Emerson College students may elect to study abroad with non-affiliated international education abroad programs.

Emerson College does not have an "approved list" of education abroad programs or program providers. The program you select must be owned and operated by a regionally accredited U.S. educational institution or have an affiliation with an accredited U.S. institution [a U.S. School of Record]. Students interested in non-affiliated programs must meet with an education abroad advisor prior to beginning their program search.

All education abroad transfer credit must be pre-approved by the Registrar’s Office. Approval of coursework for transfer, particularly within the major, is not automatic, even with an accredited program. Transfer credit pre-approval is handled online through eCommon.

Emerson College does not allow the transfer of Emerson grants, scholarships or financial aid to non-affiliated education abroad programs. Generally, federal and state aid, and outside scholarships may be transferred. Students who wish to apply for aid must fill out the Consortium/Contractual Agreement for Financial Aid (PDF).

Emerson students are NOT allowed to spend their final semester at a non-Emerson program. The final 16 credits must be completed at Emerson.

The deadline for submission of all forms for Spring, including the Registration Contract for Non-Emerson Education Abroad, and the Consortium Agreement for Financial Aid, is December 1. For Summer and Fall the deadline for submission is April 30.

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Procedure for Non-Affiliated International Programs

  1. Schedule an Education Abroad Advising Session by accessing our calendar.
  2. Complete the Study Abroad Interest Form before your scheduled appointment. Please note you must fill out all areas on the form. Once you submit the form online you will receive confirmation.
  3. Select an education abroad program/institution that carries U.S. Regional Accreditation or has a "School of Record" that carries U.S. Regional Accreditation (the Education Abroad Advisor will guide you in this regard).
  4. Submit all potential courses for pre-approval via eCommon. If you're unsure of how to do this, go to the Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy & Pre-Approval on the Registrar's Website. Scroll down to the bottom of the page. If submitting courses for international study, please note the U.S.-accredited college or institution that will be transcripting your work under “School Name,” rather than the international institution.
  5. Complete the Registration Contract for Non-Emerson Study Abroad, available at the Education Abroad Office, which requires you to obtain certain required signatures such as "Host Institution Official." Please follow these steps:
    1. Complete section 1 of the Registration Contract for Non-Emerson Study Abroad, sign and date it.
    2. Submit the form to the host institution (the one offering the education abroad program) for required signatures. Generally it is most efficient if you scan the signed form and email it.
    3. After obtaining the Host School’s Official Signatures, you must now obtain the signature of the Director of Education Abroad and Domestic Programs. Signed forms may be submitted in person or scanned and submitted via email. The office is located in the Walker Building, 120 Boylston Street, 10th Floor, rooms #1009 & #1010.
    4. After the Director of Education Abroad and Domestic Programs signs off on the Registration Contract for Non-Emerson Study Abroad, he will forward the form to the Registrar's Office for final approval and education abroad registration.
  6. If you are seeking financial aid, complete the Consortium/Contractual Agreement for Financial Aid, which requires you to obtain detailed information and an official signature from the Host Institution (the one offering the education abroad program). Please follow these steps:
    1. Submit the Financial Aid Consortium Agreement to the host institution for required signatures.
    2. The host institution will send the signed agreement to Emerson’s Financial Aid office.
    3. It is your responsibility to ensure that this agreement has been sent to the Financial Aid Office. Please note that institutional aid is not portable to a non-Emerson program.
  7. Attend the Pre-Departure Orientation the semester before studying abroad. For more information please email abroad [at] emerson.edutitle="Email Education Abroad & Domestic Programs".

Financial Assistance/Scholarships

As of November 13, 2018. Subject to Change.