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Study Abroad Advising Resources

When advising students about applying to study abroad, please review the Getting Started and Applying to Study Abroad sections of the GLO website, which explain the application process and outline Northwestern’s expectations for student preparation and approval of study abroad plans.

Program Selection

Students may seek your guidance in choosing a program. Since there are over a hundred available programs, we do not expect you to be familiar with all of them. However, to gain a basic understanding, we recommended that you:

Careful academic planning and preparation are essential for a successful study abroad experience. Study abroad programs are academically rigorous, and students are expected to demonstrate serious academic intent, strong motivation, and a clear understanding of how their chosen program will contribute to their academic, personal, and professional development. GLO also manages program participation carefully to prevent overcrowding, preserve a high-quality educational experience for Northwestern students, and promote meaningful immersion in host communities.

Students are strongly encouraged to apply to Northwestern programs, exchanges, global practicum, and partner programs. These programs are regularly reviewed by GLO and the Undergraduate Study Abroad Committee (USAC) to ensure high standards of academic quality, housing, cultural immersion, and student support. In addition, eligible students who participate in these programs may apply their Northwestern financial aid toward their study abroad experience.

If students are interested in an independent program, they may be granted permission to apply only if they have a specialized academic need that cannot be met by one of our partner programs, and they will not be able to apply their institutional aid. For more information about this policy please read studying abroad on an independent program.

Advising & Approval Process

To help ensure that students are matched with programs that best align with their academic goals, language abilities, and overall readiness, we ask for substantive feedback from the schools and colleges as part of the application review process. This feedback will help inform a more holistic review. 

All students must meet with and obtain approval from their School Adviser(s). If you are a School Adviser, the general procedure is as follows:

  • The student will enter your email to request study abroad approval for a specific term
Approval
  • You will receive an email with a button to complete the approval form
  • The student will schedule an appointment with you to discuss their study abroad plans.
  • During your meeting, the student should articulate:
    • How their academic interests and degree plan at Northwestern align with the opportunities offered by their proposed study abroad program
    • How likely they are to engage with and benefit from the program's academic, cultural, linguistic, research, internship, experiential learning, and co-curricular opportunities
    • Their preparedness for a successful study abroad experience
  • Once you have met with the student, you will be asked to evaluate the student in a few areas using a rubric. You may want to consider whether the student:
    • Will be able to make meaningful academic progress through participation in this program
    • Has identified a program and specific courses that align with their academic interests, degree requirements, or goals
    • Has a plan to take advantage of the program’s distinctive academic, cultural, professional, or experiential components
    • Demonstrates interests and goals aligned with the program’s academic and co-curricular features and/or the location and culture
    • Demonstrates appropriate language preparation, interest, or willingness to engage in a language-learning environment, if applicable

No login or special credentials are required.