Study Away Programs

Programs are approved with our learning goals in mind and they may be added to or removed from the list as more appropriate opportunities emerge. Programs not approved need to be petitioned (see section below program list). We expect all programs to offer significant opportunities for immersion, which we define as active participation in a culture markedly different than one's own, which leads to critical reflection, empathy, and perspective shift.

Amherst College Travel Registry - Approved Programs Searchable Database!

ACTR homepage how to search icon

The approved program list is now in the Amherst College Travel Registry (ACTR). Students can search all approved programs by keyword.

Please note that changes were made to the program list; be sure to check that you are applying to an approved program.

Amherst Exchanges, Consortia & Special Programs

Non-approved Programs

Petitioning a Non-Approved Program

The faculty Committee on Global Education, under guidance from the Global Education Office, has carefully chosen a robust list of programs that are pre-approved for credit and aid transfer. Not all study away programs are of equal quality and Amherst wants your study away experience to have strong academic and cultural components. Students who are interested in a program not currently on the approved program list must have strong academic reasons as to why they want to petition. Students may only petition one program and it must be the first-choice program.

Checklist and Timeline for Petitioning

  1. Meet with an adviser in the Global Education Office. You must discuss the program you intend to petition with either the Director or Assistant Director of the Global Education Office at least two weeks in advance of the petition deadline (see below). Come prepared with a strong argument as to why the non-approved program is the best fit for your personal and academic interests. Also be sure that the program meets our expectations for study away and, if it does not, be prepared to outline why an exception should be made for you. Just because a student has successfully petitioned a program before you does not mean that it will be an automatic approval for you. You may want to apply to the program while you are petitioning, since some popular programs with rolling admissions will fill quickly. You can let the program know you are petitioning.
  2. Complete the petition. After your meeting with one of us and if petitioning is recommended, you will then be provided with the petition form and instructions for submission. This includes sharing the name(s) of your major adviser(s) and a faculty member who will be contacted by us to write a letter of support for your petition. You do not need to request formal letters of recommendation, but only notify them they will be contacted by us. We expect you will share your petition with them.
  3. Submit your petition by the appropriate deadline: April 1st and October 1st. Unfortunately, late petitions are not accepted. You will also need to have started the Study Away Approval Checklist on the AC Travel Registry  under the "Petition Program" listing by April 1st for study abroad or domestic study in the upcoming academic year.
  4. The faculty Committee on Global Education reviews your petition and supporting documents.  Your petition, letter of support and other relevant information will be brought to the Committee on Global Education. Once a decision has been made, you will be notified via email.
  5. Apply to (at least) one program on the approved list. Petitions are approved on a student-by-student basis and, should yours not be approved, you will want a back up option.

You may want to apply to the program you are petitioning and your back-up program before the petition deadline, especially if the application deadlines are close the petition deadlines.