Faculty-Led Programs

Faculty-Led programs are directed by U of A faculty who travel with students. These short-term programs offer U of A course credit. Students travel as a group, taking classes with Arkansas Faculty and host university scholars while traveling to various sites.

Browse a list of Faculty-Led Programs or search our database by major or destination. Faculty-led programs will be near the top of the search results with a star next to the program listing.

These experiences are offered in the summer and intersession and typically last 2-8 weeks. A minimum 2.5 GPA is typical for most programs.

Students pay U of A tuition per program credit hour and a program fee that includes housing, in-country travel, international insurance and on-site expenses. Generally, this fee DOES NOT include airfare. Additional expenses vary by location, but usually include meals, souvenirs and personal spending.

Rome Center

Explore Rome Center Programs to get started on an application.

The Rome Center is the U of A’s only international residential study center, offering University of Arkansas Coursework taught by on-site faculty as well as faculty from Fayetteville.

Courses at the Rome Center engage the city as a classroom- with regular visits to local museums and landmarks complementing lectures and studio work.

Students are supported 24/7 by Rome Center staff and have access to University facilities including classrooms, library, student lounge and computer center. All students live in apartments in local neighborhoods, so they will have the opportunity to explore and live in the city more independently than a faculty-led program.

Reciprocal Exchange Programs

The word “exchange” is commonly associated with international education, but in the context of all your study abroad options, it refers to a very specific range of options.

Exchange programs are semester and year-length opportunities for students to ‘swap places’ with a student at one of our partner institutions. U of A students pay normal U of A tuition rates based on their residency and college/major but take classes at another school. Housing and living expenses are usually paid directly to the host university or service provider in country (refer to the program’s brochure for more details).

Students must hold a 3.0 GPA at the time of application and need to be able to demonstrate resiliency, as Exchange students are typically more independent than other study abroad programs.

External Programs

U of A students have nearly endless possibilities to study abroad through affiliated external programs that offer enrollment at international institutions or American university study centers across the globe. Students verify their credit with the U of A before departure and work with the Study Abroad Office to maintain their enrollment and receive financial aid.

Programs offered by external providers include all types of experiences abroad, from short-term guided tours, to full academic years embedded in host communities. Students on these programs study in some of the most popular destinations for study abroad in Western Europe, but many options are available further from the beaten path in places like Nepal, Iceland, or Rwanda.

External providers offer many services to students, including insurance coverage, housing placement, visa processing, and on-site staff to support students while abroad. Many programs offer planned excursions and cultural activities included in the program fees. All details (courses, housing, costs, dates, etc.) can generally be found on the external program website or by contacting the program provider.

When exploring this long list of options, the Office of Study Abroad is here to guide you. We can help you review your priorities- location, classes, program duration, costs – and direct you towards providers and programs that best suit you as an individual. Our study abroad advisors will walk you through the application process and make sure you have everything in order to get overseas!

Research, Internships and Independent Study

Each year, an increasing number of U of A students participate in international internships, research projects and independent study programs. Unlike other study abroad programs, these opportunities are directed on an individual basis with guidance from each student’s academic department.

Recent students have conducted undergraduate thesis research in Malawi, interned in Scotland, and worked in biology labs in rural Brazil. New opportunities arise each year, so students should engage their academic advisors and professors to stay apprised of future placements.

The Office of Study Abroad advises students participating in directed opportunities to make appropriate arrangements for academic credit, financial aid, international health insurance, and any required visas. All students earning credit for work completed abroad must be registered with the Office of Study Abroad and enrolled in a course section with an international designation.

Students who are already working with their academic departments on an individual research or internship opportunity should contact the Office of Study Abroad to start the registration process. We will walk you through enrollment and financial aid and make sure you have the pre-departure resources you need.

In addition to U of A directed programs, the Office of Study Abroad also works with several external partners who offer internships for academic credit.

Virtual International Programs

Virtual International Programs allow students to put travel concerns aside to develop international connections in the classroom, workplace, research lab, or service organization while staying at home. This format is cost-effective, flexible, and takes advantage of new norms of working and learning remotely. Check out different program formats and resources on our Virtual International Programs page.