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Apply for an off-campus study program with Hope College.

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Off-Campus Study Application Process

Are you interested in studying off-campus? Please be aware of these important application deadlines:

  • Fall and Academic Year: March 15
  • Spring: October 15
  • May/June/July Term: Typically between October–January. Visit travel.hope.edu to see the application deadline for your specific program.

Getting started on your off-campus study journey:

DECIDE ON YOUR PROGRAM

The first step is deciding where you want to go! Here are some resources to help you decide which of our 300 programs you want to go on:

  • Visit the Off-Campus Study Library (Martha Miller Center room 109) to pick up brochures about our programs and to chat with a Peer Advisor (a student who has studied off-campus in the past). The Off-Campus Study Library is open Monday – Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.
  • Set up an appointment with an Off-Campus Study Advisor or Peer Advisor to explore programs best suited to your goals and your academic needs. Email offcampusstudy@hope.edu to set up an appointment.
  • Explore our student blogs and our Instagram page to see where our students are currently studying and to learn about their experiences. Sign up to get connected to a Global Ambassador to ask questions from a student who has been off-campus. 
  • Attend one of our events, like the Off-Campus Study Fair which happens once per semester. You’ll get to meet representatives from our off-campus study providers and learn more about your options. 
Visit travel.hope.edu to explore all of Hope’s program options and read more about each opportunity.
MEET WITH AN OFF-CAMPUS STUDY ADVISOR

Our off-campus study advisors are here to help you through the study abroad process. Click on the links below to set up an appointment with one of our advisors:

PLAN YOUR CLASSES

As you decide on where you want to study, it’s important to plan what classes you’ll take while off-campus. 


Anchor Plan Requirements:
The following courses are Anchor Plan courses most commonly found on an off-campus program. We recommend that students look for courses that meet these requirements. 


  • Human Creative Perspectives (ex. Art History, Literature)
  • Arts in Practice
  • Historical or Philosophical Perspectives
  • Social Sciences (2 different disciplines)
  • Global Language 

Courses for Major and Minor

Many students can take classes towards their major/minor requirements while off-campus. Oftentimes, students can take electives towards their major or minor. All classes must be pre-approved by the academic department. 


For majors in the Natural and Applied Sciences, as well as majors like Accounting, Education, Engineering and Social Work, it can be difficult to find courses off-campus that meet their major requirements. This is also true for students on a Pre-Health track. It is generally recommended that these students focus on their Anchor Plan requirements while off-campus. 


For information about your specific academic department, find your department’s webpage and click on the “Off-Campus Study” tab on the left side. You can also reach out to your academic advisor or the Global Champion liaison from your academic department for tips on planning your courses. 

MEET WITH YOUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR

As you’re deciding on your program and classes, meet with your academic advisor to talk about your off-campus study plans. For students planning to do one or two semesters off-campus, we recommend mapping out your four-year plan to determine when is the best time for your major to study off-campus. You’re your academic advisor, discuss which courses you plan to take off-campus and how this program suits your academic needs.

For resources for your major, visit your Academic department’s webpage and look for the “Off-Campus Study” tab.

UNDERSTAND COSTS AND CHECK YOUR FINANCIAL AID STATUS

Make sure you are informed about how finances and billing work for an off-campus study program. Use this budget worksheet to understand the costs associated with your program.

Check in with the Financial Aid office to understand how your aid package will apply towards an off-campus study program. Most Hope students can use their financial aid for up to two semesters off-campus, but not for summer programs. Contact the Financial Aid office to understand how your specific aid package would apply.

GET YOUR PASSPORT READY

Have you checked when your passport expires? If you’re participating in an international program, your passport needs to be valid for at least six months after your travel dates. It's never too early to apply for a passport, as they can take up to 11 weeks to process. For more information about how to apply for a passport or renew your passport, visit the City of Holland’s website or the US State Department website. 

COMPLETE YOUR OFF-CAMPUS STUDY APPLICATION

After determining which program you’d like to go on, complete Hope’s Off-Campus Study Application by the application deadline: 

  • Fall and Academic Year: March 15
  • Spring: October 15
  • May/June/July Term: Typically between October–January. 

