LAS study abroad programs
Expand your global competency by studying abroad. Our programs are designed to work with your schedule and offer many opportunities for academic, career and personal growth.
Have questions? Please contact the LAS International Programs office.
Scholarship opportunities
Many scholarships are available for study abroad.
Our programs
Application deadlines:
- Feb. 15 for spring break, summer, fall, or academic year programs
- Sept. 15 for winter break, spring break, and spring semester programs
The following LAS study abroad programs are residential. This means students receive LAS advanced hours and residency credit for all coursework abroad. LAS study abroad programs are open to all Illinois students regardless of home College or major.
Austria:
The Department of Economics invites students to spend a fall semester, a spring semester, or an academic year in the exciting city of Vienna as part of the Austria-Illinois Exchange program.
Take courses that will transfer back to Illinois as advanced ECON courses for the major. There are also opportunities to immerse yourself in German language and Austrian culture. The language of instruction in the ECON courses is English.
Vienna consistently ranks among the cities with the highest quality of life in the world. It is home to leading consumer goods and service businesses, and it prides itself on innovation.
The Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures invites students to spend a semester or year in the exciting city of Vienna as part of the Austria-Illinois Exchange Program. Founded in 1971, this program immerses students in German language and Austrian culture so that they may explore international business, science, politics, and arts.
Learn and improve your German as you rub elbows with the Viennese in old-world cafes, chat with Austrians in the marketplace, attend theatrical and musical performances, visit the city's many museums, hike in the Vienna Woods, or ski in the Austrian Alps.
The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology invites students to spend a fall semester Vienna. Take courses that will transfer back to Illinois as advanced MCB courses for the major. There are also opportunities to immerse yourself in German language and Austrian culture. The language of instruction in the MCB courses is English.
Vienna consistently ranks among the cities with the highest quality of life in the world. It is home to leading consumer goods and service businesses, and it prides itself on innovation.
The Spring Semester Vienna Diplomatic Program (VDP) is designed primarily for students interested in international organizations and diplomacy. Vienna offers a unique location as Vienna is a United Nations city, and many international organizations have their headquarter there. Come learn diplomacy and public relations in a booming major European city.
Vienna consistently ranks among the cities with the highest quality of life in the world. It is home to leading consumer goods and service businesses, and it prides itself on innovation.
Belgium:
The Institute for Field Education (IFE) is for students with intermediate/advanced French or Spanish and offers contemporary courses on the host country as preparation for an internship and field research experience in any field.
IFE programs turn the European professional workplace into an effective learning space, a broad interface with another culture whereby students become fluent, deeply familiar with contemporary European societies, and more knowledgeable in their chosen field of study or work, gaining both know-how and comparative knowledge.
Costa Rica
Studying in Costa Rica provides opportunities to experience a country with a strong commitment to protecting its natural resources, all while exploring its volcanoes, beaches, rain forests, and cloud forests. All courses offered on this program are pre-approved by the Department of Spanish & Portuguese, making this program an excellent fit for Spanish majors and minors.
Engage with the local community in San Joaquin and put your academic and communication skills to the test in a program with caring host families, diverse volunteering opportunities, and very few tourists.
France:
Study economics and French in the City of Lights! The Department of Economics has partnered with the Department of French & Italian to offer the Econ in Paris program for economics students who have an interest in economics, business, and French language and culture to study abroad for a semester in Paris, France.
The Illinois Program in Paris, established in 1971, offers students experiential learning, including bringing students out of the classroom to visit several places around Paris to understand the academic content first-hand and up-close. Courses, other than the French language course, will be in English.
The Illinois Program in Paris, established in 1971, and offers students an academic year or a semester of study in French language, literature, and civilization.
Courses of instruction are given primarily by La Sorbonne Language Institution. The recommended duration of the Illinois Program in Paris is nine months (September-June). This program is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and to non-French majors and French alike. The program has a permanent residential director and an administrative center in Paris.
The University of Illinois has a long-standing exchange agreement with Sciences Po (Paris Institute of Political Studies), one of Europe's most competitive universities, specializing in the social sciences. This year-long program allows select Illinois undergraduate students the opportunity to take courses at this prestigious university.
Students are drawn to Sciences Po for its excellent instructors, and challenging courses. International students in particular, stand to benefit from Sciences Po's pedagogical approach, based on constructing concise, convincing, and well-structured arguments.
The Institute for Field Education (IFE) is for students with intermediate/advanced French or Spanish and offers contemporary courses on the host country as preparation for an internship and field research experience in any field.
IFE programs turn the European professional workplace into an effective learning space, a broad interface with another culture whereby students become fluent, deeply familiar with contemporary European societies, and more knowledgeable in their chosen field of study or work, gaining both know-how and comparative knowledge.
