Study Abroad

While students feel at home in Worcester, they’re also hungry for opportunities to expand their horizons. Virtually every Holy Cross student who participates in one of our immersive study abroad experiences learns an essential lesson: Living and learning in a different culture is truly life-changing.

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Interested in studying abroad? Start here

Study Abroad Blogs
Study Abroad Blogs

Learn about what — and where — our students are studying. Read our study abroad blogs » 

Study Abroad at a Glance

Rank among baccalaureate institutions in the United States for long-term study abroad programs* according to the Institute for International Education
1
Holy Cross study abroad programs available for 2023-2024**
51
Host locations around the globe for 2023-2024
34
Students are taking part in academic year and semester programs in 2022-2023
304
Students took part in a study abroad program in 2021-2022
162

 

Immersed and Integrated

An international experience is about learning through a new and different lens. Many schools rely on third-party programs or house their own programs at special institutes devoted specifically to American students. By contrast, Holy Cross students normally enroll directly at their host institutions, where their experience mirrors that of local students. This is just one way that study abroad immerses our students as completely as possible into the intellectual and cultural fabric of their host countries. Here are a few others:

  • From El Salvador to Sri Lanka, Dublin to Rome, our programs offer ways to connect with the local culture — not simply interact with other Americans. This leads to a more authentic experience and deeper understanding of their host country.
  • Holy Cross students typically take full advantage of their study abroad experience by enrolling in a yearlong program — in fact, we hold the number one ranking for long-term study abroad among baccalaureate institutions. An extended time frame affords greater opportunities for students to acclimate to the culture of their host country and form strong connections with new classmates and friends.
  • In many programs, students live with host families who share meals with them, introduce them to local customs, and provide a sense of belonging.
  • During their time abroad, Holy Cross students tackle an Independent Cultural Immersion Project (ICIP), which gives them the opportunity to explore the culture of their host country in depth.

The educational advantages of study abroad — and its effect on students’ personal growth — are profound. Participants develop greater levels of self-confidence and independence, grow their capacity to connect with people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs, and gain newfound perspective on their home country as well. Holy Cross also maintains close ties with our partner institutions to help ensure that students’ international learning experiences integrate with our curriculum. Students studying abroad advance their majors, minors, and concentrations, and continue to fulfill Holy Cross common area requirements.

 

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Ready to take your foreign language skills to the next level?

We offer intensive study abroad programs in Chinese Studies, French and Francophone Studies, German Studies, Italian Studies, Russian Studies, and Spanish.