UMass Boston

Study Away Programs & Courses

Program Options

  • Exchange Programs: For Reciprocal Exchange Programs, UMass Boston exchange students pay their tuition and curriculum fee to UMass Boston, not to the host university. Mandatory and other student fees are paid to the host institution. The host institution will assist the student in locating housing and the cost is the student’s responsibility. If you are currently receiving the Chancellor's Scholarship or are studying under the GI Bill and want to receive that funding for your study abroad term, you must go on a semester/ year-long exchange program only. 
  • Faculty-Led Programs: UMass Boston courses are taught by UMass Boston faculty in locations around the world. Our small group, faculty-taught study abroad programs will expose you to an array of diverse peoples, cultures and settings. The programs are custom-designed and taught by experienced UMass Boston faculty. Programs range from 10-days to one-semester in length in a variety of subject areas.
  • UMass System Programs: The University of Massachusetts campuses at Boston, Dartmouth, and Amherst share a number overseas programs in Germany which allows students from any UMass campus to participate in study abroad and international exchange through one of these UMass campuses. 
  • Provider Programs: Specific third-party study abroad companies/organizations (providers) that UMass Boston partners with to offer alternatives to the Reciprocal Exchange Programs. These programs are highly recommended and have maintained reliable services in partnership with UMass Boston's Office of Study Abroad & International Exchange for a number of years. Affiliated Provider Programs offer a reduced fee between $200 and $600 per student depending on a provider and the duration of the program.  
  • Direct Enroll Programs: Students must have a 3.0 GPA; study overseas as an international/visiting student and transfer credits with the approval of UMass Boston. Please see the study abroad office if you have an outside program you are interested in before applying. 
  • National Student Exchange Programs: Semester or year-long programs at nearly 200 member universities in the US, Guam, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, & Canada. For questions, email NSE Coordinator Michael Mahan.

Hear from UMass Boston students on their experiences studying abroad on our blog site.

Programs & Course Options

  •  To search for the programs and course options you must go to the individual website of the program. You can search for programs here: https://viaumassboston.via-trm.com/
    • Once you click on the program page you are interested through the link above, you can scroll to the brochure and links are provided to explore course options at that program. 
  • To get courses pre-approved for transfer (required for all courses), use the Request for Prior Approval for Transfer Credits Study Abroad and follow the instructions listed. 
  • A study abroad advisor can assist you in looking for program options that may work for the courses you need. We do recommended you speak with an academic advisor prior to an appointment so you can get a list of courses you are looking to potentially find abroad. You can schedule an appointment to speak with a study abroad advisor in our office here.

Study Abroad Program Lengths

  • Semester or Year-long: Spend a full semester or academic year abroad. Minimum credits to be taken for a semester is 12 US credits.  
  • Summer Programs**: Earn credits over summer break. Typical programs are between 3-6 weeks and offer between 3-6 credits. 
  • Winter (J-Term) Programs**: Earn credits over winter break. Typical programs are 2-3 weeks and offer 3-4 credits. 
  • Short-Term UMass Boston Faculty-taught programs: UMass Boston courses taught abroad by UMass Boston Faculty. Summer, winter, and semester options available here

** Summer or Winter Programs will not be covered by your regular financial aid you receive for the semester except for the federal Pell Grant which can be used on programs earning 6-credits or more. These programs work the same as taking a summer/winter course at UMass Boston. Please be aware that financial aid will likely not be available to you for these programs. Contact the financial aid office for questions. There are a number of scholarships available for summer/winter programs.

For a guide to the application process and to download forms to submit, please visit the Requirements & Procedures page. 

