Studying at other accredited institutions

Students should have:

• A recommended cumulative and major GPA of 3.2; additional GPA requirements may apply to individual programs
• Completed at least one year at Vassar
• Declared a major prior to submitting an application
• Submitted a petition for domestic study away

Additional requirements may apply to individual programs. It is the student's responsibility to be sure they are aware of the requirements and have met them prior to submitting an application.

Students applying to study away should work closely with their major advisor to determine an academic plan and proposed coursework that is an integral part of their Vassar education, whether within or outside of their major. The application deadline for domestic study away is the first Monday of December in the year prior to participation.

If you are applying for any other program, you will need to consult the host institution for their application timing and deadlines. You will likely be required to submit a secondary application directly to the host institution; you are responsible for submitting your application and communicating your standing with the program to Vassar. All further arrangements are handled by you and the host college directly. You may be required to pay a nonrefundable deposit.

• First Monday of December: Deadline for submitting petitions and applications for all Domestic Study Away programs for the following academic year to the Committee on Leaves and Privileges
• February: You will receive email letters with the CLP decision for Domestic Study Away.
• April: If you are accepted, you will be asked to submit a Financial Aid Budget Worksheet through the Financial Aid office.

Please consult directly with your program for any additional deadlines.

Petition to for Pre-Approved Domestic Programs

Consult with your major advisor when making course selections, making sure to confirm with him/her which courses are to apply to your major. Your advisor will be contacted by the Assistant Dean of Studies for his or her approval of your course of study.

Vassar College approval will be granted for only those courses listed in your petition and approved by your adviser. You must include official course numbers, names, and credit or quarter hours for each course you list. It is often difficult to adhere to a list of courses compiled far in advance of actually enrolling in your study away program, but students are expected to conform to the spirit of the plans set forth in their petition if they are unable to do so to the letter. Changes to proposed coursework after approval must be communicated in writing and approved by the major advisor and the Assistant Dean of Studies. Pre-professional courses, vocational courses, business courses, physical education courses, internships and ungraded work CANNOT be transferred for Vassar credit. If you are unsure whether a course you select falls into any of the above categories, consult with the Assistant Dean of Studies BEFORE registering for the course.

Once you complete your academic leave, you must make a request to the registrar at the institution you attended to send an electronic transcript of your completed course work to dos@vassar.edu. All courses and grades from your study away program will appear on your Vassar transcript, but only those with grades of "C" or better will be awarded credit. Credit earned during domestic study away counts towards the maximum 9 units of transfer credit. Grades earned during domestic study away are not calculated into your Vassar GPA.

Students applying for programs at other accredited institutions will be placed on an approved academic leave and will be billed directly by their host institution. Vassar institutional financial aid does not travel for those taking academic leaves of absence (LVAs). Federal Financial Aid can be credited toward any domestic study away as long as you are gaining credit from a nationally accredited college or university. You may be asked to complete a Financial Aid Budget Worksheet for Domestic/Exchange Programs before April 20th for Fall LVAs and October 20th for Spring LVAs. Please contact Vassar financial services for further questions on tuition and financial aid.

Housing arrangements and availability will vary based on the individual program. Students are responsible for arranging their housing while on an academic leave. Vassar cannot guarantee a student on a non-exchange program on campus housing.

The Glacier Bay Semester offers an unparalleled opportunity for students to develop as leaders, community members, and global citizens. Based in Southeast Alaska, our program is centered on three pillars: academic work in the liberal arts and sciences, service labor performed in support of the campus and community, and democratic self-governance. 

Small-town community life and wilderness exploration round out this experience. Students will have the chance to fish for wild salmon, learn artisan crafts from skilled neighbors, and climb the rugged alpine summits of Glacier Bay National Park and the Tongass National Forest.

Join us and immerse yourself in the communities and wildlands of Southeast Alaska. 

This program runs from early July to early November.

This program combines full-time academic study in New York City with internships at organizations across a variety of industries in the private, nonprofit and public sectors. Courses are drawn from a range of academic fields and organized into six interdisciplinary pathways that connect traditional academic disciplines and emerging career paths: Advocacy & Social Justice, The Arts, Data Science & Society, Economics & Finance, International Affairs, and Media & Publishing. Students live and learn in Bard College's dormitory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, one Subway stop from Manhattan. Events and activities are held throughout the city over the course of the program to introduce students to what makes New York one of the world's great cities. 

Spend a semester studying science at the world-renowned facilities of the Woods Hole Scientific Community. Students learn state-of-the-art techniques for measuring biogeochemical processes in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and then tackle an independent research project of their choice.

An opportunity to attend New York University for the spring semester and take classes in one of their undergraduate schools. Choose one of eight programs in your field with the flexibility to take one elective outside your approved area of study.

Live a semester as a resident explorer, entrepreneur, environmental scientist, poet, and policy advocate of the Adirondack Park, one of the largest protected landscapes in North America. Become absorbed and committed, and think bigger and work harder than you ever have to create intelligent solutions in a six-million-acre laboratory for wildlife, small-town communities, and recreation enthusiasts alike.

The primary areas of emphasis in the program are Arts, Entrepreneurship, and Urban Studies – students have the opportunity to explore one of these topics in-depth or participate in classwork and projects across these disciplines. The program offers an innovative mix of academic work, including an internship, independent study project, common core course about the city of Chicago, and a variety of seminars focused on the arts and creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, and urban studies and social justice. Students are able to explore the vital issues facing cities and the people who live and work in them while digging deeper to relate these issues to their personal lives, education, and career aspirations.

SEA is an internationally recognized leader in ocean education based in the research community of Woods Hole, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. SEA's multidisciplinary programs provide students with the opportunity to study ocean sciences, marine policy, and blue humanities through immersive experiences in Woods Hole, aboard one of SEA’s tall ships, and/or in coastal communities in the Atlantic or the Pacific. Hands on research is a cornerstone of the SEA experience and takes place on all programs.

The Shape of Two Cities Program is a year-long program of the study of architecture and urban planning and preservation in which students spend half their academic year in New York and the other half in Paris. It attracts students who are interested in art history and architecture, as well as urban planning.

The Trinity La MaMa program is an intensive program that encompasses not only the artistic side of the theater but the practical and administrative side of operating a not for profit cultural institution. The program is based in New York, and students may select an internship from among the city’s brilliant and diverse theatrical and dance institutions.

American University

George Washington University

Washington Semester programs offer students from all over the world the chance to study how policy is made in the nation’s capital. This Program offers students an opportunity to focus their study in one of ten areas of specialization: American Politics, Economic Policy, Foreign Policy, International Business and Trade, International Environment and Development, Journalism, Justice, Peace and Conflict Resolution, American Public Law, and Transforming Communities. In addition to taking seminars in which the guest speakers include notable leaders and policy makers, students may select from an array of internships in their area of interest.