International Offerings for Undergraduate Students

The Fine Print: Eligibility and the Application Process

Study Abroad at Drexel University is competitive. Students must have at least a 2.75 GPA at the time of applying in order to be considered for a program. The minimum GPA required for acceptance to particular programs, however, may be higher, and other requirements such as major, year in school, and a second language may also apply. Students must submit an application complete with approval from his/her department and the SCDC for students in a co-op program, letter of recommendation, and essay by the application deadline.

International Co-op To be eligible to participate in Drexel University's International Co-op, students must attend Drexel full-time, be in good standing, and ideally have successfully completed at least one co-op experience "acceptable" or above evaluation. Equivalent prior work experience will also be considered and evaluated on an individual basis. Participants are selected on the basis of academic record, co-operative education and other employment experience, recommendations of faculty and previous employers, foreign language proficiency (depending on country), and a personal interview. Final co-op employment commitments are made only by employers abroad.

To have the best opportunity of securing international employment and sufficient time to prepare for the experience, students are urged to plan ahead. As early as freshman year, students should make an appointment with the international co-op coordinator to have a brief discussion about securing a co-op internationally.

Students are generally responsible for seeking out co-ops abroad. As part of the application process, students may be required to take a language proficiency exam. This is required of all international opportunities where the country's official language is not English. The entire application process should be completed at least six months prior to going abroad.

International Residency For faculty-led programs (Residencies), the individual faculty directors make acceptance decisions. As they will live and work with the students 24/7 once abroad, they are best equipped to select the students for their group. Some faculty directors heavily weigh GPA and academic year. Some interview everyone and some do not. Questions about acceptance criteria should be directed to the faculty director. However, it is not always easy for U.S. citizens to get work visas for another country. This process can take some time, so you should begin your research early!

FYI - Perhaps the biggest obstacle to co-op and study abroad is the visa requirement. If you want to stay in a foreign country for longer than 90 days, you will need a visa in addition to your passport. If you want to work outside the United States (and do not have dual citizenship) you will definitely need a visa. For students, the visa can be relatively easy to obtain, or unnecessary if you're only staying for one quarter.