Visit travel.hope.edu to start your application. Once you select your program, click the "Apply" button on that page to start the process. 

Watch a video tutorial on how to start an application for a semester program and this video tutorial on starting an application for a May, June, or July term.

COMPLETE YOUR PROGRAM-SPECIFIC APPLICATION

Once you’ve been approved by Hope to study off-campus, your next step is to complete the program application on your provider’s website (not applicable for May/June/July Term applicants). Each program provider has a different application and requirements, as well as its own deadline. Please note that some programs may have deadlines earlier than Hope’s off-campus study deadlines. It’s crucial that you complete your application materials on time in order to be considered for your program.

PREPARE FOR YOUR PROGRAM

Once you’re accepted by your program to study off-campus, you’re responsible for your preparation and next steps. Read every last detail of the materials your program sends you and respond to their requests in a timely manner. Failure to do so may mean that you will miss important deadlines concerning deposits, courses, housing, or visas. Find more information about how to get ready to go on your program.

FINANCES AND BILLING

Every student who studies off-campus should be aware of the costs and billing procedures associated with studying off-campus. Please inform your family of the costs associated with your program and the billing processes. Be sure you and your family know the amount of money to expect on a bill. If you have questions, you can contact the Center for Global Engagement or Business Services.

SEMESTER PROGRAMS
    • Financial Aid 
      • Semester-long programs: Hope College students are eligible to use their financial aid package for up to two semesters off-campus. Occasionally there are instances where a student’s scholarships and aid don’t apply towards a semester off-campus.
      • Tuition waiver students: If you are on a tuition waiver, please note that tuition waivers only apply to certain off-campus study programs. Please refer to the off-campus study page financial aid for more information about which programs this includes.
      • Check in with the Financial Aid Office: We recommend that all students check in with the Financial Aid office to understand how your aid package will apply towards an off-campus study program. 
    • Tuition, Housing, & Food Costs
      • Tuition: You will be charged the Hope College tuition rate for a full-time student (unless your program’s tuition is greater than Hope’s, in which case the program’s tuition will be charged). You will pay your tuition directly to Hope College.
      • Housing & Food: Your housing and food (meal plan) costs will come directly from your program provider, so they will not appear on your Hope College invoice. You must pay those directly to the program provider. Costs will vary based on the options available for your specific program and your choice of housing.
      • You may be asking why the charges are assessed this way. First, the entire time you are studying off-campus, you are earning Hope College credit. Your Hope College transcript will note the name of the program in which you were enrolled, list the courses you took, and the grades you earned. Second, Hope College allows students to take their financial aid package with them on semester/academic year off-campus programs to the point of exporting your tuition dollars directly to other programs and colleges. The practice of charging a college’s own tuition costs for off-campus programs is common among colleges similar to Hope.
  • Additional Costs
      • Students participating in a semester off-campus will be charged the “International Program Fee” by Hope College. This is the same amount as the “Activity and Services” fee students are charged during a semester on-campus.
      • There are a number of additional costs associated with studying off-campus, such as airfare, insurance, passport application, visa application, textbooks, cell phone, local transportation, meals, and other day-to-day living expenses. These expenses will be paid either directly to your program provider or out of pocket. Please visit your program provider’s webpage for cost estimates on these additional costs.
    • Resources for Planning
      • You may find this budget worksheet helpful as you determine the cost of the program.
  • Hope College Billing 
    • Once you have registered for your off-campus program, you will receive a tuition bill from Hope College Business Services (similar to the process used for all other semesters at Hope).
    • If you are studying off-campus for the entire academic year, you will be billed for each semester separately.
    • If you and/or your family typically participate in a Payment Plan, you can enroll online for this option. You will be billed monthly for the tuition portion of your program cost.
  • If you pay your bill and later receive an adjusted bill, this is because Hope College did not have the current tuition rates for your program when Business Services mailed your bill. Should this be the case, it may be necessary to make an adjustment to your student account after the college received an actual invoice reflecting the tuition charge from your program.
  • Program Provider Billing 
    • Once you have been admitted to your program, you will receive a letter of confirmation from the program sponsor, along with an acceptance package of material particular to your program. To confirm your place in the program, you will be requested to send a non-refundable deposit directly to the program. This is your responsibility. You will normally have a period of two–three weeks in which to send this deposit. That deposit money will then be credited toward other program charges.
    • Additional expenses charged by your program (e.g., health insurance, housing, airfare, etc.) are your responsibility and will not appear on your Hope College bill. Review your program’s charges as detailed on the provider’s website to see what other costs are involved in your program.
SUMMER PROVIDER PROGRAMS
  • “Summer Provider Programs” refers to summer programs led by a Hope-approved study abroad provider such as CIEE, College Year in Athens, IES Abroad, SIT Study Abroad, TEAN, etc. 
  • Financial Aid: 
    • Typically, a student’s scholarship package does not apply towards a summer program. Students are able to use Pell Grants and student loans towards a summer program. 
  • Tuition, Housing, & Food Costs
    • Each program provider works differently in how they bill summer programs. Some bill the tuition through Hope College, while others have you pay your tuition, housing, and food (meal plan) costs directly to the program provider. Please check in with your program provider and Hope’s Business Services office for more details. 
  • Additional Costs
    • There are a number of additional costs associated with studying off-campus, such as airfare, insurance, passport application, visa application, textbooks, cell phone, local transportation, meals, and other day-to-day living expenses. These expenses will be paid either directly to your program provider or out of pocket. Please visit your program provider’s webpage for cost estimates on these additional costs.
MAY, JUNE, OR JULY TERMS
    • Financial Aid: 
    • Cost
      • The cost for May, June, or July terms vary by location and program. You can find costs for specific programs listed on travel.hope.edu. This includes the tuition, program fee, room & board, and an airfare estimate. Students will pay this directly to Hope College. 
  • Billing
    • A non-refundable deposit is due to Business Services in mid-January ($100 for domestic programs; $300 for international programs). 
    • 50% of the balance is due in mid-March.
    • The remaining balance for your program is due by the end of April. 

