Eligibility​​​ Requirements

Policy for Semester and Academic Year Study Abroad

All study abroad programs and international institutions have their own criteria for admissions. However, Providence College students are held to an institutional standard before being allowed to study abroad for credit.

Basic Requirements

• Students must have a minimum of Junior class standing at the point of departure for semester study abroad. Seniors may study abroad for the fall semester only.
• Students must apply by the December 1st application deadline.
• Students must have declared a major by December 1st of their Sophomore year.
• Students must enroll in a minimum of 15 U.S. academic credits for each semester abroad. Students can enroll in a maximum of 18 credits per semester.

Academic Requirements

• The minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) required for PC students wishing to study abroad is 2.75 on a scale of 4.0. This CGPA must be achieved by the start of the semester prior to departure.
• A student with a CGPA lower than 2.75 may apply for study abroad approval by the deadline. However, their final approval is contingent upon meeting the CGPA requirement by the start of the semester prior to departure. Therefore, to study abroad in the spring, students must meet all requirements by the start of the fall semester before.
• If a student does not meet the GPA requirement, they may submit a petition to request a waiver. This is only an option if a study abroad experience is a required component of the academic major, such as Global Studies.
  • Petitions will be reviewed by the Dean of Global Education.
  • Petitions must include a student submitted written statement explaining factors beyond GPA that might warrant permission to study abroad.
  • Decisions will be made by the Dean of Global Education. Decisions are final and may not be appealed.

Disciplinary Requirements

• Disciplinary histories for all study abroad applicants are reviewed and taken into consideration for study abroad approval by Providence College.
• Students who violate the Code of Conduct the semester immediately prior to their term abroad are subject to disciplinary procedures.
  • The determination of “Responsible” or “Not Responsible” in a discipline case may or may not impact a student’s eligibility.
  • Students found “Responsible” may appeal their sanctions to the Dean of Students. This may be done pursuant to the procedures outlined in the Student Handbook
  • Following the appeal, the Dean of Students will make a determination of “Eligible” or “Not Eligible” for study abroad.  This decision is made in consultation with the Dean of Global Education.
  • Final Providence College approval for study abroad is determined by the Dean of Global Education. The Associate Dean of Global Education, the Dean of Students, and the Director of Community Standards are all consulted as well.
• Students on probationary status may be prohibited from participation on semester study abroad. They may also be prohibited from institutional short-term programs like semester or summer course-embedded programs or Maymester.
• Any student with unmet sanctions for past infractions will have their study abroad approval revoked.

Financial Requirements

• Students may not have any remaining balance from previous semester(s) on their Providence College account prior to departure. For example, students may not have a financial hold on their account.
• Providence College cannot make tuition payments to the study abroad program for students with unpaid charges on their College account. Therefore, a student’s acceptance into the program may be jeopardized or revoked.

Providence College reserves the right to revoke study abroad approval for any student at any time prior to departure. This can be done based on the above stated requirements regardless of acceptance by the program or fees paid. The College also reserves the right to restrict the numbers of students approved to study abroad in any one semester. This can be done in order to balance the number of students intending to study abroad across the academic year.