The College of the Holy Cross was ranked No. 3 among baccalaureate institutions in the United States for long-term study abroad programs, according to a recent report released by the Institute of International Education.
Long-term study abroad programs are defined as taking place during a full calendar or academic year. A majority of programs offered through the College require students to learn overseas for the entire academic year. Other programs are available to students as well, such as single semester, month-long summer programs, and faculty-led study tours during the school vacations.
With 79 students studying for long-term durations abroad, the College joined Smith, Sarah Lawrence, and Lewis and Clark College among the top baccalaureate institutions. The College ranked No. 1 last year, marking six straight years of being among the top two positions on the list.
“Here at Holy Cross we are proud to be an ongoing leader nationwide in long-term study abroad,” says Brittain Smith, director of the study abroad program at Holy Cross. “An academic year abroad offers an unparalleled opportunity for real cultural immersion and, accordingly, for the intellectual and personal transformation resulting from that long-term exposure to a culture not originally one's own. After their time abroad, students return to Holy Cross as more independent, inquisitive learners, as multicultural human beings and conscientious global citizens.”
The national results were published in the Open Doors 2015 report, an annual report compiled by the Institute of International Education. The institution, which was founded in 1919, is an independent not-for-profit organization that receives funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural affairs.
The report relies on data from the 2013-14 ─ rather than 2014-15 ─ academic year to find the total number of U.S. students who study abroad because these numbers are only reported after students have received credit for their academic programs.
See the full report from the Institute of International Education.
More information
- Holy Cross Ranks First in Long-Term Study Abroad Participation
- Holy Cross Ranks Second in Long-Term Study Abroad Participation
- Holy Cross Tops Baccalaureate Institutions in Long-Term Study Abroad Participation
- Photo Gallery: Students Showcase Their Study Abroad Experiences in Annual Photo Contest
This “Holy Cross in the news” item is by Emma Collins ’16.
