Study Away and Exchange Programs

When a student and don agree that another accredited college or university can offer extended curricular opportunity to meet the student’s personal and academic goals, the student may elect to spend a semester or a year as a guest student at another institution. The student should discuss the proposed program of study with their don and the Office of Global Education. For fall and spring semesters, the Office of Global Education confirms whether the courses are approved to transfer and fulfill graduation requirements. For summer sessions, the registrar reviews the courses for transfer eligibility and confirms whether the courses are approved to fulfill graduation requirements. The student is responsible for arranging to have an official transcript sent to the Registrar’s Office at Sarah Lawrence College. Seniors studying abroad in their final spring semester may request to participate in Commencement, but degrees are conferred in August pending receipt of official transcripts and successful degree completion.

Study Away for Transfer Students

Students transferring into Sarah Lawrence with a maximum of 60 credits are not permitted to study away. The remaining coursework (60 credits) must be completed on the Bronxville Campus. Students transferring into Sarah Lawrence with fewer than 60 credits should meet with the Office of Global Education staff to determine when they may be able to study away and whether for a semester or a year.

Study Away for Students on Probation or Suspension

• Students on academic or social probation may not participate in a Sarah Lawrence Study Away program. For non-Sarah Lawrence programs, the provider is notified that the student is on academic or social probation.
• Students who are suspended from the College may not participate in a Sarah Lawrence Study Away program. For non-Sarah Lawrence programs, the provider is notified that the student has been suspended from the College.

Courses must be preapproved by the Office of Global Education or the registrar. Students must successfully complete coursework with a minimum grade of C. Courses with grades of C- and below are not accepted for transfer. Pass/fail policies are subject to the host institution; students may not request taking a course pass/fail if not permitted by the host institution. Students may earn up to a maximum of 18 credits per semester or up to a maximum of 36 credits for the academic year.

Students with loans or grants who are planning an off-campus semester or year should consult with the Office of Financial Aid to determine what portion of their aid may be used off campus, whether or not a financial-aid consortium is necessary, and to ensure that their eligibility remains valid upon their return.

Sarah Lawrence gift aid may only be used on Sarah Lawrence Study Away and exchange programs. Students attending non-Sarah Lawrence programs may only transfer loans when a consortium agreement is completed with the Office of Financial Aid.

Credit for programs arranged through certain non-degree-granting organizations must be credited through a sponsoring US school of record, and students may be required to pay a fee to the school for the transcript of the program.

Acceptance into Sarah Lawrence Study Away and exchange programs is contingent on a solid academic record and appropriate proficiency in the language, if required. Students transferring into Sarah Lawrence with junior standing (60 credits) are not permitted to study away or off campus. Remaining coursework (minimum of 60 credits) must be completed on the Bronxville Campus. Students on academic and/or social probation are not eligible to apply for off-campus study.

Courses and grades completed in a Sarah Lawrence Study Away program are posted on the student’s official transcript with an appropriate header (e.g., “Sarah Lawrence College at Oxford”). Courses completed on an exchange program are listed on the official transcript as transfer credit.

Detailed information on approved programs, including application deadlines, can be found on the Office of Global Education website. Students are charged Sarah Lawrence tuition and can apply their financial aid toward the cost of the program. Sarah Lawrence offers many opportunities both abroad and within the United States.

Sarah Lawrence College students have the opportunity to spend a year or semester away through programs offered by other approved colleges and universities. Sarah Lawrence defines “study away” as an academic program combined with an immersive experience abroad. To provide the opportunity for an immersive experience, programs abroad that involve comparative study in multiple countries must incorporate a four-week minimum stay in each country. Courses completed on an approved study-away program are listed as transfer credit on the official transcript. Review the appropriate information on the Office of Global Education website.

Unless a student has an approved consortium agreement with the Office of Financial Aid, enrollment is not certified by Sarah Lawrence to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC). Students who do not have a financial-aid consortium agreement are responsible for reviewing enrollment-status reporting with the host institution. Upon return to Sarah Lawrence, enrollment-status reporting to the NSC resumes.

Sarah Lawrence College offers students the opportunity to spend a semester or year with our partner colleges in the United States or abroad. Spaces are limited, and students must be in good academic standing and have completed their first and second years at Sarah Lawrence to participate in an exchange program. Students must also plan to complete either their junior or senior year in Bronxville.

The exchange programs are not open to students who have transferred into Sarah Lawrence College with a maximum of 60 credits. Students should make an appointment to meet with the Office of Global Education for further information on our exchange partners and admission requirements. Courses completed on an exchange program are counted as transfer credits.