Eligibility

How do I know if I am eligible to participate in an Office of Global Learning study abroad program?

  • ILR students must apply to programs that are approved for ILR students.  There are many programs administered through the Office of Global Learning that are approved for ILR students.
  • Students must be registered, full-time students applying to study abroad for a semester (or academic year) during their junior or senior year.
  • Students must be in good academic standing and have successfully completed the ILR core requirements prior to studying abroad.
  • Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (specific programs may have higher GPA requirements).
  • Students must meet any additional program-specific requirements (e.g., language requirements).
  • Students must apply and register through Cornell's Office of Global Learning by the stated deadlines.*
  • Students must receive approval on the “proposed course of study” (which is a part of the Cornell application) from your college advisor for study abroad.

*There are no exceptions to this rule. Credit is not awarded retroactively after a return from a leave of absence during which you may have studied abroad independently.

Can I apply to study abroad if I am a transfer student?

Transfer students are able to participate in the same study abroad opportunities as all ILR students, though depending on their individual situation, they may find an ILR exchange program or the ILR/UCD Semester in Dublin particularly beneficial. Transfer students should schedule an appointment with Tamara Ingram, the ILR exchange/study abroad advisor, to discuss their individual situation and determine which type of study abroad program best fits their individual situation.

Can I participate in more than one semester off-campus program?

The ILR faculty encourage students to take part in domestic and/or international, off-campus, credit-bearing programs during the academic year.  These opportunities include the ILR Credit Internship Program, ILR Exchange, ILR/UCD Semester in Dublin Program, Cornell in Washington, and study abroad through the Office of Global Learning.  Students may qualify to take part in these opportunities after completing their ILR-core requirements.  Those who entered ILR as a freshman or as a sophomore transfer are permitted to take part in two off-campus semester programs, while junior transfers may do one off-campus semester program. 

Academics

What are the academic expectations if I choose to participate in an Office of Global Learning study abroad program?

  • Students are expected to enroll in a full course load while abroad (equivalent to 15 credit hours at Cornell).
  • Students are required to study the language of the host country in non-English-speaking countries.
  • Students can earn up to 9 ILR out-of-college elective credits for a semester-long program or 15 for an academic year, if courses are approved by faculty.
  • Students cannot take courses as Pass/Fail, and students cannot take online courses while abroad.
  • Students will receive credit for academic coursework completed abroad that is equivalent to a Cornell grade of "C" or higher.
  • Credit earned will return as transfer credit, which might be an important consideration for transfer students.
  • All courses and grades will appear on the Cornell transcript in the same format as they are recorded on the original transcript generated by the host institution.
  • Grades are not calculated in the overall GPA.
  • Students are subject to ILR’s good academic standing requirements while abroad. Failure to meet the requirements will result in academic action upon return.

Application

How do I apply, and where can I find more information about the study abroad programs through the Office of Global Learning?