About 65 percent of Rhodes students take advantage of learning opportunities off-campus and in other countries, most often during their sophomore and junior years. And while language and culture are common subjects of study, specialized programs abound and help students develop real-world skills in their discipline. In most cases, students pay tuition, room, and board as normal to Rhodes, including any federal and institutional aid they normally receive, which covers their tuition, room, and board while on the program.
How to Get Started
The Buckman Center for international education manages the off-campus and study abroad component for Rhodes College. To get started, explore the Online Portal for Off-Campus Study, which helps you plan ahead, search for you programs, and apply for programs.
Types of Programs
Rhodes Summer Programs - Every year, Rhodes faculty plan programs off-campus for Rhodes students. These are commonly referred to as Rhodes “Maymesters.” The Online Portal has a list of current programs. As these are Rhodes programs, credit earned is Rhodes credit. No institutional or federal aid is portable for summer programs. However, the Buckman Center has many need-based scholarships available.
Rhodes Semester Programs - Thanks to a sizeable Mellon grant, Rhodes, Sewanee, and Centre College jointly own/operate three new semester-long off-campus study programs: the "New York City Internship Program," the "Global Ghana: History and the Diaspora Program" and the "Global Environmental Challenges Program" based in Ecuador. These programs are Rhodes programs, meaning that all credit earned is Rhodes credit and Rhodes' portable institutional and federal aid applies. Students from all three schools will enroll in these programs and the faculty leaders are drawn from each of the schools on a rotating basis. These programs operate in the fall, only.
ISEP and Bilateral Exchanges – Rhodes students have access to exchange programs worldwide and can use their portable institutional aid and scholarships to fund study abroad.
Our formal bilateral exchange agreements are with The University of Antwerp, Belgium; The University of Poitiers, France; Nebrissensis University, Madrid, Spain; The University of Tübingen, Germany; The University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany; The University of Aberdeen, Scotland; The University of Kent, England; The University of Lima, Peru; Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa; and The Iberoamericana University in Puebla, Mexico. Students pay tuition (in some case, room and board) to Rhodes and receive tuition (in some cases, room and board) on the program. Rhodes institutional aid and federal/state aid are portable for these programs. Exchanges can occur in any discipline and can range in length from one semester to one academic year. In most cases, exchange students are matriculated directly into the host institution and pursue courses with host country students. Credit earned on exchange programs is treated as transfer credit. The number of students who can participate on exchange programs is limited.
Rhodes is also a member of ISEP (The International Student Exchange Program), an organization of more than 200 colleges and universities located throughout the United States and in Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and Latin America. Students pay tuition, room, and board to Rhodes and receive tuition, room and board on the program. Rhodes institutional aid and federal/state aid are portable for these programs. Exchanges can occur in any discipline and can range in length from one semester to one academic year. In most cases, exchange students are matriculated directly into the host institution and pursue courses with host country students. Credit earned on exchange programs is treated as transfer credit. The number of students who can participate on exchange programs is limited.
Affiliated Programs - In addition to Rhodes Programs and Exchange Programs, Rhodes has semester- and year-long Affiliated Partnerships with numerous other colleges, universities and international organizations. Students participating on an Affiliated Program pay tuition, room, and board (in some cases, partial or no board) to Rhodes and receive tuition, room and board (or partial or no board) on the off-campus program. Rhodes institutional aid and federal/state aid are portable for these programs. Credit earned on Affiliated programs is treated as transfer credit.
In the case of an Affiliated Summer Program, students pay the program out of pocket; no institutional or federal aid is portable for summer programs. However, the Buckman Center has many need-based scholarships available.