Human Ecology students extend their experience off-campus with study abroad, exchange and other programs. Programs are specially designed to include pre-professional internships, design immersion, public engagement or international business and policy and fulfill requirements in the academic majors.
Semester Abroad
Students can study at top universities around the world or choose experiential learning and internships in the US and at worldwide locations.
Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. A few very selective programs require a 3.5+ GPA. See the CU Global Learning website for program specifics, and programs which require an early application deadline.
Must have completed a significant majority of your coursework and be on track to graduation. Students are required to map out their remaining requirements as part of the CHE Study Abroad Application.
Study abroad is intended to fit in your 8-semester path to graduation and should not increase your time to graduation.
It is the student's responsibility to verify requirements and their progress to their graduation with a Student and Career Development Advisor or their Faculty Advisor.
General deadlines are March 1st and September 15th, however, the deadlines for applying for Study Abroad experiences vary, and it is vital for students to review the program deadlines listed on the individual program websites.
Some program applications are managed on a first come, first serve basis. We encourage you to submit your application a minimum of 3-weeks in advance of the program deadline as well as work closely with a Study Abroad Advisor throughout the entirety of the process.
Some programs (including, but not limited to CET Florence, DIS Denmark, and CIEE Barcelona) have historically filled well before the September 15 deadline for Spring study abroad. Students interested in more popular programs should plan to submit their study abroad application by the beginning of June for Spring semester abroad. Please refer to the Specific program information including deadlines for more information.
You must pay careful attention to all program-specific application materials. In some cases, a student may be encouraged to apply for more than one program.
Once you have narrowed down your interests to a few program options or a region, you can schedule an appointment or attend drop-in times for an advisor in the Office of Global Learning who are able to answer questions including cost, type of living situation, community, and much more.
CHE hosts a Global Learning and Human Ecology Exchange Information Session at the beginning of each semester. This is your opportunity to learn more from students who have participated in this experience. Details are shared in the Human Ecology Programs Calendar and in Communecology. Individual appointments with Human Ecology Study Abroad Advisors are also welcomed.
Cornell students are required to formally study the language of the host country when in non-English-speaking countries (at least one language course).
Students must enroll for a full course load while abroad (equivalent to 15 credit hours) to maintain good academic standing.
Courses must be taken for a grade. No S/U coursework is accepted.
Grades appear on your Cornell transcript, but do not factor into the Cornell GPA.
Students must receive the equivalent of a “C” to earn credit for a course abroad.
Programs must last a minimum of 14 weeks for full credit.
Once completed upload your application here. The document name must include your first and last name, and your intended semester (Touchdown_Cornell_Fall25) .
You will receive comments and requested updates on your application until everything is approved.
Students will receive a final decision once their CHE Study Abroad Application/Course Approval form has been reviewed.
Are you looking to come to Cornell and study in Ithaca for a semester? Visit the "Study at Human Ecology application process" web page for info on joining CHE for a semester!
