Academics, Off-Campus Study

Housing, Off-Campus Study

Early Planning, Off-Campus Study

Financial Aid & Scholarships, Off-Campus Study

Whatever your field of study — from elementary education to engineering — you have the opportunity to study off-campus during your time at Hope College. Participating in off-campus study is an incredibly valuable part of a well-rounded liberal arts education. Whether you choose to study off-campus for a year, a semester, a summer program or a Hope-led May/June/July term, you’ll return better equipped to lead and serve in our global society.

Explore

Explore the over 300 off-campus programs available to Hope students in countries all around the world.

Start exploring 

Apply

Are you ready to apply to study off-campus? Click here to find information on applications, financial aid and scholarships and planning tools.

Apply today 

Go

It looks like you’re ready to begin your trip — congratulations! Check out our off-campus handbook and the resources we’ve accumulated to aid in your trip planning and travel. Get ready to go.

Get ready to go 

Reflect

Once you’re back from your trip off-campus, make sure to take the time to reflect on your studies and experiences, and then share them with the community here! Learn about unique opportunities for returning study-abroad students.

Learn about unique opportunities for returning study-abroad students 

Why Study Off-Campus?

TO GAIN NEW SKILLS

According to research from NAFSA, students who study abroad demonstrate measurable gains in five critical life skills

• Broad and strategic thinking
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Organization and time management
• Problem solving and crisis management
• Independence, self reliance and responsibility

TO FURTHER YOUR CAREER

Research from IES Abroad found that participating in study abroad programs may increase your likelihood of being accepted to graduate school, hireability and even your starting salary.

TO OPEN UP FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

90% of Hope grads who’ve gone on to be Fulbright Scholars studied abroad during their college career. Similarly, of the more than 337 Hope grads that have served in the Peace Corp since 1961, nearly all studied off-campus while at Hope.

What Students Are Saying

Santiago, Dominican Republic

“Studying abroad was one of the more valuable experience of my college career. During my time in the Dominican Republic, I encountered an unfamiliar place, culture and people. But my new experiences also helped me gain a new perspective on myself. I came home with an elevated sense of confidence in my abilities, a broadened worldview and a greater understanding of my place in the world.”
—Daniel Schriemer, Santiago, Dominican Republic: Liberal Arts, CIEE

Border Studies

“I had never felt more engaged in my education than during my semester off-campus. I learned to put my education into action while forming deep relationships with passionate teachers, students, mentors and activists from various parts of the world. My study abroad experience also helped me develop greater courage, love and respect in my engagements with other people and places.”
—Claudia Armijo, Border Studies Program

 Valparaíso, Chile

“My semester abroad was a wild and beautiful ride that tried and blessed me in every way. One of the simplest, yet craziest, parts about studying abroad is that we were not traveling, not touring, but just living our lives. Going to school, hanging with friends and family, laying on the beach. We didn't have intense itineraries — if something didn't work out we just went the next day, or week or month. We took care of ourselves, we built relationships, we balanced our time, we settled in. We started to become part of the culture, and to really let it become part of us. It wasn't just a place we were vacationing, it was the place we lived—a home where we went about our day to day life. And for that, I am thankful. I'm thankful to have a place and people that were so hard to leave and so dear to my heart. I rejoice in those mountains and waters and mural-covered streets that beckoned endless wandering, kisses on the cheek from everyone I talked to and Chilean folk music serenading me on the metro. Truly, I am so deeply thankful for that bountiful and blessed season and the people that filled it.”
—Kimberly Collins, Valparaíso, Chile, SIT

Buenos Aires, Argentina

“Figuring out how to study abroad as a pre-med student with three majors requires some serious planning, but it is definitely possible! My experiences studying abroad in the Dominican Republic and Argentina were extremely different, though equally eye-opening and beneficial to my development as a health professional within a largely Hispanic population. Being exposed to such incredible cultures within Latin America has only further fueled my drive to improve my speaking fluency, and I am very excited to see the doors the language opens for me in the future!”
—Parker Bussies, Buenos Aires, Argentina, CIEE

Rennes, France

“Studying abroad for a semester in France completely changed my life. The best advice before I went was to take the time abroad to follow for once, rather than to try to lead. In doing so, you are completely able to put yourself aside, put yourself in someone else's worldview, way of life, language and culture, and be forever transformed by learning from those that are different from you. It is not at all just about having the travel bug; instead, it is about taking a risk, embracing each moment of your precious time abroad, and coming back with a confidence you never thought you could uncover within yourself. In learning about others, you become that much more empowered to live out your own calling and embrace your own identity, further shaped by your international experience.”
—Susan Haigh, Rennes, France, CIEE

Seville, Spain

“Study abroad gave me the opportunity to greatly improve my Spanish speaking while completely immersing myself in another culture. My host family and the friends I made abroad helped show me a completely different way of living that opened my eyes to aspects of life I had never really seen the importance of before. Through this priceless experience, I saw myself grow more as a person in one semester than I ever thought possible.”
—C.J. Axer, CIEE Business & Society, Sevilla, Spain

Cape Town, South Africa

“Studying abroad at the University of Cape Town, engaging with people from around the globe and participating in a variety of new activities changed my world for the better. I never thought that I would be considering a career abroad but after my Cape Town experience, the world seems to be full of endless possibilities.”
—Mia Townsend, Arts and Sciences: Cape Town, South Africa, CIEE

Amman, Jordan

“My experience in Jordan was one of the most amazing experiences of my lifetime. I studied in Amman, the capital of Jordan, and experienced the richness of the Jordanian culture. I attended classes taught by Jordanians at the University of Jordan and lived in an apartment building with a mix of Jordanians and Americans. I was blessed to attend historical landmarks such as Petra and Madaba, while at the same time traveling to some of the most beautiful cities across the Middle East including Dubai and Muscat. The CIEE office in Jordan was available at all times and was very helpful during all stages of the study abroad process. I would highly recommend the Jordan semester to anyone who is interested in exploring the Biblical homeland and meeting some truly amazing individuals!”
—Ben Foss, Amman, Jordan, CIEE

Yokohama, Japan

“One thing I loved about living abroad was the feeling of discovery even in the mundane. Everyday I had the opportunity to see, eat, hear and experience new things. In Japan, I witnessed a collectivist mentality in the way my fellow Japanese students politely expressed their opinions (or avoided expressing them at all). In the cafeteria at Ferris Jogakuin, I tried to identify what the pink and white spiral tasteless floating intruder in my soup was (processed fish paste of course!) There were times when all of the cultural differences that France and Japan have from America made me uncomfortable, but for the most part, I delighted in observing and experiencing the new.”
—Whitney Yoder, Ferris Jogakuin University in Yokohama, Japan