Service-Learning Education Abroad Programs

Education Abroad Quick Facts

CU Boulder Education Abroad offers over 400 programs in over 70 countries! You can go abroad for a semester, year or summer (the latter ranges from 2-12 weeks). In addition to taking classes abroad, you can choose an internship or volunteer program (or combine classes with internship or volunteer options)! Please visit the following web pages for more information and to get started.

• To start researching options and to learn about next steps, visit the Getting Started page.
• Academic Information provides more details about courses, credits, and grades.
• The Finances page provides extensive information regarding program costs, billing, financial aid, and scholarships.
• Answers to most other questions not answered in this guide.

Planning and When to Go

First-year

• Start planning for education abroad! Begin by attending  Abroad 101
• Plan ahead and take Core/Gen Ed courses and courses for your major that may not be available on the education abroad program you choose.

Sophomore & Junior

• Meet with a education abroad advisor if you have not yet done so in order to discuss education abroad program options.
• If needed, make sure your language abilities match the program you wish to attend. Note that many programs are taught entirely in English.
• This is a good time for education abroad as you will likely be fairly proficient in a foreign language and/or be well along in completing you core and major requirements.

Senior

• If you go abroad as a senior, work closely with your advisor to ensure that you can get all of your requirements completed. Be sure that you know when the credits may be transcripted, as this can delay your official graduation date.

General Advice for Service-Learning Programs Students Going Abroad

• Service learning incorporates community work into the curriculum, giving students real-world learning experiences that enhance their academic learning while providing a tangible benefit for the community.
• Service learning is a type of civic engagement which offers students coursework that engages students in activities that address human needs. It weaves course content and service together so that each complements the other, involves reciprocity with the community (both the community and student/university are equal partners), and each gains from the other and reflection - having significant opportunities to reflect on one's service and experiences and engage theory and knowledge reflexively with experience.
• This guide is broken into two sections.
  • The first outlines programs in various regions of the world that have set curriculums where service is an integral part of the service learning experience. These programs are described as "Service Learning Programs."
  • The second section outlines programs that have an optional course, track, practicum, or internship that would be considered a service learning opportunity but is not required to attend the program. These programs are described as "Service Learning Options."
• Students may find additional options and current information (including class listings, current costs, eligibility requirements, etc.) for all programs on the Education Abroad website.
• Don’t miss the growing list of over 10,000 courses pre-approved for various degree requirements! 
• If you plan to save some A&S Core/Gen Ed classes for study abroad, the best options are Contemporary Societies (Core), Historical Context (Core), Literature & the Arts (Core), Humanities/Arts (Gen Ed) and Social Sciences (Gen Ed).  Other areas are possible but less common (note: Written Comm. is rarely approved).
• General (non-major) electives are VERY easy to fulfill abroad (save some if you can).

Getting Courses Approved

• Remember to first check the pre-approvals list with over 10,000 courses for various degree requirements.
• To submit additional major/minor courses for review, you will work with your academic advisor. View more information about the major/minor approvals process.

Programs with Service Learning Options

Many of our programs offer internship and/or volunteer opportunities. This list below includes just a few highlights of programs that can offer a service-learning experience:
 

• SIT programs: SIT offers semester-long programs with an Independent Study Project (ISP) component that allows students to study and research a topic of their interest. Students may choose to make volunteering part of the ISP, and create their own service learning experience. SIT programs follow particular themes, including social justice, development, and human rights.
   
• ISA programs with a service-learning component: ISA programs that include an optional service-learning component can be found around the world, including in Wellington, New Zealand, Galway, Ireland, Salamanca, Spain, San José, Costa Rica, Valparaiso, Chile, and Meknes, Morocco.
   
• CIEE programs in Botswana and Ghana provider service-learning opportunities.

Last Updated September 2022