Eligibility Requirements
Illinois Tech Eligibility Requirements for Undergraduate Students
All students in good standing are eligible to apply to study abroad/away after they have completed one semester of college-level work at Illinois Tech. Specific host institutions or programs may require additional semesters of study.| Program Type | GPA Requirement | Credit Hour Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty-led Programs | 2.0 | 12 credit hours completed | Certain programs may have other pre-requisites. Please see the program-specific brochures for more information. |
| Exchange Programs | 2.0 | 24 credit hours completed | Many of Illinois Tech's exchange partners have different class level and GPA requirements. Please see the program-specific brochures for more information. |
| Partner & Provider Programs | 2.0 | 12 credit hours completed | Many of Illinois Tech's partner and provider programs have different class level and GPA requirements. Please see the program-specific brochures for more information. |
Graduate Students
Due to the rigorous and structured nature of a graduate degree, there are not many study away programs available for graduate students unless they are arranged by the IIT academic program in which the student is enrolled. Many graduate students who go off-campus do so through “unofficial” opportunities arranged with their academic advisors. This may include collaborating on a research project with international colleagues of their advisor, or exchanging places with a foreign graduate student or teaching assistant for a semester or a year. Summer is also a popular option to go abroad or away because it does not usually affect one’s degree progress; it can end up being a great time to work on one’s thesis or to study for comprehensive exams.Graduate student opportunities to study away are usually less structured than those available for undergraduates. There may be no classes or organized excursions, and you may need to arrange your own housing. On the plus side, you may be able to stay in your host country for an extended period of time, which can give you the chance to be more integrated into the local culture. It’s also a great time to meet colleagues with whom you can develop long-term working relationships.
Graduate students applying to any Illinois Tech faculty-led program must have a minimum 3.0 GPA at the time of application.
International Students
International students can work with an advisor in the Office of Global Services to ensure they will maintain their immigration status before, during, and after studying abroad or away. In addition, there may be different visa requirements to enter a host country than a domestic student. So start early!
Additionally, one of the main goals of studying away is to gain a perspective of a new culture. For this reason, returning to one’s home country to take coursework will not be considered study away. Students who wish to take coursework in their home country may work with Undergraduate Academic Affairs to take a leave of absence and discuss what coursework may transfer back to Illinois Tech for credit. However, students will not be eligible to take their financial aid with them.
Exceptions to this rule may be made at the discretion of the Student Mobility Office, and will only be considered for short-term programs led by IIT faculty.