Explore All Available Programs
at the
Study Abroad Office website

Planning and When to Go

First-year

  • Start researching study abroad programs and talking with your academic advisor.
  • If you are planning to study abroad for a full semester and would still like to graduate in four years, you will need to make sure you’re staying on track with all of your core coursework and that you have a good understanding of the department’s prerequisite structure. That becomes less important if you are on a five year plan or would like to study abroad over the summer, although it is still helpful to understand how participating in study abroad will impact your course selections.
  • If possible, save some Technical Electives or Humanities/Social Sciences courses to take when you study abroad.

Sophomore

  • Spring semester of sophomore year or during the summer between sophomore and junior year are the best times for EVEN students to study abroad.
  • If you plan to study abroad during the spring semester of sophomore year, you should either enroll in CHEN 2120 and CVEN 3414 prior to studying abroad, take during the summer you return, prior to leaving, or identify a program that offers an approved substitute.
  • It may also be helpful to complete either APPM2350 or APPM2360 during the summer before your sophomore year, if your study abroad program does not have a math sequence that is equivalent to CU Boulder's.

Junior

  • Consider studying abroad the fall semester of your junior year, although the academic calendar used in some European countries can make it challenging to identify a program that ends before CU’s spring semester begins.
  • If you study abroad during the fall semester of your junior year, you will need to make sure that you have the necessary prerequisites to be able to complete Heat Transfer during the spring semester.
  • If it is only possible for you to study abroad during the spring semester of your junior year, you will need to make sure that you have completed equivalents to all courses needed for fall of your senior year.
  • The summer between junior and senior year is also a great time to participate in a faculty-led global seminar, other summer study abroad program, research program offered through study abroad, or an international internship.

Senior

  • Students majoring in Environmental Engineering may be able to study abroad during their fall semester of senior year; however, going during the last semester is not advised since possible transcript delays would likely delay your graduation. That said, seniors are still eligible to participate in summer programs during the summer after they complete Senior Design.

Getting Courses Approved

  • Remember to first check the pre-approvals lists for major/minor and Humanities & Social Sciences
  • To submit additional courses for review, you will work with your Academic Advisor. You can view more information about the process here.