Study Abroad and Off-Campus Study
When you study abroad, your education accelerates as you live and learn in another culture—every interaction is an opportunity for intellectual, spiritual, and personal growth. You experience a different academic system, the complexity of another culture and language, and you will encounter the world in new ways.
Why Study Abroad?
Here are a few reasons why you should consider a cross-cultural learning experience:
- Increase your understanding of the world and our society
- Gain intercultural skills
- Build fluency in a foreign language
- Gain a new level of confidence
- Learn from a new perspective
- Meet new people in new places
- Enhance future employment opportunities
How Do You Study Off-Campus (Study Abroad)?
Step One: Meet with a member of the GPS Study Abroad Team
Before applying for a study abroad program, make an appointment to meet with a member of the GPS Study Abroad Team.
Step Two: Apply for Off-Campus Study Approval
Students must also apply for Off-Campus Study Approval through Global Programs and Studies (GPS) and receive course approval from academic advisors or departments. Federal, State and Wheaton Financial Aid may apply to programs approved by GPS, except as noted. Students are eligible for one semester of off-campus study on an approved partner program.
Application Deadline for Spring Semester Programs: October 1st
Application Deadline for Fall Semester Programs: March 15th
Late applications will NOT be accepted. Students must meet both Wheaton's application deadline and the program's published application deadline.
The following programs have limited capacity or "slots" for Wheaton College students in the 2025-26 academic year:
- CIEE England, London: University College London (Neuroscience only, fall only)
- CIEE France, Rennes: Liberal Arts
- DIS: Study Abroad in Scandinavia
- Gordon in Orvieto (limited capacity for fall 2025 only)
Due to the competitive nature of some of the programs, the application deadlines, reviews, and slot selections for fall 2025 (Monday, December 16, 2024) and spring 2026 (Monday, February 10, 2025) have passed. Students interested in the above programs must apply for future terms.
The following programs have limited capacity or “slots” for Wheaton College students in the spring 2026 semester:
- CIEE Rome: Business + Culture; Semester in Rome
- IAU@ACM: Aix-en-Provence
- ISDSI Culture, Ecology, and Community semester
- Junior Year in Munich
- Veritas: Rome
The application deadline for Wheaton students who want to participate in one of the programs listed above is Friday, August 1, 2025. To be considered:
Students must complete the first part of their Off-campus Study Approval Application AND have a completed and submit a completed Study Abroad Request for Approval of Transfer Credits Form to the GPS office (gps@wheaton.edu) by the published date to be considered for program participation. (Do not submit the transfer credit approval form to the Academic Advising office—it will be submitted on your behalf if you are granted a "slot" for spring 2026.)
For programs where participation is limited, the GPS office will review:
- Your response to question #18 in the Essential Elements and Application Questionnaire of the Off-campus Study Approval Application regarding why you wish to participate in the program.
- The transfer credit approval form to see how program courses are meeting degree or program of study requirements.
- GPS may request a copy of your unofficial Wheaton transcript.
Students should not begin an application with the study abroad program until they receive a decision on their "slot" application from the GPS Office. Students applying to a spring 2026 program will be notified of a decision in June.
Step Three: Apply to Your Specific Partner Program
Partner program applications are program-specific. Please review the application instructions and guidelines on the program website for details.
All programs listed on the Global Programs and Studies website are approved by GPS. GPS makes a special effort to include on its list of approved programs those that meet high academic standards, correspond to the mission of Wheaton College and GPS, and represent a wide choice for students in terms of curriculum, language, and location.
As of August 2024, the petition process for students who wish to attend a program not on Wheaton’s "Approved Programs" list and receive academic credit is under review. GPS is not accepting or considering petitions from students at this time.
Students who feel their academic needs cannot be met by the programs currently on our approved list are encouraged to meet with a GPS Study Abroad Advisor.
Our goal is to place you in a challenging academic environment within cross-cultural settings around the world and throughout the United States.
Wheaton College offers summer academic experiences - opportunities to study, travel, and engage with other cultures - lead by Wheaton College faculty to many locations abroad.