Each year students from Bucknell participate in various study abroad programs in the fall and spring semesters, as well as over the summer. The University encourages students to partake in these experiences, immersing themselves into different cultures.

Programs let students “[e]xperience a new culture, learn a language and reconsider how you see the world — all while earning credits and an international perspective that’ll look great on your resume,” according to the Office of Global and Off Campus Education website.

The Office provides students with the tools needed to get their application to study abroad started.  

Through Bucknell directly are the Bucknell “In” programs. These study abroad opportunities are referred to as “In” because they are in-house programs that are run by Bucknell faculty. For a typical semester, these programs offer a group of 10-15 students that are sophomores, juniors, and seniors the opportunity to take classes from a local university in the country of their choosing while also taking one course instructed by the faculty-in-residence. 

This is a major factor for these programs as students have the opportunity to still be taking some Bucknell curriculum while abroad, an option not available with other programs. All students that participate in this program have their Bucknell peers with them for the experience in a foreign country. 

“It was a culminating experience allowing me to explore British culture, ecology, history and lifestyle in a learning rich environment with my peers from Bucknell,” Somin Kothary ’23, who participated in the Bucknell  London program last semester, said. 

To provide students other possibilities, there is also the opportunity to study abroad through Bucknell-approved programs run by other universities. This allows students to find the program that is right for them if Bucknell does not offer one. With over 450 approved abroad programs, students are able to have the experience they want.

“Abroad was one of the best decisions I’ve made at Bucknell,” Allie Cooney ’23 said. “The Syracuse program in Florence allowed me to fully submerge myself in Florentine culture and I took so many cool classes. It was so awesome to be able to travel around Europe with my best friends from Bucknell.” 

These programs also allow for students to use other universities credits and transfer them directly to Bucknell. “The classes I took abroad allowed me to enter my last semester of college with 30.25 credits so I technically only need 2 more classes next semester.” Cooney said.

Exchange programs are also available to students who want to study abroad. These are programs that are sponsored by foreign universities in partnership with Bucknell. Exchange programs work by having students enroll in regular classes alongside the local full-time students in the country they’re studying in. 

Many times, exchange programs provide more flexibility because the universities are working in partnership with Bucknell. Bucknell exchange programs are offered in China, England and Ghana. 

Bucknell also offers short-term programs that are not run through the academic year. Students in these programs will take Bucknell coursework and engage in curriculum-based field trips. These programs typically last three months and provide an opportunity for students to study abroad who did not want to leave Lewisburg for a whole semester. 

One of the more unique short term programs is the Bucknell in Dublin program. This program provides students with Bucknell curriculum but also an internship. Every student that engages in the program is guaranteed to have an internship and is a way for students to work and study abroad. 

Kevin Cody ’23 was a student in the program this past summer and shared his experience with The Bucknellian. 

“I heard about the Bucknell in Dublin program from Luke Grover, a 2022 Bucknell Alumni, who attended the pilot program a few years ago,” Cody said. “He explained how amazing the experience was as he was able to travel all throughout Ireland as well as other European countries.” 

Cody continued, “this eight-week program is an unforgettable summer experience. My favorite part of the Bucknell in Dublin program was commuting to and from work every day. It may not seem like much, but it really immersed me into the daily lives of those who live in the Dublin area. I really felt as though I was part of the Irish community and I learned a great deal about what life in Ireland is really like.” 

Applications to study abroad can be started as early as students’ first semester at Bucknell. In order to study abroad in the fall students must have above a 2.8 GPA and above a 3.0 GPA for the Spring semester. In order to begin the application process students will need to complete the pre-application form, schedule an advising appointment and submit the final application. This process is made easier by the dedicated advisors for global studies. 

Only 250 students are able to study abroad a semester so it is very limited. Students are encouraged by the Office of Global and Off Campus education to submit their applications as early as possible due to them being reviewed on a rolling basis. Students can visit the Global Education website to begin the application process to study abroad.