Engineering Education Abroad Guide

CU Boulder Education Abroad offers over 400 programs in over 60 countries! You can go abroad for a semester, year, and/or 2-12 weeks in the summer. Going abroad is strongly encouraged by the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS). This is a general guide to planning your time abroad, connect with your academic advisor to plan your individual academics. Talk with Education Abroad advisors to get started, discuss your program options, and next steps. 

Planning and When to Go

  • Start planning to study abroad!
  • Talk to your academic advisor to plan the best time to go abroad.
  • Save some H/SS, free electives, and technical elective classes to take abroad.
  • Some majors can study abroad as early as fall of sophomore year; applications are due the prior spring term.
  • For some majors you can go abroad your sophomore year.
  • Continue saving H/SS, free electives, and technical elective classes.
  • Closely follow your degree audit to ensure that you'll have the pre-reqs needed for the upper-division engineering classes you need upon return to CU Boulder.
  • This is the most common year to go abroad and works well for many engineering majors.
  • Fall semester deadlines will be in the prior spring term, spring semester in the fall.
  • Studying abroad for a semester during senior year rarely works due to the senior projects progression. If you do go abroad:
    • Work closely with your advisor to ensure that you can get all of your requirements completed.
    • Be sure that you know when credits may be transcripted, as this can delay your official graduation date.
 

Explore Your Major

Aerospace Engineering Applied Mathematics & Engineering Physics Biomedical Engineering Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering Chemical & Biological Engineering Computer Science Creative Technology & Design Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering Integrated Design Engineering Mechanical Engineering
Aerospace Engineering

Semester study abroad programming is not available for aerospace engineering students on a four-year graduation plan. However, you can declare the five-year Global + Co-op track, which allows you to earn a BS in aerospace engineering sciences with a minor in computer science, engineering management, or engineering entrepreneurship. You will benefit from robust training in CS or engineering management, significant experience abroad, and in-depth career exposure before you graduate. Plus, you won't pay tuition during your Co-op semester and can expect to be paid for your work.

Global Co-op: Computer Science Track:

Study abroad options for this program are the same as those for computer science majors (expand the CS section below). While abroad, you'll focus on upper-division coursework toward your CS minor and outstanding H&SS coursework.

  • During your first three years, you will follow the same aerospace undergraduate curriculum as your peers while also completing prerequisite and foundation courses for the CS minor.
  • Early in the spring semester of your third year, you will declare the Global + Co-op track and apply to study abroad the following fall semester. You must have a 3.0 GPA to declare this track to ensure the competitiveness of your co-op application!
  • During the fall semester of your fourth year, you will participate in a computer science-focused semester study abroad program.
  • In the spring semester of your fourth year, you will return to the U.S. to participate in a full-time, industry-based co-op. CU cannot guarantee you a co-op placement but will provide resources to guide your application.
  • You will return to CU for full-time study in your fifth year to complete any outstanding requirements for your aerospace engineering degree and computer science minor.

 

Suggested Programs

Education Abroad has worked with Applied Math to compile a list of suggested programs that are a particularly good fit for APPM majors. See the links below for the Suggested Programs in addition to other programs that may be a good fit for you based on your unique interests & course needs. 

Suggested Programs for APPMPrograms where APPM courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

 

Suggested Programs

Education Abroad has worked with Biomedical Engineering to compile a list of suggested programs that are a particularly good fit for BMEN majors. See the links below for the Suggested Programs in addition to other programs that may be a good fit for you based on your unique interests & course needs. 

Suggested Programs for BMENPrograms where BMEN courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

  Planning & When to Go

  • CVEN: The best time to study abroad as a civil engineer is spring semester of your junior year. The fall semester of your junior year can also work with careful planning--please consult with your academic advisor.
  • EVEN: The best time to study abroad as an environmental engineer is spring semester of your sophomore year or fall semester of your junior year.
  • AREN: The best time to study abroad as an architectural engineer is fall semester of your junior year, but it will require careful planning. Please consult with your academic advisor.

 

  Suggested Programs

Education Abroad has worked with Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (CEAE) to compile a list of suggested programs that are a particularly good fit for CEAE majors. See the links below for the Suggested Programs in addition to other programs that may be a good fit for you based on your unique interests & course needs. 

Suggested Programs for CEAEPrograms where CEAE courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

  Planning & When to Go

Due to the sequential nature of courses for the CHEN & BIEN majors, the terms in which you can study abroad and stay on track with your graduation timeline are limited. Use the chart below to explore the programs & terms which could work for you to study abroad:

TermCHEN MajorsBIEN & CBEN Majors
Fall Semester Sophomore Year
Fall Semester Junior Year
Spring Semester Junior Year (if planned carefully)
Summer Programs - check with your department for specific course recommendations

  Additional Resources

Suggested Programs for ChBEPrograms where ChBE courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

  Planning & When to Go

Computer science majors have relative flexibility. Since CS courses are in high demand around the world, it's highly recommended students complete data structures, algorithms, and software design before studying abroad. These prerequisite courses provide access to numerous upper-division CS elective courses.

