Start the application process with a one-on-one advising session with a staff member in the Office for Global Education.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to study abroad, you must meet the following criteria:
Be in good academic standing (> 2.5 GPA)*
Have completed at least two semesters at a college or university**
Not be on disciplinary or housing probation during any part of the proposed period of studying abroad
Receive approval from their academic advisor/department
If you meet these requirements, the application process to study abroad is similar for all of our programs. Come prepared to the one-on-one advising session, by reviewing the available programs on our Program Search page.***
Choose your program and complete the application form in Horizons. The application includes a personal statement, transcript and a letter of recommendation from a faculty member
OGE reviews applications and receives input from faculty leading the program
Participate in an interview with an OGE advisor
If accepted, complete the Agreement and Acceptance of Risk for Study Abroad form (AAR) to signal your commitment to participating in the program.*
After committing to the program, the full program cost will be billed to you by Purchase College Student Financial Services office.
Complete post-acceptance paperwork steps and attend a pre-departure orientation.
Deadlines: Vary by program. Check your program’s profile in Horizons or the OGE website for the most up to date information.
Note: Credits and grades earned on a Purchase faculty-led program transfer directly to your transcript and are factored into your GPA.
*Withdrawal from the program after submitting the AAR form and after the program commitment deadline stated in your email, will result in a $200 Program Cancellation Charge. Visit our Withdrawals & Refund Policies page for more information.
Choose your program and complete the online exchange nomination application form in Horizons including a personal statement, transcript, and two faculty recommendations.
OGE reviews nomination applications and receives input from academic departments.
Participate in an interview with an OGE advisor.
If nominated, complete the host institution application.
If accepted by the host institution, complete post-acceptance steps including submitting a Pre-Approval to Transfer Credits form available in Horizons,* attending a pre-departure orientation, and completing a visa application (if applicable).
After committing to the program, tuition, fees, and International Medical Insurance will be billed directly by Purchase College Student Financial Services office. Room and board payments vary by program.**
Deadline for Spring semester abroad: Rolling basis until October 1st
Deadline for Fall/Academic year abroad: Rolling basis until March 1st
*Credits earned abroad are considered transfer credits and are not averaged into your Purchase GPA. You should be particularly careful to obtain study abroad pre-approval of the program from your department before you make a commitment to the program; it is not guaranteed that credits will fulfill degree requirements. This form is due on April 1st for Fall Study Abroad Programs and November 1st for Spring Study Abroad Programs.
**Visit our Withdrawals & Refund Policies page for more information about what happens if you can no longer participate in a program you have committed to.
Students interested in participating in a study abroad program through another SUNY campus, will apply directly through the respective institution in accordance with their application instructions.
After you have been accepted and have decided to participate, you must then complete the Purchase College ‘Non-Purchase Study Abroad Programs’ registration page. If you get clearance by the Office of Community Standards, your registration will be approved.
Once approved, you get access to the Study Abroad Pre-Approval to Transfer Credits Form, available in Horizons, which is required in order to transfer credits to Purchase and is due 2 weeks after you have been approved. All credit is viewed as transfer credit.* You should be particularly careful to obtain study abroad pre-approval of the program from your department before you make a commitment to the program; it is not guaranteed that credits will fulfill degree requirements.
Students remain registered at Purchase College even when participating in a study abroad program through another 4-year SUNY campus, and tuition and fees are paid to directly to Purchase. All other program fees are paid to the administering institution. Room and board payments vary by program. See the Payments & Billing section for more information.
*The credits you receive abroad are treated as SUNY transfer credits. Although the grades are not averaged into your GPA, you receive a “Transcript Supplement” that becomes a part of your permanent record.
All students who apply to a SUNY Community College Program must apply directly through the respective institution in accordance with their application instructions.
Once approved, you get access to the Study Abroad Pre-Approval to Transfer Credits Form, available in Horizons, which is required in order to transfer credits to Purchase and is due 2 weeks after you have been approved. All credit is viewed as transfer credit.* You should be particularly careful to obtain study abroad pre-approval of the program from your department before you make a commitment to the program; it is not guaranteed that credits will fulfill degree requirements.
Students remain registered at Purchase College even when participating in a study abroad program through a SUNY community college which allows you to apply your financial aid, but tuition, fees, and other program costs are paid directly to the community college.
*The credits you receive abroad are treated as SUNY transfer credits. Although the grades are not averaged into your GPA, you receive a “Transcript Supplement” that becomes a part of your permanent record. It’s automatically included with your Purchase transcript every time it is issued.
Students interested in participating in a non-SUNY or third party provider study abroad program need to take a Personal Leave of Absence from Purchase. When the program is over, if they would like to see if any credit can transfer, they would have a World Education Service (WES) or SpanTran evaluation sent to the Registrar’s Office at Purchase to determine if any of the credit could be applied to their Purchase degree. Financial aid would not be applicable and college health insurance would not be available.
** Transfer students are eligible after they have successfully completed one semester of full-time study at Purchase.
*** As of spring 2018, admitted students who apply to a study abroad program will be asked if they have been convicted of a felony as part of the application process.