Exchange Programs (active)

Australian Catholic University (ACU)** (direct enroll possible)

Australia  Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
University of Sunshine Coast (USC) ** (direct enroll possible) Australia  Queensland 
Aarhus University Denmark Aarhus 
Ecole de Management de Normandie France Caen, Le Havre, Paris
Sciences Po University Rennes France Rennes
Universität Mannheim Germany Mannheim
University of Limerick (UL) Ireland Limerick
John Cabot University (JCU)** (direct enroll possible) Italy Rome
Hokkaido University Japan Sapporo
Sophia University** (direct enroll possible) Japan Tokyo 
Soka University* Japan Hachioji, Tokyo
Saitama University Japan Saitama

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México*

Mexico Mexico City
Utrecht University Netherlands Utrecht
Nova School of Business and Economics Portugal Lisbon
Kyung Hee University South Korea Seoul
Korea University (KU)** (direct enroll possible) South Korea Seoul
Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) South Korea Seoul
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid* ** (direct enroll possible) Spain Madrid
Universidad del País Vasco (UPV) Spain Basque Country (Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bilbao, San Sebastián)
Universidad Nebrija* ** (direct enroll possible) Spain Madrid
Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) United Kingdom (Scotland) Glasgow

* Language Requirement 

** Indicates limited exchange placements available each term. Exchange places are awarded to eligible students in the order in which they apply. Contact studyabroad@umb.edu before applying.

UMass System Programs

UMass Boston students studying in one of the exchange partner universities in Hessen, Germany, Students can choose to do an exchange semester, or pay $1200 for summer, and $800 for winter programs which include tuition, housing & excursions!

Provider Programs

All costs for alternate programs are paid directly to the programs themselves; often expenses such as housing, partial board, and additional on-the-ground support are a part of the costs associated with provider programs. Many provider programs offer scholarships to participants. You can transfer the financial aid you are receiving now to these programs. Additional financial aid for the program is assessed based on your individual FAFSA. Please consult Financial Aid Services for questions regarding study abroad financial aid. 

Affiliated Partners (with reduced fee): 

  • Oxford Study Abroad Programme (OSAP): OSAP places strong students in colleges of Oxford University. Oxford is the oldest English-speaking university in the world, and is considered to be one of the two or three best universities and/or colleges in the world. The program is offered for UMass Boston students 4 times a year, including summers. The Oxford Study Abroad Program is multi-disciplinary & features tutorials (one-on-one instruction). 
  • Academic Programs International (API): API programs offers UMass Boston students opportunities to earn college credit toward their degree programs by completing coursework taught in English. API also offers language-acquisition coursework and/or content taught in host country languages at institutions overseas. Programs are offered for UMass Boston students 4 times a year, including summer and winter.  API is sends students abroad to more than fifty different cities within twenty-three countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the South Pacific. 
  • International Studies Abroad (ISA): ISA provides students opportunities to study abroad in a variety of locations at an affordable price. ISA aims to maximize participants' learning abroad, and provide support and guidance before, during and after their time abroad. ISA's flagship programs are in Spain and Latin America, but they also have programs in a total of 74 cities and 28 countries in Europe, South America, Asia, Oceania, Middle East, and Africa.
  • American Institute of Foreign Study (AIFS): AIFS offers a wide range of study abroad programs in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, plus multi-country traveling programs throughout western Europe. AIFS offers courses taught in English, and also language acquisition programs abroad. Programs are offered three times a year, including summer.
  • CAPA (The Global Education Network): CAPA offers students opportunities to study abroad and intern in Buenos Aires, Dublin, Florence, London, Shanghai, and Sydney. Students participate in custom internships arranged through the Global Internships Program (3-6 credits) and take 2-4 additional courses alongside the internships in a variety of disciplines (art history, business, communications, political science, and others). CAPA Global Business Certificate (a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business) is designed to provide an intensive business curriculum and internship placements within a global context. Internships are optional in all locations; students can take courses instead, which all offer experiential learning components outside of the classroom. Programs are offered during regular semesters and summers.

Alternative Providers: 

The providers listed below are recommended providers; we recommend programs based upon past participants' experiences and success, as well as a number of criteria, including cost, reliability, services available for students, and academics. If you find alternative study abroad programs that are not on this list, please meet with a study abroad coordinator, so that we can review your selection.