Study Abroad

Programs Overview

Bryant’s Study Abroad Office offers students short-term, semester long, and in some instances, academic year program options. Students are able to participate in a program as early as the summer after their freshman year for short-term participation, or during the spring term of their second year if the student wishes to study abroad for a semester. Students can participate in more than one short-term study abroad program, a short-term and semester abroad program, or a short-term and up to two non-consecutive semesters abroad with proper planning. We want all students to have the chance to explore and learn in some sort of international education program, and work closely with the Undergraduate Advising Office throughout students’ time at Bryant to help keep them on track for graduation. The information provided on this page offers insights into both our short-term and semester abroad programs, as well as helpful information for parents and families as their student proceeds through the study abroad process such as costs and fees, travel documentation, health and safety, and more.

Short-term Program Opportunities

Faculty-Led Programs

Bryant is always looking for opportunities to offer new short-term study abroad programs led by our faculty. Our faculty-led programs allow students to earn three credits through participation of in-country classroom lessons, site visits, and an abbreviated continuation of in-class learning back on Bryant’s campus for the fall programs that travel in August, and the spring faculty-led programs that travel in January. The programs that travel in May/June will conclude the coursework with a final assignment that is submitted shortly after returning from their travel component. Summer programs operate in a similar fashion, wherein students are doing some pre-departure learning and coursework to help prepare them for the trip, and the bulk of their coursework occurs while in-country, with a final assessment piece due upon returning home.

Eligibility for all faculty-led programs requires students to be in good academic, financial, and judicial standing, with additional eligibility determined by the faculty in charge of a program (e.g. class standing of sophomore, junior or senior level and specific minimum cumulative GPA). Each program will require students to pay a travel fee to cover their on-the-ground costs (such as accommodations, entry fees to the group site visits, in-country group transportation, a supplemental insurance plan), and airfare which are separate costs from the cost for earning the credits, and vary by location. Corresponding program application requirements will be advertised as programs become available (e.g. submission of a current resume or faculty reference may be additional to be considered for acceptance). More information about the costs, how credits for participation apply, and insurance are available via the corresponding FAQs in the document below.

2023-2024 Semester Faculty-Led Programs:

Japan (August): Special Topics in Mathematics: Culture, History, Business Environment, and Analytical Research Abroad (MATH ST300), Fall 2023, with Dr. Gao Niu - COMPLETED

Italy (January): Italian Culture, History, and Gastronomy (LCS 480), Spring 2024, with Dr. Cedric Oliva

Iceland & Denmark (May/June): Topics in Environmental Humanities (LCS 362), Spring 2024, with Dr. Ryan M. Sonder

Cape Town, South Africa (May/June): Global Health Challenges (SCI 466), Spring 2024, with Professor Stephanie Mott (Instructor Permission Required)

2024 Summer Faculty-Led Programs:

Seoul, South Korea (June/July): Various course options, with Dr. Sukki Yoon and Dr. Kacy Kim

Oxford, England (June/July): Head, Hand, and Hertford (MGT or PSY ST385), with Dr. Allison Butler and Dr. Michael Roberto

2024-2025 Semester Faculty-Led Programs:

Japan (August/September): Special Topics in Mathematics: Culture, History, Business Environment, and Analytical Research Abroad (MATH ST300), Fall 2024, with Dr. Gao Niu

London & Amsterdam (August): Financial Institutions and Markets (FIN 315), Fall 2024, with Dr. Peter Nigro

PROJECTED: Italy (January 2025): Italian Culture, History, and Gastronomy (LCS 480), Spring 2025, with Dr. Cedric Oliva

PROJECTED: Argentina & Chile (January 2025): History, Politics and Culture in Latin America (CMLS 299), Spring 2025, with Professor Patricia Gomez

The following year’s Summer and Semester Faculty-led Short-term programs will be announced and added here in early October of each academic year.
 

Semester Program Opportunities

In order to participate in Bryant's semester approved study abroad programs with either a direct partner or a third-party program provider, students must have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at Bryant by the time of application. This GPA MUST be maintained throughout the term prior to studying abroad. If a student's cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0 after final grades are calculated into their record from the term before departing to study abroad, the student is required to defer to a different term, or withdraw entirely from their original semester abroad plans, and they are financially responsible for all fees incurred at that time. GPA requirements for winter and summer study abroad partner programs vary and will be dependent on the program to which a student applies; Bryant does not require a minimum GPA for partner program winter or summer participation. Students must also be in good standing judicially, financially, and academically at Bryant before they can be approved to study abroad.

Direct Partner Programs

Students who are looking for a truly immersive study abroad student experience can explore our direct partnerships with one of the schools listed in the document below. The direct partner program options have a different payment structure than Bryant's program provider options listed on the Programs Overview section and typically offer a less expensive housing (and applicable meal plan) option for students. In addition, direct partnerships are the only option for academic year programs. For more information on a specific partner institution, please click on the individual school's link, and inquire about more information within our Study Abroad Office.

Honors Study Abroad

Honors students who are looking for a truly immersive study abroad experience with the opportunity to earn 3 credits towards post-contracted Honors coursework should explore one of our selected direct partner programs.

Third-Party Program Providers: Students who may need a bit more guidance on various processes such as in-country course registration, housing selection, visa assistance, and more may want to consider participating in one of our approved third-party programs. These are American companies that serve as an intermediary between Bryant and the host institution abroad, and lend additional help to students who are more comfortable having their U.S. and overseas staff be constant touch points throughout their time abroad. Students who participate in a third-party program can expect to pay similar fees to the costs of a semester at Bryant; their housing and if applicable, meal plan, depends on the type of housing in which they’re ultimately placed.

