Study Abroad/Away Programs
Centre Global’s mission is to prepare Centre students for lives of global leadership, work, and service, and to further internationalize our campus. This mission requires a focus on facilitating rich and meaningful experiences for our students, both on and off campus, to strengthen their intercultural competence. We empower our students to embrace the values of global citizenship, striving to build a more just, inclusive, sustainable, and cooperative world. 79% of our graduating class of 2024 studied off-campus at least once and 23% studied off-campus two or more times. Centre students studied abroad in 33 countries on 6 continents.
Semester study abroad and away applications are awarded points and ranked by the following factors: graduation year, GPA, prior study abroad selection, strength of essays, and recommendations (all of which are reviewed by a program-specific sub-committee of faculty and staff). We welcome and encourage students to study abroad during their sophomore, junior, and/or senior year. There is no right or wrong time to study abroad, though certain factors, such as academic requirements and sports schedules, may influence this decision
Semester programs have a limited number of spots available and vary widely in their competitiveness. Students should be aware that applying for a program does not guarantee selection for that program. While Centre guarantees all students will have the opportunity to study abroad, we cannot guarantee that all students can study abroad in their preferred program or semester. Being flexible and applying to multiple programs is strongly advised.
Centre students can apply to study abroad or away in one of our 20 semester long programs offered in 13 different countries. Semester long programs include flagship, language immersion, exchange, or partnership programs.
Our three flagship programs in Centre-in-London (England), Centre-in-Mérida (Mexico), and Centre-in-Strasbourg (France) offer students a unique opportunity to be taught by Centre faculty and learn alongside other Centre students while abroad for an entire semester.
Students undertaking advanced foreign language studies have access to five language immersion programs: Mandarin: National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; French: Nantes, France (collaboration with IES and Sewanee); German: Erlangen, Germany (collaboration with Kalamazoo College); Spanish: University of Alicante in Alicante, Spain (collaboration with the Kentucky Institute for International Studies) and Marista University in Mérida, México.
Semester long exchanges can occur in any discipline as students enroll directly into the host institution registering for classes alongside host country students. We are proud to partner with the following universities to offer bilateral exchanges: Bhutan: Royal Thimphu College; England: Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance; Japan: Akita International University; Northern Ireland: Queen’s University Belfast, St. Mary’s University College, Stranmillis University College, and Ulster University (Irish American Scholars Program). Students may also apply to directly enroll in a semester at the University of Glasgow, Scotland or the University of Reading, England.
Centre College, Rhodes College, and Sewanee: The University of the South, partner to jointly operate three off-campus programs in the Fall semester: New York City Internship (NYC, USA), Nelson Mandela University(Gqeberha, South Africa), and Global Environmental Challenges (Cuenca and Galapagos Islands, Ecuador). Students from all three colleges can enroll in these programs and faculty directors are chosen from each of the colleges on a rotating basis.
In partnership with Butler University, Centre offers a study away opportunity in Washington D.C. where students complete 6 credits of internship while taking two courses in the evenings: POL 270: The Congressional Experience and ARH 399: Art/Architecture of Washington DC.
Centre has teamed up with the Alliance for Global Education (IFSA-Butler), to offer a program in Shanghai, China with opportunities for internships.
For the above approved semester programs students pay tuition, room, and board to Centre as normal (or receive credits in lieu). Institutional and federal/state financial aid are portable for these programs. For more details on paying for semester study abroad and away, see: https://www.centre.edu/about/offices/centre-global/cost-and-details
CentreTerm courses abroad and away are faculty-led 3-credit courses with a new selection of courses on offer every year. In CentreTerm 2025 students will study abroad and away in England, Germany, Italy, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Mexico, New York City, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Tahiti, and Thailand. Fees for CentreTerm courses are not included in tuition and costs vary by course. CentreTerm applications are independently reviewed and ranked by faculty course directors; applicant selection is fully at the discretion of the course director.
Summer Courses abroad and away are faculty-led 3-credit courses. In Summer 2024 Centre faculty members led courses in Austria, Denmark, Malaysia, Portugal, and Sweden. Centre is also a member of the Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS), which annually runs summer courses all over the world. Fees for Summer courses are not included in tuition and costs vary by course. Summer course applications are independently reviewed and ranked by faculty course directors; applicant selection is fully at the discretion of the course director.
For important study abroad/away application and payment deadlines, see https://www.centre.edu/about/offices/centre-global/important-dates