General FAQs

Non-US citizens are eligible to participate if they are currently degree-seeking undergraduate students at an accredited U.S. or Canadian higher education institution. Staff members in the Office of Off-Campus Studies at Carleton College will assist students in the process of applying for the appropriate visas; however Carleton cannot guarantee that the necessary visa will be granted.

For Fall 2021, Women's and Gender Studies in Europe students will arrive in Stockholm where they will quarantine in their residences while completing an online orientation. A COVID test will be conducted at the beginning and end of the quarantine period, with a negative test necessary for release from quarantine. You can read more details about arrival and COVID protocols.

In previous years, students meet in Amsterdam for two days of orientation. Orientation includes review of policies, additional information about health and safety issues in Europe, community building activities, and an introduction to Amsterdam. Orientation flows seamlessly into participation in the Network of Interdisciplinary Gender Studies in Europe (NOISE) conference.

Students are not required to have prior knowledge of a language other than English prior to the program. There is no minimum GPA required to apply, however students must complete the Home Institution Approval Form to demonstrate that they are in in good academic standing at their home institution. Applicants to Women’s and Gender Studies in Europe must have taken one course relevant to the program, e.g., Gender Studies, Women’s Studies, psychology or sociology course in identity.

In Fall 2021, Buddhist Studies in India students will arrive in Bangkok, Thailand where they will quarantine for six days while completing orientation. A negative COVID test is required for students to be released from quarantine. If the Department of State Travel Advisory decreases in India to Level 2, students will fly to Bodh Gaya, India where they will live in the Burmese Vihar. More details on arrival and COVID protocols.

In previous years, students participate in orientation in both London and Delhi. Students are responsible for traveling to London on their own. In London, the students meet the program director, several members of the program staff, and other program participants. Orientation in London includes a visit to the British Museum, review of policies, additional information about health and safety in India, and community building activities. After two days in London, students and program staff fly together to Delhi for three more days of orientation and introduction to India. The group then travels by train to Bodh Gaya.

Students need not have a passport at the time of application, but all students must have a passport which is valid for at least six months following the conclusion of the program. Applicants to Women’s and Gender Studies in Europe who carry a U.S. or Canadian passport are not required to have a visa to enter countries in the Schengen area for stays of 90 days or less. Students carrying a passport from a country other than the United States or Canada may be required to obtain a Schengen visa. Staff in the Office of Off-Campus Studies at Carleton provide guidance on the visa application process. For Fall 2021, students should present their proof of vaccination, documentation confirming enrollment in Women's and Gender Studies in Europe, and proof of a negative COVID test upon arrival.

The Program Director of each Global Engagement Program will be in contact with applicants before making a decision about application status. In some cases, this will be an oral interview. In other cases, this will be an exchange of emails.

Students will be informed of their application status within two weeks of submitting a completed application. 

Students who are accepted to a Global Engagement Program will spend the next several months preparing for their experience abroad. You should expect to work on these preparations over the summer as well as during the academic year. Some of the preparations are very practical steps such as meeting with study abroad and/or financial aid staff members at the student’s home institution, filling out the health assessment form, applying for a visa (when required), and making travel arrangements. Other preparations include completing suggested and required summer readings (there are some of each), communicating with the faculty director about possible independent student projects, and informing yourself about the locations where you will study. Carleton Global Engagement Programs provides a clear set of instructions and a timeline for completing your preparations. Staff members from the Off-Campus Studies Office at Carleton are available to assist you throughout the academic year and summer.

All Global Engagement Program participants are enrolled in international travel assistance, evacuation, and medical insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). Carleton also registers all participants in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), a service offered by the U.S. Department of State. Students are familiarized with health and safety issues relevant to the country/countries to which they will be traveling through pre-departure information and on-site orientations. For Fall 2021, you can read about our COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

As part of Carleton’s commitment to health and safety, all students on Carleton Global Engagement Programs are required to have a working cell phone. The phone must be capable of making and receiving both local and international calls throughout the duration of the program. While we recognize that alternative communication methods can be free or cheaper than cell service i.e. Facetime, Skype, WhatsApp, etc., those do not satisfy our need for regular local communication with staff and partners nor do they meet our emergency communication needs. Therefore, local cellular capacity on each student’s phone is required for the duration of the program. Students are required to provide the phone number at which they can be reached during the program to the program staff.

 Students participating in a Carleton Global Engagement Program can choose one of the following options:

• Use current cell phone with a foreign SIM card
  • Program staff will assist students during on-site orientation in purchasing an appropriate local SIM card. With foreign SIM cards, you purchase credit and must “top up” when you run out. Ask your service provider if your phone can be used abroad. If it is, request they unlock it for you. You must complete this step before you travel.
• Obtain a pay-as-you-go phone upon arriving
  • Program staff will assist students during on-site orientation in purchasing an appropriate phone. Pay-as-you-go phones are widely used abroad and can be purchased inexpensively in many stores.
• Use your regular phone on an international cell phone plan
  • This is convenient, but depending on your cellular carrier, may be quite expensive if you depend on it for everyday use. Contact your cell phone provider to discuss this option.

Students need not have a passport at the time of application, but all students must have a passport which is valid for at least six months following the conclusion of the program. Applicants to Buddhist Studies in India must apply for and receive a visa to enter India. Staff in the Office of Off-Campus Studies at Carleton provide guidance on the visa application process. For Fall 2021, students should prepare to bring their proof of vaccination.

The number of students that participate on each program varies from around 15 to 30 students.

The schedules for the Global Engagement Programs are very full and the opportunities for independent travel while the programs are in session are limited. Carleton encourages students who want to travel independently with friends or family members to do so following the end of the program.

Students are not required to have prior knowledge of a language other than English. With the exception of a language course (Hindi and Tibetan, Buddhist Studies in India), all courses are taught in English. There is no minimum GPA required to apply, however students must complete the Home Institution Approval Form to demonstrate that they are in in good academic standing at their home institution. Applicants to Buddhist Studies in India must have taken one course relevant to the program, e.g., World Religions, Philosophy, Asian Studies.

Carleton provides a transcript to each student's home institution several weeks after the program's completion. Students should contact the study abroad office or registrar's office at their home institution for institution-specific transfer credit policies. Syllabi are available upon request for the student’s home institution to review. Students can learn more about our credit policies on our website.

Global Engagement offers scholarship awards that range from $1000 to $3000. Students can learn more and apply on our scholarship page. There are also a variety of external scholarships students can apply for and students should check with their home institution study abroad office for information about institution-specific scholarships and financial aid for study abroad.