chris Eisgruber.

When is the best time to study abroad?
The best semester to study abroad varies from person to person. Students can study abroad in the spring of their sophomore year (see Q&A on Studying Abroad in Sophomore Spring), either or both semesters of their junior year, and the fall of their senior year. Your department and the Study Abroad Program can work with you to determine the most appropriate timing. For students who are not eligible to study abroad during the academic year or who have serious conflicts during term time, summer study is a possibility. Princeton sponsors a number of its own summer programs and students can choose from a wide range of programs offered by other institutions.

If I study abroad, will Princeton fully recognize the work I've done?
Course load and credits are preapproved by the Committee on Examinations and Standing in consultation with departments and the dean for study abroad. If a student passes the preapproved courses with a C or better, credit is guaranteed. Minor adjustments in a student's program are permissible once the student reaches his/her destination, but all changes must be approved. Reasonable courses substitutions have never been a problem. Courses taken abroad can count toward departmental and distribution area requirements if they are approved for that purpose by the appropriate departmental representative. Courses taken in the summer through non-Princeton programs must be pre-approved, as would any course taken in the U.S. over the summer.

Does Princeton's Junior Independent Work make it difficult to study abroad?
Juniors who study abroad are required to complete junior independent work and send their papers to Princeton (usually postmarked or sent electronically by the JP due date). There are many good reasons to pursue independent work abroad; and students on study abroad have found, not infrequently, that writing their JPs while abroad has been more rewarding than writing them on campus.

Doing independent work abroad may be complicated for juniors who have not thought carefully about the interrelation of study abroad and departmental work. Even if your independent work requires labs and other facilities only found at Princeton, you do not need to forgo study abroad. You may (1) participate in study abroad as a spring-term sophomore or (2) become an early concentrator in your department and complete one semester of your independent work prior to the start of your junior year. You should consult with the departmental representative about becoming an early concentrator.

Some study abroad sites have the option of an on-site independent work adviser, i.e., a faculty member abroad who is appointed to the Princeton faculty and who is responsible for advising and assessing the junior independent work of Princeton students.

If I study abroad will I still be able to live with my friends as a senior?
Yes! Students on study abroad for the full year or spring term can designate one of their friends to choose a room for them (See Room Draw website), or they can authorize the Housing Office to select a room with their guidance. If you study abroad for the fall term, the Housing Office will try its best to accommodate your housing preferences, but it is not always possible to find the kind of space you might want in the middle of the year. (If you study abroad in the fall, you can switch places with a friend in a double or suite who is planning to spend spring term away. The other occupants in the room or suite must agree to the arrangement, and you must inform the Housing Office of the arrangement prior to Spring Move-In.)

Must I be fully fluent in the language of the host country?
Students’ satisfaction with their international experience is often directly related to their language fluency. The minimum prerequisite for study in a country where a language other than English is used is completion of a Princeton language course at the 107/108 level. Princeton’s expectation in such cases is full immersion in the language of the country, both in terms of the language of instruction and in daily life. Most Princeton-approved programs require a minimum of four or five semesters of college-level language study or the equivalent. Students should aim to complete at least one 200- or 300-level course in the language of the host country before going abroad.

In certain cases, there may be a compelling academic reason to take some or all of your coursework in English while studying in a non-English-speaking country. This is certainly the case in countries where the local language is not taught at Princeton, though students are still encouraged to study the language as one of their courses. Certain languages, such as Near Eastern and Asian languages, require a longer time to achieve fluency. In such cases it is possible to take discipline-based courses in English while continuing to work intensively on the language. In all other cases, taking coursework in English must represent a discipline-specific opportunity that would not be available at Princeton, such as an Art History, Architecture, or Classics concentrator taking courses on specific sites and artifacts in Italy or an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology concentrator doing fieldwork in Panama.

Will study abroad jeopardize my chance for honors at graduation?
Each year a significant number of students who have studied abroad win departmental prizes and graduate with departmental honors and/or as members of Phi Beta Kappa. Courses taken abroad appear on a student's transcript and earn transfer credit. Grades earned abroad are not used in the calculation of departmental averages/honors. This arrangement has not disadvantaged students in the past. Students applying for postgraduate programs submit the transcript from abroad in addition to the Princeton transcript. Recently, students who studied abroad have won the following scholarships: Marshall, Fulbright, Churchill, National Science Foundation, Soros Foundation, DAAD, Beinecke, and Luce.

I want to study abroad in the spring but I’m worried I’ll miss out on getting a good summer internship. What should I do?
Being away from campus in the spring does not preclude you from getting a good position, but you will have to plan in advance and be proactive.

First, you might consider extending your study abroad into a work experience abroad. Check out the International Internship Program (IIP) for lists of opportunties. Most international organizations have their own application procedures and deadlines, but IIP also has many placements especially for Princeton students.

If you know you’d like to return to the U.S. for a summer internship, you should start looking for internships in the fall. Attend the fall Career Fairs and meet employers who have internships available. Start searching TigerTracks, Career Services’ internship database, for opportunities. Reach out to alumni, family, and friends before you leave to see what assistance they can offer. Get leads in advance of your departure. Remember that when you are abroad you have access to the same online resources as you do here at Princeton (provided you have internet access!). Many employers hire interns based on resumes or phone interviews only, without interviewing applicants in person. Being flexible, honest, and proactive with employers will improve your chances.

Although most employers do not come to campus to conduct interviews for internships, those that do (finance, consulting, or technology industries) typically interview juniors. These employers have information sessions in November and conduct interviews in February. If you will be abroad in the spring, you should contact these employers in the fall to find out about their policies. Some may interview study abroad candidates early. Some may have branch offices in the country you’re studying in where you could interview. Again, start early, ask questions, and be flexible!

If I study abroad, will I be shut out of courses for the next term?
Students abroad register for courses online at the same time as their classmates on campus. If you have trouble accessing the Web from abroad, the deputy registrar will assist you in signing up for courses. You may apply for courses open "by application only" by sending in the application or essay by fax or e-mail. If an interview is required, you should simply alert the instructor that you are abroad and make your case in writing for entering the course.

May I apply to the Woodrow Wilson School or the Residential College Adviser (R.C.A.) programs if I am on study abroad during the Spring?
Applications for the Woodrow Wilson School and for R.C.A. positions are available before the end of fall semester. Students who have participated in foreign study have been successful applicants to all these programs. Because study abroad affords students a chance to gain a new perspective on their own culture and on their personal goals and values, former study abroad participants have gone on to be very effective contributors to these programs and other programs on campus.

Student in Chile
Jinju Pottenger '10 looks out over salt flats in Chile, where she studied abroad.