Study Away

Roanoke College offers many study away opportunities that allow students to earn academic credit while studying away from the Roanoke College campus. Students may select from approved academic year, semester, summer, or 3-week intensive learning programs. Students select from among the approved programs and the Office of Global Engagement helps them work toward getting their transfer credit approved.

The Office of Global Engagement maintains a live, updated list of approved Study Away programs on the Global Engagement website. (link:https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/international_office/global_engagement_office)

Approved Study Away opportunities at Roanoke College come in many forms, which can be categorized by length of time away from campus: three-week Intensive Learning travel courses led by Roanoke College faculty each May; four- to six-week summer programs, semester-long programs, and programs that last an entire academic year.

Approved Versus Unapproved Study Away Opportunities

Roanoke College students are encouraged to participate in the collection of carefully vetted study away programs approved by the Office of Global Engagement. These programs, providers, and exchange schools have been selected for their broad academic offerings, their affordability, their support networks offered to students, and following in-depth return interviews with previous students.

For approved semester-long programs, students are encouraged to apply for a Roanoke College travel scholarship. These are endowed funds gifted to the College specifically to support meritorious students in their study away ambitions.

The Study Away process also connects students through the Office of Global Engagement to other like-minded students, increasing global awareness networking and offering unique internship opportunities.

Roanoke College students are free to search out their own Study Away opportunities, keeping in mind the following restrictions that will apply:

1. Students must withdraw from the College.

2. No institutional or Federal aid may apply for that abroad semester.

3. Roanoke College Study Away Scholarships will not be awarded for use during an unapproved program.

4. Students may only transfer up to 2 units of credit towards the major, minor or concentration.

5. No general education (INQ) credit may be transferred.

6. Students do not pay the study away administrative fee but also do not receive administrative support from the Office of Global Engagement regarding the application, course transfer procedures, and travel logistics.

7. Study abroad commencement sashes are not offered to students who participated in unapproved programs.

Benefits of Attending Approved Programs

Roanoke College students are encouraged to participate in the collection of carefully vetted study away programs approved by the Office of Global Engagement. These programs, providers, and exchange schools have been selected for their broad academic offerings, their affordability, their support networks offered to students, and based on in-depth return interviews with previous students.

Students who wish to study away on a Roanoke College approved program must be in good academic standing for their classification at the time of application and prior to departure. Students should be aware that all study away programs have their own GPA requirements. Students must maintain full-time status prior to and during the term away.

Study Away Transfer Credit

Students must seek approval for their planned coursework in advance from their department chair (or program coordinator), the Office of Global Engagement, and the Registrar. Before requesting such approval, students should consult with their academic advisor and the Office of Global Engagement for assistance with course selections. If approved courses are unexpectedly unavailable after arriving at the study abroad site, students must contact the Office of Global Engagement and their academic advisor immediately to seek approval for replacement courses.

Alternatively, students can seek approval after a program has ended, when they should bring back to their department chairs or program coordinators any textbooks, syllabi, and graded coursework so that the course can be evaluated for transferability, understanding that transfer of credit is not guaranteed for any course that has not been pre-approved To receive transfer credit, students must receive a grade equivalent to “C- “or higher to receive transfer credit. Transfer grades do not appear on the Roanoke College transcript and are not included in the calculation of grade point average. Credit may be granted in the major, minor, concentration, general education, or for elective credit.

Note that Linking Lives offers Roanoke College courses and so are not considered transfer credit.

Inquiries regarding any of these policies or procedures should be addressed to the Office of Global Engagement.