Scholarships for Off-Campus Study

Since 2016, Hope students have received over $1,000,000 in scholarships and grants for off-campus study from Hope College and from our program providers. 

Many students who study off-campus are eligible to apply for scholarships or additional financial aid to help make study more affordable. There are study abroad scholarships available through Hope College, through our program providers, and through other organizations. 

If you are selected to receive a program scholarship, it is important to report those scholarships and the additional expenses for your semester to the Financial Aid office. The Center for Global Engagement will forward notices of scholarships to the Financial Aid office. The Financial Aid office will review your aid package to determine if it will be necessary to adjust other aid in your package (contingent on the regulations and policies governing the aid you are receiving). If this is necessary, they will make every effort to first reduce your least desirable forms of aid (loans and employment).

For more information about how your financial aid might be impacted by receiving additional aid, reach out to the Financial Aid office.

 

Hope College Study Abroad Scholarships

  • INTERNATIONAL MAY/JUNE/JULY SCHOLARSHIP

    • Eligibility: Students participating in an international May, June, or July term (other than Vienna Summer School*) with high or very high financial need. 
    • Description: The International May/June/July Term Scholarship is an award providing tuition assistance to students with high or very high financial need. Students must be in good academic and behavioral standing with the college and plan on participating in a Hope College-sponsored international May/June/July term. A committee of administrators will review student applications for the award. The committee consults with the Office of Financial Aid to determine which applicants meet the criteria stated above to determine student financial need.
    • Scholarship Application Due Date: December 1. The faculty leader of your program will email you a link for applying to the scholarship.
    • *Applicants for the Vienna Summer School should instead contact the VSS faculty leader to learn about scholarship opportunities.

    STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIP SEMESTER/ACADEMIC YEAR

    • Eligibility: Students participating in an international semester-long program or international academic year. 
    • Description: The Study Abroad Scholarship is an award providing assistance to students with financial need. Applicants must be in good academic and behavioral standing with Hope and plan on participating in an officially approved off-campus program for a semester or academic year.
    • Scholarship Application Due Dates: October 23 for spring programs; April 15 for fall and academic year programs. Students will be emailed a link to apply for this scholarship after they have been approved to study off-campus.

    MICHAEL B. PETROVICH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

    • Eligibility: Students participating in a semester-long program or academic year, and who will spend all or part of the study period in central or eastern Europe (including Russia and the states of the former Soviet Union) (first preference) or western Europe (second preference). 
    • Description: The Michael B. Petrovich Memorial Scholarship aids students who plan to spend a semester or year studying abroad, and who will spend all or part of the study period in central or eastern Europe including Russia and the states of the former Soviet Union (first preference) or western Europe (second preference). The recipient will be chosen according to the following criteria: academic achievement, place of study and travel, and financial need. Students must select an official Hope approved program and should have already completed their Hope Off-Campus Study application..
    • Deadline: April 15 for a program starting the following fall semester and October 15 for a program starting the following spring semester.
Scholarships through Program Providers
  • CIEE Scholarships - CIEE offers both merit-based and need-based scholarship opportunities. In 2022-2023, the average Hope student received about $1,000 in scholarships. 
  • College Year in Athens Scholarships - CYA offers a number of need-based scholarships, as well as awards to classics or history majors. 
  • IES Scholarships and Aid - Through IES’s High Impact Aid Commitment, students are awarded scholarships in a transparent application process, and you’ll hear back within 5 days. Scholarships are awarded based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in your FAFSA. Learn more about IES’s High Impact Aid Commitment and see how much you could be awarded.
  • Japan Study: Waseda University Scholarships - Japan Study offers opportunities for students planning to study on their program for an academic year or who are planning to live with a host family. 
  • Organization for Tropical Studies Funding Opportunities - OTS offers a number of scholarships for students participating in their programs. 
  • SIT Scholarships and Financial Aid - Students on SIT programs can earn anywhere from $500 to $5,000 through need-based scholarships. 
  • TEAN Scholarships & Financial Aid - TEAN offers a number of merit-based and need-based scholarships, as well as scholarship opportunities through their partner universities. Students generally receive between $1,000 - $5,000 in scholarships. *Hope students receive an automatic $500 discount.
Other Study Abroad Scholarships

GENERAL STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS

  • Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships
    • Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program - Scholarships of up to $5,000 awarded to U.S. citizens receiving a Federal Pell Grant and planning to study abroad. 
    • Critical Need Language Supplement – Students who apply and are awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship are eligible to apply for an additional $3,000 for the study of a critical need language. These include the study of Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Russian and Korean. View a complete list of languages.
    • Gilman-McCain Scholarship - Students who have a family member who served in the active military are eligible for a $5,000 award towards their study abroad program. 
    • STEM Supplemental Award - Students who apply and are awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship are eligible to apply for an additional $1,000 for a STEM-related research project as part of their program.
  • Boren Awards - Scholarships awarded to US citizens planning to do a semester or summer program overseas outside of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Language study must be a core component of the program, with preference given to the languages and countries listed on their website. 
  • Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador - $500 stipend given to students from diverse backgrounds who are studying abroad and commit to documenting their experience abroad and representing Diversity Abroad.
  • Fund for Education Abroad - Scholarships awarded to U.S. citizens/residents studying abroad for a semester or summer term who demonstrate financial need, specifically for students of color, 1st generation college students, or students who have transferred from a community college. 
  • The Going Abroad Scholarship - $1,500 award given to citizens/residents or the US to use toward a semester abroad. 
  • Jack’s Travel Grant - $500 given to a student studying abroad and planning to participate in a project as outlined on their website. 
  • Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship - $1,000 given to a US citizen/resident planning to study abroad

SCHOLARSHIPS BY STUDY ABROAD LOCATION

OTHER SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES 

Hope CollegeCenter for Global Engagement

Martha Miller Center257 Columbia AvenueRoom 107Holland, MI 49423

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