Eligibility Requirements
International students as well as those from the U.S. may take advantage of study abroad programs. Students from a vast majority of majors including the sciences can participate in study abroad. In order to do so, students must meet with their advisors and department chairs to discuss future study abroad plans and how these plans may fit into their degree programs.
General Requirements
In order to be eligible as a candidate for Rome Center and Loyola study abroad programs, students must generally meet the following criteria:
- Full-time student status
- Thirty hours of graded semester hour credit completed before acceptance to program (for Rome Center) or before program begins (for all other study abroad programs). Courses graded Pass/No Pass, AP credit and IB credit cannot count toward the 30 hours.
- GPA of 2.75 or better at time of departure for program
- An acceptable academic and disciplinary record (Loyola dean/advisor recommendations) at time of departure for program
- Submission of application materials, including any required deposit/application fee, by the application deadline
Non-Rome Center applicants only:
- A positive recommendation from a Loyola faculty member
- Attendance at a "Study Abroad 101" workshop or study abroad advising appointment
First-semester Transfer Students
In addition to the above criteria, transfer students currently in their first semester at Loyola may generally participate in a Loyola study abroad program if they meet the following additional requirements:
- Completion of at least one Fall or Spring Semester (15 credits minimum) at Loyola before participation in a study abroad program. Courses graded Pass/No Pass, AP credit and IB credit cannot count toward the 15 hours.
- Cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 at their previous institution(s) and at Loyola at the time of departure for the program
For non-Rome Center applicants only:
- A positive recommendation from a faculty member of a prior college or university. This replaces the above requirement for a faculty recommendation from a Loyola professor.
- Confirmation from the program provider/overseas partner institution of their willingness to accept new transfer students from Loyola. (Not all programs may be willing to accept students who have completed only one semester of study at Loyola; Loyola may be able to determine before the student applies whether such a student would be considered.)
Eligibility Policies
Some study abroad programs have slightly different eligibility standards. Please check the program's Web page or the detailed brochures available at the Office for International Programs (OIP).
Students may participate in up to two academic semesters abroad, and an unlimited number of summers, on Loyola approved programs. Students who wish to participate in a third semester abroad need to appeal to the Office for International Programs for possible approval.
OIP has the right to deny a student from participating in a study abroad program, at any time before the start of the program, for not meeting all of the above criteria, even if the student has already incurred non-refundable expenses toward the program (such as application fees, program fees, deposits, visas or airline tickets).
In some cases, Loyola must bill the student for certain program fees Loyola pays on the student's behalf, even if the student is denied from admission to study abroad. The student is responsible for inquiring and learning about all such potential costs involved from OIP and/or the program provider.
