All students must have at least a B average for the fall and spring semesters of the academic year preceding the semester abroad. Some programs, however, may have higher GPA requirements (e.g. University of Oxford, Worcester College requires a 3.5 or better). 

If you do not meet the GPA requirement, it may be a good idea to stay at Princeton, utilize the academic resources here, work hard to bring up your GPA then apply to study abroad for a later term. If you are concerned about your eligibility to study abroad, please talk about your individual circumstances with a study abroad adviser in the Study Abroad Program.

During a semester or year of study abroad, the minimum prerequisite for study in a country where courses are taken in the local language is completion of a Princeton language course at the 107/108 level, but it is highly recommended -- and in some programs required -- that students take at least one 200- or 300-level course before they go abroad. Princeton’s ideal is full immersion in the language of the country, both in terms of the language of instruction and in daily life, so the stronger the language skills, the better.

In certain cases, students may take some coursework in English while continuing to study a language abroad. Certain languages require a longer time to achieve fluency (e.g. Near Eastern and Asian languages). In these cases, not all students will be ready to follow content-based courses in the target language and therefore can take them in English while continuing language study. However, it is important to note that completion of the Princeton language course through the 107/108 level is still required.

There are also approved programs that offer a special academic opportunity abroad (e.g., options in engineering, study of art and architecture classics, biological field research, etc.), where courses are offered in English in a non-English-speaking country or that are located in countries whose target language is not taught at Princeton.

A prior disciplinary record does not preclude approval to study abroad, but the Study Abroad Program will review students’ disciplinary records with the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students to determine if the record warrants withholding approval.

You can earn credit to fulfill departmental, distribution, or certificate requirements. You can also earn elective credit abroad which counts toward the total number of courses needed to graduate from Princeton. For more information, see Academic Year Study Abroad Policies or Summer Study Abroad Policies. 

Each department has its own rules regarding the number of departmental courses that can be taken while on study abroad. Usually departments allow two courses per semester and three or four per year to count toward departmental requirements. For more information, talk to the department representative in your chosen academic department.

You may use two courses taken abroad to fulfill any two distribution area requirements; they should normally be in two different areas. 

If your courses are preapproved and you earn a D or above in your courses abroad, the name of your program and the credit will appear on your unofficial Princeton record. Study abroad grades will only appear on your study abroad transcript (issued by the host school) and not on your Princeton record. There are some exceptions, where certain programs offer actual Princeton courses (e.g., Princeton English Program in London, SPIA Policy Task Force seminars), which will award letter grades and appear on your Princeton transcript. Also, if you do your Junior Independent Work abroad, you will receive a letter grade (as it is considered a Princeton course).

Credit is not given for courses taken on a pass/fail basis. You may enroll in a course pass/fail abroad only if it is taken in addition to a normal course load, and if you do not plan to earn Princeton credit from it.