UT Student giving hook em sign in front of Asian lake

Semester Programs

If you want a fully immersive, life-changing experience, a semester study abroad program is the best choice. A semester allows you to engage more deeply with another culture, build relationships with the people, fully discover new places, improve your foreign language skills and more.

Start by exploring your choices below and follow this Explore Checklist.

Exchange Programs

Exchange programs are among the most affordable because students pay regular UT tuition, a $500 administrative fee, plus the cost of living in country. Your grades are computed into your official UT-Austin GPA, just as they would be for grades earned on campus. UT has more than 130 exchange partners around the world, so your options are limitless. You can study alongside local and international students in courses that count toward your major, minor or certificate program requirements.

Most exchange programs are full service options offering housing support, student buddy or partnership programs and cultural excursions.

Affiliated Programs

Affiliated semester programs are those coordinated by our partners around the world as part of our effort to provide a greater variety of programs to UT students. Students pay a comprehensive program fee to the affiliate and a $600 administrative fee to UT Austin. Each Affiliated program is different; some include service-learning components, internship options, courses in English and various scholarships and payment plans. Students with advanced language skills may take university courses at an associated university with students from the host country.

Internships

You could spend a summer interning abroad, but why not make the most of your international professional experience by taking a semester to build long-lasting corporate connections, learn or improve your professional proficiency in a foreign language and develop skills for success in a global economy? We help arrange working positions for students, often as part of a credit-bearing study abroad program. We offer internships through both exchange and affiliated programs. You can choose a full-time internship placement or take courses that complement a part-time internship placement. Credit and costs for internships vary based on location and the placement organization.

Faculty-Led Programs

While most of our faculty-led programs are a May term or summer program, we offer a semester-long faculty-led programs as well.

Normandy Scholars Program

The Normandy Scholar Program's (NSP) academic focus is the Second World War. The NSP brings together each spring semester about 20 students from different backgrounds and different majors who take the same courses, share the same challenges, travel together in May with the NSP faculty, and form a community of friends whose bonds last a lifetime.

Independent Study and Research

If you're interested in conducting in-depth research abroad or designing your own study abroad semester experience, there's a special registration category for you: Independent Study and Research (ISR). Independent Study and Research students are subject to special requirements for registration, credit, costs and more. This status is non-credit bearing. Students registered in this category are not eligible for federal, state or institutional loans processed by the UT Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. ISR registration cost is $600 per semester.

Non-UT Programs

If you want to participate in a program not offered by UT or one of our partners, you must follow these requirements for credit and program evaluation:

  1. Complete the Non-UT Pre-departure Form prior to departure to determine credit transferability. 
  2. Complete an Application for Readmission to UT in order to re-enroll upon return. Students who participate in a non-UT program will be taking a leave of absence if abroad for fall or spring. As long as the student leaves in good standing (min 2.5 GPA) there will not be any problem re-enrolling.
  3. Inform your college or school's advising office (in the office of student affairs or dean's office) that you will be taking a leave of absence. 
  4. Contact any scholarship sponsors and/or the UT Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Many non-UT programs are not eligible for federal financial aid. If you need loans to study abroad you should check on this first.

Please email educationabroad@austin.utexas.edu with questions about non-UT programs.