Semester Study Away Process

Semester Study Away Eligibility:

• Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, however many programs have higher GPA requirements.
• Students must be in good academic and social standing at Trinity College (before and during their semester away).
• Students can spend a maximum of 3 semester away.
• Students can study away sophomore year, junior year or first semester of senior year.
• Transfer students are eligible to study away.
• International Programs: Students must have a valid passport with an expiration date 6 months beyond the end date of the program. (Ex: Your program ends in December, Your passport must be valid until the following June).

IMPORTANT: Students are only able to apply to ONE program unless they are advised otherwise by the OSA.

Semester Study Away Requirements:

• Students must enroll in a full semester of academic credit while away.
• ALL courses taken while away must be in the liberal arts discipline and approved by the college/academic departments. Students can not take courses without approval.
• ALL courses and grades from study away will appear on the students Trinity College transcript. Grades from study away will calculate into the students Trinity College GPA.
• Students are only approved to apply to one study away program. Students DO NOT apply to multiple programs unless they are specifically advised to by the OSA to do so.
• Programs with internships: The internship must have a FULL credit academic course attached to the internship. Trinity College will not grant credit for the internship alone.

STEP 1: RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Selecting the right study away program for you requires research, which can significantly impact your study away experience. Research will help you narrow down the options to one or two programs. 

WHEN TO DO THIS: One year in advance.

EX: If you plan to study away in the Fall of your junior year, research programs during the Fall semester of your sophomore year.

HOW TO DO THIS:

• BROWSE ALL SEMESTER PROGRAMS HERE 
  • Trinity Signature Programs are administered by Trinity College and include:
    • Trinity in Cape Town
    • Trinity/LaMaMa Performing Arts
    • Trinity Rome Campus
    • Trinity in Vienna
  • Approved External Programs (AEPs) are study away programs NOT administered by Trinity College but are approved for Trinity students to attend.
  • Program Petitions: If a student is interested in a study away program NOT approved by Trinity College they must submit a program petition. Spring deadline April 1st, Fall deadline January 1st. CLICK HERE to learn more.
• Visit the how to select a study away program guide. 
• Begin discussing program possibilities with your Academic Adviser to make sure that your preferred programs are a good fit academically.
• Talk with friends or fellow students who have gone on these programs. The OSA can connect you with study away alumni.

Other helpful resources to starting to explore study away:

• Review the Trinity College Home School Tuition Policy to ensure you understand how tuition, room & board will work with study away.
• If you receive Financial Aid, review the following documents:
  • Financial Aid Process for Study Away
  • Study Away FAQ – Financial Aid

STEP 2: STUDY AWAY ADVISING

Once you decide on a program or narrow it down to two, it is time to schedule an advising appointment with the OSA Adviser assigned to the geographic region of your program choice. Students are encourage to meet with an OSA Adviser to ensure they understand important date, processes and financial information before submitting an external program request to study away or program application. If you are undecided between programs, you may need to talk with multiple OSA Advisers to help you finalize your program choice. Only APPLY to ONE program unless advised otherwise by the OSA.

WHEN TO DO THIS: One year in advance. EX: If you plan to study away in the Fall of your junior year, meet with your OSA Adviser during the Fall semester of your sophomore year.

HOW TO DO THIS: CLICK HERE to access the OSA advising calendar to schedule a virtual or in-person appointment with an adviser.

STEP 3: APPLY

After you have met with your OSA Adviser and decide on your ONE program, it’s time to apply! Some external programs have early deadlines and fill quickly. DO NOT WAIT. APPLY EARLY!

WHEN TO DO THIS:

FALL & YEAR STUDY AWAY: 

It is HIGHLY recommended that students apply during the J-Term before their fall semester or year away.

• JANUARY 1ST – Program Petitions due to the OSA (Petition form is in the External Program Request to Study Away; Firm deadline)
• FEBRUARY 15TH – External Program Request to Study Away due to the OSA (Firm deadline)
• MARCH 1ST* – Application Deadline (ALL PROGRAMS – Trinity and AEPs)

SPRING STUDY AWAY: 

It is HIGHLY recommended that students apply during the summer before their spring semester away.

• APRIL 1ST – Program Petitions due to the OSA (Petition form is in the External Program Request to Study Away; Firm deadline)
• SEPTEMBER 15TH –  
  • External Program Request to Study Away due to the OSA (Firm deadline)
  • Trinity in Cape Town Application Deadline
  • Trinity Rome Campus Application Deadline
  • Trinity in Vienna Application Deadline

* Some external programs have earlier deadlines and fill quickly. APPLY EARLY!

HOW TO DO THIS:

• Trinity Signature Programs: Submit a program application ONLY. Links to the application can be found on the specific Trinity programs’ website. Students DO NOT need to submit an External Program Request to Study Away if they are applying to a Trinity Signature Program.
• Approved External Programs (AEPs): First submit an External Program Request to Study Away. Once your request is approved then apply directly to your approved program on their website. NOTE: Students who are interested in petitioning a non-approved study away program must complete the Study Away Petition Form (found in the External Program Request to Study Away).

Apply to ONE program unless advised otherwise by the OSA.