Students should keep in mind that study abroad at Santa Clara University is competitive during fall, winter, and spring terms. Not every eligible student will be nominated. Applicant nominations are based on the application contents and considerations related to budgets and program limits.
It is a student’s responsibility to read and understand the eligibility requirements for SCU, their specific study abroad program, and the overall application criteria before applying.
Eligibility
Students from all majors are eligible to study off-campus on global programs. Students from the sciences and other underrepresented disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Read: Full List of Eligibility Requirements
**The GPA requirement for individual programs may be higher. Students are expected to meet or exceed Santa Clara University's requirements and that of their proposed program.**
| Programs/Terms | Minimum GPA Needed for Phase 1: SCU Application | Majors/Minors Must Be Declared Prior to Application Submission | # of Quarter Units that must be completed by time of departure |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Summer |
2.75 |
Recommended but not required |
44 Quarter Units |
|
Fall, Winter, Spring |
2.75 |
Yes |
88 Quarter Units |
Application Criteria
The Santa Clara GPA requirement to apply for SCU Study Abroad is 2.75; however individual programs may require a GPA higher than this. To qualify for SCU Study Abroad, students are expected to meet or exceed both Santa Clara's requirement and that of their proposed program.
Students should be prepared to address their how the specific academic program abroad fits with their major/minor and overall academic goals and trajectory.
Academic preparation is demonstrated through significant academic background directly related to the program and country abroad. Students should insure that they have the academic background necessary to pursue the course of study that they propose in the application for SCU Study Abroad. Preparatory courses that pertain directly to the country/culture in which the student proposes to study strengthen a student's application. These could be language courses in the language of the proposed country/region, literature, history, politics of the proposed country/region, etc.
In alignment with SCU's belief in community engagment, students should research the local community abroad and determine realistic and relevant ways to get engaged that extend beyond the program specific opportunites.
Students should demonstrate a strong understanding of potentials challenges that may arise while studying abroad. In addition, students should be prepared to discuss how they plan to overcome these challenges.
There are two application materials students are required to create and submit in their application for a global program to demonstrate academic alignment. These application materials include a general 4 Year Course Plan for Santa Clara University, and a Proposed Academic Plan for each global program the student wishes to be considered for during the application review process.
While developing their Proposed Academic Plans students need to review all major, minor, and language or culture course requirements for global programs on the Course Planning Guidance section of our website. They must incorporate these requirements in their plans.
It is every student's responsibility to meet with their Faculty Advisor to review their 4 Year Course Plan and Proposed Academic Plans prior to submitting an application.
Students must be declared in at least one major prior to submitting their application to study abroad.