Did you hope to study away before graduating, but you're worried you've missed your chance? We've got great news for you: it is possible to study away as a senior at Duke! Here are some tips for making it happen.

Consider studying away in the fall.

The biggest challenge to studying away as a senior is receiving your transfer credits from the participating program or university in a timely manner. Duke needs to process these credits in order for you to graduate, so time is of the essence. Many universities have recently made the switch to digital transcripts, which significantly speeds up the process, but you should not count on that being the case. Studying away during the fall allows for more time for Duke to process your study away credits.

Consider participating in a Duke-In program that exclusively offers academic credit through Duke.

Duke offers two study away options:

• Duke-Approved programs, in which students study at a Duke-approved university and receive credits through that university
• Duke-In programs, in which students take classes through Duke in other parts of the world

Some Duke-In programs offer hybrid credits, meaning some of the courses are offered through Duke while others are through participating universities or programs. However, there are several Duke-In programs that offer a full semester of Duke credits. These programs are a great option for seniors, because there is no risk of credit transfer delays. These programs include:

• Duke in Berlin (Fall)
• Duke in Venice
• ICCS Rome
• Duke in DC (Spring)
• Duke in New York Finance (Spring)
• Duke in New York Arts & Media* (Fall)
  *contingent upon selection of a course elective offered through Duke

Consider postponing your graduation date.

How important is a May graduation to you? If the answer is "very," then you will likely want to pursue one of the two options listed above for studying away. But if you are less concerned about graduating in the spring of your senior year, this can open up more study away possibilities.

If you choose to participate in a study away program in the spring of your senior year, you will likely graduate in September. You might still be able to walk in May with a September graduation date -- you would just need to discuss this with your Duke Academic Dean in advance, as it requires their approval. You would also need to make sure that the program ends before the date of Duke’s graduation.

Some spring study away programs could delay your graduation until December, depending on when those credits transfer. Keep in mind: you must pass your study away classes in order to graduate.

It is possible for some students to study away the summer after their senior year, but this requires special preparation.

If you are willing to delay your graduation, you can participate in a summer study away program, but you must delay your graduation to participate. Please note that students are not eligible for financial aid during the summer if they have postponed their graduation to participate in a study away program.

Also, note that financial aid does not cover Duke-approved programs during the summer. If you have a job offer lined up, make sure that they do not require a May diploma-- it's unusual, but not totally unheard of for companies to require that you graduate at the end of your spring semester before starting a job.

If you have questions about studying away as a senior at Duke, please make an appointment with one of the GEO advisors and check in with your Duke Academic Dean. They would be happy to assist you!

Speak to a GEO Advisor