About Study Abroad & Fellowships at RIT

What types of programs are offered?

There are three types of programs offered by Study Abroad & Fellowships: Global Campus, faculty-led programs or affiliated. For detailed descriptions of these programs please visit the programs page. Global Campus programs take place at RIT’s international campuses located in Dubrovnik & Zagreb (Croatia), Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and Pristina (Kosovo). Faculty-led programs are completely designed and developed by an RIT faculty member, who leads a group of students on a program abroad. The location, duration and course offerings of the program depend on the interest and expertise of the faculty member. Affiliated programs are through RIT's partnerships with other universities and organizations to enhance the variety of locations and course offerings available to you.
^Top

Can I receive credit for study abroad?

Yes. All students who study abroad on a program approved by RIT will be eligible to earn academic credit.
^Top

Will the credit count towards my degree?

You will need to discuss with your academic advisors if and how the credit will count towards your degree. Students participating in affiliate and global campus programs will need to complete a course pre-approval form to determine how credit will be applied to their degree.
^Top

How much does study abroad cost?

The cost of studying abroad varies depending on the program. In general, you will pay tuition, an administration fee, a program fee (which typically covers housing, excursions, local transportation, visa fees, etc) and out-of-pocket expenses such as your flight, food and spending money. Your exact fees will be detailed on a budget worksheet given to you by a study abroad advisor or faculty-director. In most cases, students are eligible for financial aid if they maintain full-time status overseas. We suggest you do additional research on things such as flight costs, travel costs within your host country, travel costs to other areas you would like to visit while abroad and daily living expenses. It is the student’s responsibility to make an appointment with their financial aid advisor to discuss the budget worksheet and a potential aid package.
^Top

Does my financial aid apply to study abroad?

As long as you maintain full time status of 12 semester credits, financial aid will apply in most cases. Specific financial aid questions are best addressed on a student-by-student basis, so after obtaining a budget worksheet from either Study Abroad & Fellowships or the faculty director leading the program, please contact the Financial Aid Office to set up an appointment with your financial aid counselor.
^Top

When and how do I pay for Study Abroad?

Once you've been accepted to a program, you are responsible for paying the required deposit (amount varies for every program) directly to the affiliate or RIT. The affiliate school bills RIT for the cost of the program, minus the deposit paid, and RIT will bill your student account directly. Payment is made to RIT just as if you were taking classes on campus, only the amount will be based on the affiliate charges, not RIT tuition. RIT then pays the affiliate. Students attending an RIT Global Campus on a faculty led program will be charged RIT tuition and a program fee directly to the student account.

To find out the costs of the program(s) you are interested in, please make an appointment with the Program coordinator by calling 585-475-4466 to obtain the Budget Worksheet for the program(s) you are interested in. The budget worksheets include a breakdown of all fees and tuition charges, as well as, an estimate of personal costs you may incur while abroad.
^Top

Can I receive Scholarships to study abroad?

Many affiliate programs have scholarships available, so speak to your provider for more information about these. Some may have a separate application process, so make sure to find out about the process and any deadlines. The Study Abroad and Fellowships office also has resources available for you to research and apply for scholarships to assist with the cost of study abroad. For more information, visit the Fellowships website.
^Top

How does registration and grading work for study abroad?

For students attending a global campus program, students will be registered by a member of the global program staff for actual RIT courses and will receive letter grades. These grades will be counted in a student's GPA. For students studying abroad on faculty-led programs, the faculty director or administrator in the faculty director's college will register students for actual RIT courses and students will receive letter grades. These grades will be counted in the student's GPA. For students studying abroad on affiliated programs, they will be registered for all study abroad credits in one course number with a title based on the country they are going to, for example "Study Abroad Italy" for 12 credits. After the program is over the overseas institution will send a detailed transcript with each course taken abroad and corresponding letter grade to Study Abroad & Fellowships. Study Abroad & Fellowships will complete the RIT paperwork necessary to apply the Pass or Fail grade. Student must earn at least a C they will earn a Passing grade. Passing grades will not be counted in the student's GPA, but failing grades will.
^Top

How immersed in the culture will I be?

Our programs offer varying levels of cultural immersion and the student should choose a program based on the immersion level that is most comfortable for them. Less immersive programs are typically shorter, offer courses taught in English and students live with other study abroad students. More immersive programs are typically longer, may allow options for living with local students or in a home stay and include some or all classes in the local language or in study of the local language.
^Top

How do I apply for study abroad through RIT?

Complete your profile and online application on The Compass and then schedule an appointment with our Study Abroad advisor. There may be a second application required depending on the program chosen; if so, this will be discussed during your appointment.
^Top

Where can I go to find out more about study abroad?

The names and walk-in hours of the study abroad advisers are posted on the contact page. Visit our Facebook page where we create event pages for all upcoming Information Sessions, Study Abroad Fairs, assorted faculty-led programs and scholarships. Contact a Peer Mentor to find out if study abroad is right for you. Visit our Media page to learn more about RIT student experiences abroad through their blogs, photos and videos.
^Top

Can I study abroad on a program not affiliated with RIT?

Yes, but you will not be able to be billed and registered at RIT during your time abroad. This will make you ineligible for RIT financial aid and may affect your health insurance if you need to prove full time enrollment as a student to stay on your current plan. It is also strongly recommended that you talk with the Registrar's Office and your academic advisor to ensure that your credits earned while abroad will transfer back and count towards your degree and that this conversation is documented in writing. Please visit the Independent Study Abroad page for step-by-step instructions.
^Top