Study Abroad - Acceptances - How Decisions Are Made

Study abroad at the University of Delaware is competitive. Students must have at least a 2.0 GPA at the time of applying in order to be considered for a program, although the minimum GPA required for acceptance is often much higher. Students must complete an application, receive a recommendation, and pay a $300 initial deposit by the application deadline to officially "complete the application process."

For our Winter/Summer programs, the individual faculty directors make acceptance decisions. As they will live and work with the students 24/7 once abroad, they are best equipped to select the students for their group. Some faculty heavily weigh GPA and academic year (giving preference to Seniors/Juniors who may not have another opportunity to go abroad). Others heavily consider judicial violations (only taking students with clean records). Some interview everyone and some do not. Some interview in groups to look for student cohesion, while others look for an overall balance in majors, backgrounds, etc. Some weigh your attendance at interest meetings. This differs by program - there is no one clear set of procedures. If you have questions about acceptance criteria, they should be directed to the faculty director.

For our Spring/Fall programs, CFIS Program Coordinators make acceptance decisions. They heavily weigh GPA, judicial record and interview, with some consideration going to academic year. Depending on the site and program, students may be evaluated on language ability, past course work and major/minor requirements.

If you are not accepted to a program, we encourage you to move your application/deposit to another program offered the same term (just send an email to studyabroad@udel.edu with your request). Otherwise, your deposit will be refunded to your UD student account roughly 2-3 weeks after acceptances have been announced. You can monitor your UD account by logging into UDSIS. Once the funds are posted, click on the "financial" links within UDSIS to request a check or a direct deposit to your bank account.

Remember that conditions change from year to year. Although a specific program may be offered every year, it may be directed by different faculty, with different opinions and processes for considering students. Also, competition may differ dramatically between years. A new, uncompetitive program offered in your Sophomore year may have three-times the number applicants for your Senior year. What holds one year is not necessarily applicable in the next.

Due to the increasing level of competition for study abroad, we offer these recommendations:

1. Plan ahead, and apply early. As programs fill, they often close early. Waiting until the posted deadline may mean that you miss the opportunity to apply.
2. Attend interest meetings and speak with the faculty director or Program Coordinator personally. Interest meetings are the best way to learn the details about a program, and a good chance to ask questions.
3. If you have concerns about your eligibility for a program, speak with the faculty director or Program Coordinator in advance. Ask for the criteria which they consider most important. Apply for programs which are a good fit academically.
4. Work hard and keep your record clean. Almost all faculty heavily consider GPA and judicial records. Students in strong academic standing and with no behavioral violations are more likely to be accepted.