How to Apply to Study Abroad as an Honors Student

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London, England

Studying abroad as a student in Commonwealth Honors College is an experience you don’t want to miss. The application process is straightforward, and most if not all abroad classes count towards Honors credits. Check out the steps below if you're thinking about applying for an abroad program. I'll also share how I made my mind up about studying abroad. 

Make Your Profile

The first step to studying abroad is making your UMass Abroad Profile. Once you do this you can verify your eligibility, and learn about how it will fit into your degree requirements. This is really important, because it may dictate what country you are able to study in. For example, at the time I’m writing this, students studying biomedical engineering would only be able to apply to a program in eight countries — but larger majors such as business have more variability. But don’t stress, UMass Amherst has options for everyone!

Once you have made your abroad profile you can start to explore your options, and understand the cost of studying abroad. UMass abroad programs are generally going to cost the same as a semester at UMass Amherst, and that is one of the main reasons I chose to study abroad. But don't forget to factor in travel and living expenses – they can vary between programs.

Florence, Italy

Choose Your Program

The next big step is to decide what program you are going to attend! This is an exciting choice but doesn’t mean you are locked into that one program. If you apply early, you have plenty of time to switch programs if you choose to do so. For me, I knew I wanted to go to Italy, but I had to choose what city I would like to go to, and what host university was most suitable for me. After some research, I decided to study in Florence through the API abroad program at Lorenzo de Medici. This university works in conjunction with UMass, and I will be taking four classes at the institution. UMass works with many different abroad programs and universities, a few of which are API Abroad, CEA CAPA Abroad, CIS Abroad, and International Studies Abroad. Once you apply to your desired program, there’s nothing left to do but wait for your acceptance. As long as you have the necessary GPA, and are in good standing with the university you should be good to go! 

Get Ready to Study Abroad

After you receive your acceptance letter you can begin all of your onboarding steps. For each program, these may be different but generally, you will have to fill out academic request forms, visa application materials, your passport information, and any other required information. I can only speak to API abroad, but the process was streamlined and easy to complete. 

After all the onboarding steps are completed you can prepare to go abroad! The most exciting part of the initial process is envisioning the next few months of your life studying in a new country! 

There is so much to be excited about in addition to the education you will receive. UMass intends for the program to be fully immersive, where you will not only learn in the classroom but in the new environment around you.

When you are abroad you have to take the minimum number of credits that is required at UMass. Depending on the credit load for each class you can achieve this by taking three to four classes. You can always take more courses, but I recommend allowing yourself enough time to explore the country you are in. Selecting your classes is straightforward, all you need to do is head to your host university’s website and see the course offerings for the semester you will be abroad. 

One of the best things about being an Honors student abroad is that essentially any class will count toward your (1) honors class requirement or your (1) 300-level or above Honor class requirement. When I met with my Honors advisor and was told this, it totally calmed my nerves about fulfilling my Honors requirements and made me so appreciative of the flexibility of CHC. 

Hopefully, this rundown of the application process was helpful and if you have any questions communications [at] honors [dot] umass [dot] edu (reach out and email me)!