There are a number of elements that students should consider when exploring programs, including academic goals, language ability, learning environment, city size, personal goals, and more. It is also important to consider what your longer-term goals are for the future (graduate school, research, international career, etc.) and how study abroad can impact those goals.  

Students should meet with a study abroad adviser to discuss program options and can also seek advice from their department. Attending a study abroad event will help students learn about different opportunities, in addition to speaking with returned students to talk about their experiences. 

Students can take courses across a wide-range of disciplines while studying abroad, but determining what courses to take will depend on each student’s department and academic progress at the time of application. Students can earn any kind of credit while studying abroad: departmental, certificate, distribution, and general elective, which must all be pre-approved by Princeton University prior to departure. 

The standard housing options offered on the majority of semester programs are: homestay, where students live with a local family; residence hall or building, where students live with other local or international students; or fully independent apartments, where students may be living with other students or by themselves. It is important to consider what kind of cultural and language immersion experience you are looking for when considering housing options.

Shared activities can be a great way to meet potential friends in a new place, and there are many ways to get involved: e.g. service projects, music groups, sports teams, religious groups, local arts organizations, and more. Many programs will offer group activities and/or excursions as a part of the cultural experience. As a student at a local university, you will have full access to the student groups and organizations that your host institution may offer, and getting involved in extracurricular activities is a great way to meet local students and make friends.

Living and studying in another country and being immersed in a new culture can have a huge impact on the different ways we view and present ourselves. Study abroad advisers can help you start to think about how studying abroad can support and/or challenge the different dimensions of your identity and how that may influence the program you choose by providing additional resources either at Princeton or the institution abroad.

Students in both the A.B. and the B.S.E. programs may participate in the Study Abroad Program in the spring of  sophomore year, during one or both semesters of junior year, or in the fall of 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 always a possibility.

A.B. students that study abroad during their junior spring will be required to complete independent work abroad in addition to their normal course-load. Students will be assigned a Princeton adviser prior to leaving Princeton and will work with their adviser via email or Skype during their semester abroad. Students are successful in completing their Junior Independent Work by establishing a clear communication plan with their advisers and being proactive in working on their research by the deadlines. 

Studying abroad should not affect your ability to graduate on time; however, it is important to work closely with your department and study abroad adviser to choose courses abroad that will keep you on track. Courses will be pre-approved prior to leaving, and any changes made to your schedule once abroad need to be approved via email. 

For the following semester, students abroad register for courses online at the same time as their classmates on campus. If you have trouble accessing the internet 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.

Being away from campus in the spring should not prevent you from getting a good internship, 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 a list of opportunities. IIP has hundreds of internship placements especially for Princeton students. The deadline to apply for an IIP is typically in December, so meet with the program staff early in-person or on Skype if you will be away. 

If you know you would 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 Handshake, the Center for Career Development’s 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. Some employers hire interns based on resumes or Skype/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 are studying in where you could interview. 

Applications for RCA positions are available before the end of fall semester. 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 the RCA program. Contact your Director of Studies early if you are interested in applying to be an RCA. They will help you participate in the application process from abroad, if necessary.

Students on study abroad for the full year or spring term can designate one of their friends as a proxy 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.

Sophomores who want to study abroad in the spring often ask about how they can enter an eating club. To enter a non-selective club, you may ask a specific club’s officers to place your name on the club’s list before you leave campus, or you can ask a friend to sign you in. For the selective clubs, you may be able to bicker in the fall of your junior year (if that option is available at the club at which you wish to become a member), or you may participate in the regular bicker session as  a  second  semester  junior.  Reach out to your desired club directly or contact Bryant Blount ’08, assistant dean of undergraduate students, for more information. 

Study abroad returnees felt that you can remain connected to Princeton friends even while abroad, and that in fact, having new experiences while abroad strengthened friendships at home. After studying abroad, you will still have your Princeton friendships as well as the new relationships you formed while you were away, which only expands your social network.

It is still possible to stay connected to organizations and to contribute remotely. Usually students can plug right back in and take on--or resume--leadership roles once back on campus. Also, many students find new ways to demonstrate their leadership skills while studying abroad by joining student organizations, or even founding their own. Having leadership experience in a cross-cultural context can stand out on your resume and increase your global competencies.