Germany:
Spend a semester or academic year as an exchange student at Heidelberg University in Germany.
Founded in 1386, Heidelberg University is Germany’s oldest university. It is a comprehensive research-oriented institution with a strong focus on interdisciplinary studies. Heidelberg University offers over 160 study programs in the humanities, the social sciences, law, natural sciences, and the life sciences, including medicine.
Italy:
The University of Illinois, the University of Pavia, and the Alma Mater Ticinensis Foundation invite you to participate in the study abroad program “Pavia, Italy, Europe: a Grand Tour Amidst Culture and Beauty.”
This program offers a unique opportunity to gain in-depth experience in Italian language and culture and its European ties. Pavia's historical status and geographical position place it at the crossroads of Mediterranean culture and its continental counterparts. This program provides students with the skills necessary not only to comprehend the heritage of this vibrant area but also make it an intrinsic part of their future and professional lives.
The University of Illinois, the University of Pavia, and the Alma Mater Ticinensis Foundation invite you to participate in the study abroad program “Pavia, Italy, Europe: a Grand Tour Amidst Culture and Beauty.”
This program offers a unique opportunity to gain in-depth experience in Italian language and culture and its European ties. Pavia's historical status and geographical position place it at the crossroads of Mediterranean culture and its continental counterparts. This program provides students with the skills necessary not only to comprehend the heritage of this vibrant area but also make it an intrinsic part of their future and professional lives.
The University of Illinois, the University of Pavia and the Alma Mater Ticinensis Foundation invite MCB students to participate in the MCB in Italy program. This semester abroad program offers a unique opportunity to gain in-depth experience in Italian language and culture alongside advanced-level MCB coursework. The University of Pavia is an ancient university steeped in scientific history that allows its students to study modern science in a historic city.
Japan:
The Year-in-Japan Program offers advanced undergraduates the opportunity to spend a fall or spring semester or an academic year developing Japanese language skills and expanding their knowledge of Japan through a variety of courses. Classroom learning is enhanced through living with host families and field trips consisting of two to three days in various historical sites.
The program was established in 1976 on the campus of Konan University and has served over 600 students from a number of different American universities. The program, administered by the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures at Illinois, is housed in Konan University, a small liberal arts university of 10,000 students in a suburban district of Kobe.
New Zealand and Caribbean:
Are you looking for an adventure with a purpose? Spend a semester or summer sailing on a tall ship and studying climate change, sustainability, biodiversity, human impacts on the environment, or environmental justice.
The oceans cover nearly three-quarters of Earth, yet 90% are largely unexplored. SEA Semester provides an experiential opportunity to gather firsthand knowledge that will influence your lifelong relationship with the ocean. Moving beyond the textbook toward hands-on research and field-based experience, SEA Semester prepares you to take a more active role in solving today’s environmental problems.
Spain:
The Institute for Field Education (IFE) is for students with intermediate/advanced French or Spanish and offers contemporary courses on the host country as preparation for an internship and field research experience in any field.
IFE programs turn the European professional workplace into an effective learning space, a broad interface with another culture whereby students become fluent, deeply familiar with contemporary European societies, and more knowledgeable in their chosen field of study or work, gaining both know-how and comparative knowledge.
Sweden:
Stockholm University, the largest higher education institution in Sweden, is one of the 100 highest ranked universities in the world. Stockholm is the most populated Nordic City and is the capital of Sweden. It has 14 islands and more than 50 bridges that connect them all. Its cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and water views make it a beautiful place to spend a semester abroad. Stockholm is known for being a very international city full of friendly people.
In this program, you will be able to meet and interact with both Swedish students and students of other nationalities. This program is available to MCB and biochemistry majors and is offered exclusively in spring semesters.
United Kingdom:
Newcastle provides students the opportunity to immerse themselves in British culture by taking classes with British and international students alike. This program is special in that it is geared specifically towards pre-med, pre-dental, and pre-health students, offering clinical medicine courses for MCB majors eager to learn and live abroad.
With the university’s close proximity to downtown Newcastle, students can enjoy the rigorous learning environment on campus, and then pop over to the city center to enjoy the music venues, pubs, restaurants, and shops. This program is available for the academic year (September to June).
By studying at the University of Reading, you will become part of a truly international community of more than 5,000 international students from over 140 countries.
The university was established in 1892 and originated as a University of Oxford extension college. Today, it is ranked in the top 200 universities worldwide and holds a world-class reputation for the quality of its teaching, research, and links to business. The city of Reading is situated on the Thames River and is composed of red brick and modern commercial buildings. It is a mix of town and countryside that is a relief from nearby London.