Study Abroad For Liberal Arts Students
Tips:
- There is a wide variety of liberal arts coursework abroad which means you will need to spend some time narrowing down your program choices. Thinking about your priorities in choosing a program (level of cultural immersion, program cost, language of instruction and location) will help you settle on a good program fit. A study abroad advisor can help you determine your priorities.
- The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Global Opportunity (GO) Grant is available for all CLA majors/double majors - an automatic $500 grant to study abroad (must meet study abroad eligibility requirements).
Resources:
CLA Study Abroad Info Sheet: This sheet highlights major/college-specific study abroad information, such as the best time to go and popular programs.
- If you’re interested in one of the programs highlighted, log in to the Compass (application database), click on the ‘Search Programs’ tab, and type the program name in the keyword box to learn more and start an application.
- Don’t see a program you’re interested in on the sheet? Do a Compass search to expand your options (choose your field of study from the drop-down list).
CLA Study Abroad Pathway - Developed by CLA to help students in each major identify an ideal time to study abroad. If the suggested time frame for your major doesn’t work for you, work with your academic and study abroad advisors to determine an alternative time frame.
Modern Languages Info. Sheets - Highlights language-specific study abroad programs for Modern Languages majors and students doing a minor or immersion in a language.
Japanese
Chinese
Spanish
French
Faculty-Led Programs:
The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) offers faculty-led study abroad programs designed, developed, and led by CLA faculty. The travel portion of these programs is usually shorter in length (between one to five weeks), taking place over summer, winter break, or spring break. Upcoming faculty-led programs that are a good fit for CLA majors.
| Activism and Social Movements in Brazil | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Spring 2025 course, followed by early summer travel | Contact faculty director Joel Gallegos Greenwich jgggla@rit.edu |
| International Entrepreneurship, Italian Language & Culture | Rome, Genoa, Milan & Torino, Italy | Spring 2025 course, followed by early summer travel | Contact faculty director Elisabetta D'Amanda exdgla@rit.edu |
| International Entrepreneurship, Latin American Spanish Language & Culture | Lima & Cusco, Peru | Spring 2025 course, followed by early summer travel | Contact faculty director Sara Aremengot seagsl@rit.edu |
| International Entrepreneurship, Chinese Language & Culture | Taipei, Taiwan | Spring 2025 course, followed by early summer travel | Contact faculty director Jerrie Hsieh jhsieh@saunders.edu |
| Spanish in the Dominican Republic | Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic | Spring 2025 course, spring break travel | Contact faculty director Godys Armengot gaagsl@rit.edu |
| World Building Based on Historical Worlds | Madrid, Spain |
Summer travel, followed by a fall 2025 course in Rochester |
Contact faculty director Trent Hergenrader wthgsl@rit.edu |
| Transnational Workshop: Digital Creation Beyond the Screen | Paris, France | Summer | Contact faculty director Laura Shackelford lxsgla@rit.edu |
| Ireland's Culture and Society | Waterford, Ireland | Summer | Contact faculty director Tony Smith trsgcj@rit.edu |
Study Abroad Scholarships for Liberal Arts Students:
- CLA Global Opportunity (GO) Grant - an automatic $500 grant to study abroad for all CLA majors/double majors (must meet study abroad eligibility requirements).
- CLA Student Travel Fund - grants up to $750 may be awarded to CLA majors to help fund a study abroad program
- RIT Education Abroad Travel Grant - Available for RIT Global Campus, Faculty-Led, and Exchange programs ($500-$1,000). Students are automatically considered for this funding if you have a pending application in the RIT study abroad Compass for an eligible program. Awards are based on financial need.
- Honors students are eligible for a $500 travel grant to study abroad.
- Other featured study abroad scholarships - keep in mind that scholarship deadlines are often early, so it’s best to investigate these early in your study abroad application process.
- RIT Study Abroad Scholarships - RIT college and department scholarships that can support a study abroad program of your choice
- National Study Abroad Scholarships - Nationally competitive scholarships that fund a study abroad program of your choice.
- Funded Programs - Competitive international programs to study, research, learn a language, or intern abroad that are mostly or fully funded.
CLA Global Ambassadors
Study Abroad Global Ambassadors are returned CLA study abroad students who can answer any questions you may have from a student perspective – feel free to reach out to them via email or social media.
| Kaylee Hubbard | International & Global Studies | Chinese Language and East Asian Studies (CIEE) | keh8131@rit.edu |
Additional International Opportunities
These highlighted international programs and fellowships include options for undergraduate students or after-graduation opportunities.
- Critical Language Scholarship - Funding for an 8-10 week summer study abroad opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America’s engagement with the world.
- Boren Awards - A scholarship program for U.S. undergraduate students to help fund a language-intensive study abroad program for a semester or summer abroad.
- Fulbright Fellowship (U.S. Student Program) - funding for upcoming or recent graduates to go to grad school, teach English, or complete an independent research project abroad.
Contact Jenny Sullivan (jenny.sullivan@rit.edu), Director of Education Abroad, for more information on these opportunities and to assist you in the application process.
Search for more fellowship opportunities at fellowships@rit.edu