Choosing a Non-Colgate Off-Campus Study Progam

a. Your academic rationale for selecting the particular program(s): How the program builds on what you have already studied at Colgate or enhances your liberal arts education; the courses you already have taken at Colgate in preparation for this experience; the aspects of the program and location that make it a good fit for your academic interests; and, how the proposed coursework integrates with your major or academic program.

b. The courses you plan to take if accepted. You should list four courses and, if available, four alternates for each of the programs to which you will be applying. Indicate the type of credit you wish to receive for these courses. If you would like to receive major credit, specify the particular course or courses – for both your first choice and alternate courses – which you will be asking to transfer into your major. Students who attend programs in non-English speaking countries are expected to take at least one course in the language of the country. (Note: Language departments at Colgate have specific criteria for awarding credit for courses taken on non-Colgate programs. Please speak to the language department’s chair early in the process to confirm transfer credit eligibility).

c. Your general knowledge of the program itself and any safety considerations within the host city and/or country in which you will be studying.

d. Semester preference: Off-campus study is in higher demand during the spring than during the fall. Since not all spring leaves can be accommodated, we expect students to consider off-campus options for both fall and spring semesters. If a student has a unique and compelling academic reason for needing to be on campus for a specific semester, the student must submit supporting documentation from the student’s major department chair or faculty adviser clearly indicating the reason. This documentation should be submitted at the time of application. Examples of reasons that are not considered compelling include but are not limited to: needing to stay on campus to improve your GPA, needing a course for a minor, preferring to take a course with a certain professor, or wanting to take your first Colgate language class in the fall.

- Colgate students may receive credit for a maximum of six equivalent Colgate courses taken at other institutions or in non-Colgate programs. This includes all Advanced Placement credits and other college credits earned prior to entering Colgate as a first-year student, courses taken as a visiting student elsewhere, and courses taken at another institution during the summer or during the time that a student is on an academic leave of absence.

- A course must fall under the category of “Liberal Arts,” bear a minimum credit of three semester hours or five quarter hours, be comparable to Colgate courses in terms of classroom hours, and a grade of "C" or above must be earned in the course in order to transfer the course credit to Colgate. Note that courses in marketing, business, journalism, or other subjects beyond the scope of Colgate’s curriculum are not eligible for transfer credit.

- If you are seeking major credit for a course or if you are seeking transfer credit for any English or Natural Sciences and Mathematics courses, obtain the signature of the appropriate department chair for those courses only. Note that even though the deadline for submitting your transfer of credit application to the registrar's office is not until May 1 for fall programs and December 1 for spring programs, we highly recommend that students submit it before committing financially to the program.

- Grades for courses taken on non-Colgate programs will not appear on your Colgate transcript and will not be factored into your Colgate grade point average (GPA).

- Transfer of credit will not be automatically approved. No credit is guaranteed for courses or programs not approved in advance of enrollment. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain pre-approval for courses to be taken on an affiliated or non-Colgate program. Credit will be approved only for those programs of high academic quality. The ultimate decision regarding programs of questionable quality will rest with the Office of the Dean of the Faculty.