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Study Abroad Opportunities

Beyond the classroom

The Department and the University strongly encourage all students of foreign language to study abroad, both to improve their linguistic skills and to benefit from the experience of living in another culture. To permit students at virtually any level to participate, the Department sponsors a number of programs abroad, in France, Italy, Spain, and Chile. Students can select programs for summer, semester, or year-long study that award Washington University degree credits. Some of the programs are specialized and intended for students in Spanish and Business or French and pre-med. On the graduate level, the Department participates in two exchange programs based in Paris. Full information on any of these programs is available from the Department.

 

Funding your travel

International Scholarships

There are Washington University scholarships and national scholarships specifically available for students who are planning to study, research, work, and volunteer abroad. Each scholarship has unique requirements that may focus on financial need, academic excellence, non-traditional destinations and underrepresented groups. We highly recommend you apply to ALL scholarships for which you are eligible and plan ahead.

Scholarship Listings

Study Abroad Finances

Study Abroad is an investment and planning ahead is an important component of the study abroad experience, especially when it comes to finances. Not only should students understand the educational costs of a program, but they should also anticipate the other costs that will be associated with their travel.

travel abroad costs & information

Study Abroad Options

The College of Arts and Sciences Overseas Program provides a variety of study abroad options of specific interest to students studying French, Italian, or Spanish. For a general overview of semester and academic-year study abroad programs, visit the College of Arts & Sciences Overseas Programs homepage.

Overseas Programs Information

Programs

The Department of Romance Languages & Literatures has the following study abroad programs:

French

  • Toulouse: (semester or academic year through Dickinson College. See Washington University's requirements here.
  • Paris: (semester or academic year, for French Internship, through Middlebury School. See Washington University's requirements here.
  • The French Summer Language Institute in Paris will be taking place in Summer 2025. Please refer to the French SLI website for more details.
  • The WU Healthcare in France Program will take place in Nice in Summer 2025. See the program requirements here.
  • The Dakar program, in conjunction with African and African-American Studies, operates in even-numbered years. See the description and requirements here. 

Italian

  • Bologna Consortial Studies Program (BCSP):  For students studying Italian at WashU, BCSP provides a full immersion, language focused study abroad program in Bologna, a dynamic city in northern Italy internationally known for its ancient, prestigious university and vibrant student scene.
  • Rome: The IES Rome Summer Language & Culture Program offers beginning to advanced language courses taught by expert faculty trained in second language acquisition. 

Spanish

  • Santiago, Chile: The Washington University Program in Chile offers students an exciting opportunity to study for one semester or one year at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC). Founded in 1888, the PUC is a leading institution in Chile in many fields of undergraduate and graduate education.
  • Madrid, Spain: Washington University Semester Programs in Madrid, Spain: Students have two university options for WU semester programs (Fall/Spring) in Madrid: the Autónoma University or Carlos III University. Students will apply to the program best suited to their specializations in Spanish and another discipline after consultation with the WU Program in Spain program adviser in Overseas Programs. For more details, please refer to the WUSTL Global Opportunities website
  • Washington University Spanish Summer Language Institute in Madrid, Spain: The Spanish Language Institute in Madrid will be taking place in Summer 2025. Please refer to the Madrid SLI website for details.

Latin American Studies

  • The Peru Andean Studies Program through Washington University in St. Louis's Latin American Studies Program and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, offers students a Spanish language immersion experience complete with excursions to sites like Cusco, Machu Picchu, Colca Canyon, museums, and more.

Washington University students who might instead be considering applying to a program run by another university or organization should be aware that the credit earned there is not necessarily transferable to Washington University's degree program.

Other Summer Programs

French

  • Nice (Summer, for pre-med students)
  • Dakar, Senegal (French and African Studies Summer Program)   
    The summer program to Senegal, West Africa is designed for students who want to build their conversational French language skills, learn more about Francophone West Africa, and experiment with field research.

Latin American Studies

  • Summer Program in Yucatan (Mexico) An engaging 5-week program based in Merida, Mexico. Students on this program immerse themselves in the distinctive culture of Yucatan through coursework, guided excursions, a homestay with a local family, and other cultural activities.

Contact Us

Have questions about studying abroad or wondering which program might be a good fit for you? 

Contact us for more information