Although spending a full semester or year abroad is a truly enriching experience, not every student is able to study abroad for that long. Students may study abroad, research, intern, or volunteer on a short-term basis during the summer or winter through:
- Another US institution or foreign institution, abroad;
- Cornell Continuing Ed (for Cornell credit);
- Shoals Marine Laboratory; or
- An employer, non-governmental organization, or other international institution. Check here for lots of resources.
Some programs offer credit, while others do not. For students interested in studying abroad during the summer or winter and transferring credits back to CALS, we recommend the following:
For obtaining credits for your major
- Discuss your plans and proposed course of study with your major advisor. The program must be accredited, you must pass the course(s) with a C or higher, and the Registrar must receive an official transcript ("certificates" not accepted). Complete a Pre-Approval Form for Non-Cornell Credit, obtain your faculty advisor's signature, and return to Student Services in 140 Roberts Hall prior to leaving for abroad.
For obtaining credits for CALS graduation requirements or electives
- Instead of working with your major advisor, discuss your plans with the CALS Registrar (140 Roberts) to determine who is responsible for credit pre-approval. You will need to complete a Pre-Approval Form for Non-Cornell Credit, follow the Registrar's directions, and return to Student Services in 140 Roberts Hall prior to leaving.
Students are responsible for dealing directly with the programs to which they apply. This includes the application process, costs and billing, academic credit, travel plans, housing, visas, etc.
Although students work directly with the study abroad provider to apply during the summer or winter, limited information and resources are available in the CALS Resource Library in 140 Roberts Hall or the Cornell Abroad Library in 300 Caldwell Hall. We frequently get asked where else to look for summer or winter study abroad opportunities. While certainly not exhaustive, some helpful links are listed below. Keep in mind that many foreign institutions also run their own summer programs.