Petition to Attend a Non-Princeton-Approved Program/University
The Office of International Programs provides students with a list of approved semester study abroad programs. These programs have been reviewed for quality and for their compatibility with Princeton academic programs.
Students interested in attending a program that is not on the approved list must submit a petition to have the program approved on a one-time basis. A complete petition comprises:
- a letter describing the relevance of the program to the student’s academic program at Princeton and why current approved programs do not meet the student’s academic needs;
- complete published information about the program, which would include at a minimum a description of the academic program, housing, and support services as well as information about the administrative structure and costs;
- support from a faculty member who can assess the program either because of his/her area of expertise or because of a knowledge of the program/university.
Petitions will not be accepted for the following programs:
- service-learning programs
- programs that travel to multiple locations
- programs that do not offer a minimum of 15 credits (equivalent of four Princeton courses) per semester
- programs that are located in places that are off-limits to undergraduates due to the University Travel Policy (see https://www.princeton.edu/travel/policies/warningslist/)
Petitions must be submitted to the Office of International Programs, 36 University Place, Suite 350, well in advance of the application deadline for the program that is under review, but in no case after October 15 for spring programs or after March 15 for fall and yearlong programs. Students who plan to attend programs that have been approved by petition must still submit the Princeton Study Approval form, as do all students who study abroad.