 

  Suggested Programs

Education Abroad has worked with Computer Science to compile a list of suggested programs that are a particularly good fit for CS majors. See the links below for the Suggested Programs in addition to other programs that may be a good fit for you based on your unique interests & course needs. 

Suggested Programs for Computer SciencePrograms where Computer Science courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

 

Suggested Programs

Education Abroad has worked with Creative Technology & Design to compile a list of suggested programs that are a particularly good fit for CTD majors. See the links below for the Suggested Programs in addition to other programs that may be a good fit for you based on your unique interests & course needs. 

Suggested Programs for CTDPrograms where CTD courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

Suggested Programs

Education Abroad has worked with Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering to compile a list of suggested programs that are a particularly good fit for ECEE majors. See the links below for the Suggested Programs in addition to other programs that may be a good fit for you based on your unique interests & course needs. 

Suggested Programs for ECEEPrograms where ECEE courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

 

Integrated Design Engineering (IDE) majors can study abroad all over the world! Since each IDE major follows a different curricular path, IDE students should explore program options based on their IDE emphasis. For example, an IDE major with an emphasis in mechanical engineering should focus on the programs listed for mechanical engineering majors. Using the Course Approvals List, IDE students can find IDE core courses (GEEN) taught abroad as well as courses associated with their emphasis (e.g. ECEN, EVEN, MCEN, etc.). Finally, a number of IDE concentrations also offer coursework abroad, maximizing study abroad opportunities for students.

  Planning & When to Go

Depending on your particular degree plan, either semester of your sophomore or junior year should be feasible for a study abroad semester.

  Suggested Programs

Education Abroad has worked with Integrated Design Engineering to compile a list of suggested programs that are a particularly good fit for IDE majors. See the links below for the Suggested Programs in addition to other programs that may be a good fit for you based on your unique interests & course needs. 

Suggested Programs for IDEPrograms where IDE courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

  Planning & When to Go

The best time to study abroad as a mechanical engineer is fall semester junior year. Spring semesters of your sophomore or junior year are also good times to study abroad, if planned appropriately.

 

  Suggested Programs

Education Abroad has worked with Mechanical Engineering to compile a list of suggested programs that are a particularly good fit for MCEN majors. See the links below for the Suggested Programs in addition to other programs that may be a good fit for you based on your unique interests & course needs. 

Suggested Programs for MCENPrograms where MCEN courses are offeredProgram Search for all programs

Academics

Check the Course Approvals List to see what classes abroad are already approved to count towards your major, tech electives, and H&SS degree requirements. You can always apply to get a new course evaluatedand credit can also be awarded for an international research position or internship.

Course Approvals List

Finances

Program costs can range widely, but there are affordable options all over the world. For the most part, you can use federal, state, and institutional aid you would normally be offered for your any CU-approved Education Abroad program. There are also a number of scholarships available especially for study abroad.  

Finances

Deadlines

Specific deadlines vary by program, but generally fall into these ranges:

  • Spring: September 1 - October 1
  • Fall: February 1 - March 1
  • Summer: December 1 - March 1

Deadlines & How to Apply

Summer Abroad

Students can study abroad the summer after any year of study. It's recommended to study abroad the summer after your first or second year. This allows you to pursue an internship the summer after your junior year, which is a popular option among engineering majors. 

You can also study abroad the summer term after you've graduated. This would mean fulfilling one remaining class such as a H/SS, free elective, or technical elective class.

Internships

CU-approved internships are facilited through IES Abroad, which manages placements, housing, and on-site support. Due to immigration restrictions, these opportunities are unpaid and require you to fund your living expenses (financial aid is avialble). However, performing an internship abroad provides you the opportunity to live overseas, gain professional experience, and earn academic credit toward your engineering major.

Earn six credit hours over the summer through an internship abroad combined with a foreign language course:

For English-speaking locations, only three credit hours can be earned:

Recommended Summer Programs

The following programs offer engineering coursework during the summer. You may also choose among dozens of CU approved summer courses to fulfill free elective, H&SS, foreign language, or minor coursework credits.

Global Seminars

Global Seminars are short-term study abroad programs led by CU faculty members. They usually take place during the summer and combine academic course content with immersion in an overseas setting. Most Global Seminars are between 2.5 and 5 weeks, and students earn 3-6 credit hours. The programs listed below are taught by faculty within the College of Engineering & Applied Science, see CU Boulder Global Seminars for the full list of program offerings. 

Culture Wars in Rome (Rome, Italy)
Self-Awareness & Images of the Other (Xi'an, China)
Voices of Vienna (Vienna, Austria)

Next Steps

  1. Meet with your degree advisor to plan the academics of your study abroad.
  2. Visit Education Abroad's Get Started page to complete Abroad 101 and learn more about program options, pre-approved courses, financial aid and more!
  3. Connect with an Education Abroad advisor to discuss any questions and begin the application process.

Major Guide Additional Resources