Once students have chosen a specific country and program, they must meet the application deadlines for both the program's application and Bryant's online enrollment form. PRIORITY deadlines are October 1st for spring program applications, and March 1st for fall program applications. Otherwise, all applications are due NO LATER than Bryant's deadlines of October 15th for spring and/or winter program applications, and March 15th for fall and/or summer program applications. Some programs' application due dates are earlier than our priority or final application deadlines, so students need to abide by whichever the earliest deadline is between their intended program and Bryant’s final application deadline.

Courses vary by institution, and our main goal is to always inform students about the programs that work best for them academically to keep them on track for graduation. Students may elect to take courses in humanities and social sciences, or business, if available on their study abroad degree evaluation and if these courses are offered and allowed to register for by the host institution.

Study abroad and COVID-19

Bryant's Study Abroad Office is constantly monitoring COVID-19 through the CDC, U.S. State Department, and our partner programs' websites for updates regarding infection rates worldwide. Please note that the situation around COVID, both here and abroad, could change at any moment, and programs may still be canceled prior to departure. 

The Study Abroad Office strongly recommends that students who study abroad during any future semester be vaccinated against COVID-19; however, it is only required if the partner, host country, and/or provider require it. Students should consult their chosen program for any and all COVID updates regarding the respective program term for when they’re planning on studying abroad, as they will post more information about the status of their future programs. In addition, should you have questions regarding Bryant’s position regarding refunds, please contact Bryant’s Bursar's Office for clarification.

Semester Costs & Fees

Once a student attends the mandatory information session to start their study abroad process, they then need to meet with their assigned academic advisor to discuss available course options. Following this meeting, the student meets with a study abroad advisor who will assist in finding a program to meet their academic course needs. The Study Abroad Office will email several items to the parents/guardians of those students who meet with us during the third step of the process following the student’s meeting with our office. One of these items is the Study Abroad Billing Brochure (also viewable via the link below). This brochure will help families become more prepared for the expected charges that will be assessed on the student's bill versus what they're responsible for paying out of pocket for the semester a student is going abroad, and includes information about how financial aid applies for students who participate on a Bryant approved semester abroad program.

Students will review a study abroad billing form for the applicable anticipated costs for their intended term abroad during their meeting within the Study Abroad Office. We will provide each student with a copy of this form for their own records, as well as with a copy to provide to their family. For your reference, you can view a blank copy of this form below. Please note that IB students who participate in a Bryant IB customized study abroad program will receive billing information more specific to their program.

Students participating with an outside program provider for a shorter winter or summer term are responsible for obtaining their anticipated costs directly from the program, as Bryant is not involved in the billing process for these types of programs.

All billing inquiries should be addressed to the Bursar's Office at (401) 232-6030. Please visit the Bursar's Office web site for more detailed information on study abroad billing and costs.

Passports & Visas

Given the processing delays, we encourage any student considering any of our programs to apply for a new or renewal passport now, as passports should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the return date of the program in which a student participates. Given that youth passports are only valid for 6 years, students and parents are usually surprised that their student’s passport is expired and/or close to expiring. A valid passport is required for all students who may need a visa to study abroad on their selected program.

For Bryant’s short-term programs, if a visa is required for entry to the program’s destination, this information will be provided to the students by the faculty leading that program. Most of our short-term programs do not typically require students to obtain a visa, however, the student’s passport they’ll be using to participate may determine this need to obtain one. 

For semester abroad programs, the Study Abroad Office provides students at the first step in the study abroad process with general information about the visa process, as well as passport validity details. We remind students about checking their passport expiration date to ensure it will be valid for the 6 months beyond their expected return date, and that they will receive more country specific information about the visa process from their chosen program once they have applied and been accepted to the program. The same general visa information we provide them is included in the parent emails we send to parents and families after the students have had their meeting in the Study Abroad Office, and is based on their residency status here in the U.S. This way, parents and families can stay on track with upcoming steps their students will need to take to be admitted properly into their host country based on the passport on which they’ll be traveling. You can review this information via the links below.

Visas are typically only necessary for students who will be spending more than 90 days in another country on a program. However, it is important to note that if a student will be traveling to a country even for a short period of time, such as on a winter or summer program outside of our short-term faculty-led program offerings, depending on that country’s entry requirements and the passport on which the student is traveling, they may still need a visa. Again, their program will be their BEST resource for learning their specific visa requirements, so please reinforce the importance to your student for obtaining this information.

Information for Parents and Families

Studying abroad for a student can be one of the most rewarding times during their college years. There’s a lot of planning that goes into the decision to go abroad, and we want the students to take ownership of their experience, which includes keeping their family informed at each step. Since it is ultimately the student who will be going overseas, we work with them consistently throughout the semester reviewing the necessary steps they need to follow to go abroad and be successful. We hope you will be equally supportive of them on this journey, help them advocate for themselves, and trust them to provide you with what you need to know. Our goal is that you too can see that your student is prepared to go abroad and be successful. Below are some of the resources we’re providing to your students as they go through the study abroad process; they are receiving a lot of information from both Bryant and their chosen program. We encourage you to check in with your student throughout their pre-departure process and, of course, once they’re abroad.

Please feel free to check out both of the Semester abroad and Short-term Faculty-led Programs FAQs below to provide further details about studying abroad through Bryant including pre-departure checklists, insurance and prescriptions, and Power of Attorney considerations to keep in mind as your student prepares for the experience of a lifetime. Living and learning in another country will be unlike their time at Bryant- in the greatest way possible!