The Semester Abroad Program

Semester abroad experiences are available in the following locations:

  • Australia: Students take courses either at Deakin University in Melbourne or James Cook University in Townsville or Cairns. Both campuses have multiple locations. 
  • Austria: The program, offered in English, is located at the Austro American Institute of Education in the heart of Vienna. 
  • Chile: Through an exchange with the Universidad del Bío-Bío, majors and minors in Spanish may study during the fall or spring term at their Chillán campus. Students will select courses from the university curriculum in consultation with the resident director and Linfield’s Spanish faculty. 
  • Ecuador: Students can either take courses (all in Spanish) at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito or environmental studies courses (in English) at the university’s center in the Galapagos. 
  • England: Students take courses at the University of Nottingham. Both fall and spring options are available. 
  • France: Several programs and locations are available. Students participate in a program of their choice, either in Angers, Aix-en-Provence or Dijon, with approval of the International Programs Office in consultation with the French faculty. 
  • Germany: Students may study at the Nürtingen-Geislingen University (located in Nürtingen) during the fall or spring term. This institution is particularly suitable for majors and minors in Business.
  • Hong Kong: Through an exchange relationship, Linfield students each year may participate in a semester exchange program at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU). Both fall and spring options are available. The academic program includes more than 200 elective courses taught in English. 
  • Ireland: Students study at the National University of Ireland, Galway. They take courses primarily in the social sciences and humanities. Both fall and spring options are available.
  • Japan: Students take classes especially arranged for Linfield University by Kanto Gakuin University in Yokohama in the fall only or courses offered by Rikkyo University and Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo or Doshisha University in Kyoto through an exchange relationship with these institutions. The Rikkyo program is for language majors only. Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo offers a program taught in English. 
  • New Zealand: Students may select from among three locations in New Zealand to do their course work: University of Canterbury in Christchurch; University of Otago in Dunedin; and University of Waikato in Hamilton. Both fall and spring options are available.
  • Norway: Students attend Oslo Metropolitan University in the downtown area of Bislett, or the University of South-Eastern Norway in Bø. Students will have access to many courses taught in English in economics, business, public administration, social work, teacher education, journalism, and physical education and outdoor life. Both fall and spring options are available.
  • South Korea: Students may study at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. Courses are taken within the university’s International Division, which was established to provide English-language study opportunities in Asian Studies for non-Korean students. Students are encouraged to study Korean language. 
  • Spain: Several programs and locations are available for Spanish majors only. Students may enroll at the three locations administered by the Spanish Studies Abroad; Alicante, Barcelona, and Seville. 

The programs are designed to serve students who will return to Linfield to share their international experience with the on-campus community. The number of students for each program is limited and the selection is competitive. On the basis of an application, supporting documents, and a personal interview, a selection committee judges each applicant in terms of motivation and preparation for a study abroad experience. A series of required orientation and re-entry meetings is held prior to departure and upon completion of the program.

The cost of participating in Linfield’s Semester/Year Abroad Programs is set at the prevailing on-campus tuition, plus program fees which usually cover certain items such as housing, board (where provided) field trips and excursions (where applicable), insurance, and other study abroad processing charges. In most cases, students may apply their financial aid toward these costs. Passports, visa fees and related costs are the responsibility of each student. Linfield will help to facilitate the visa processes.

Students generally receive 15-18 Linfield credits per semester for their academic work abroad. All courses are taken for a letter grade unless otherwise indicated.

Study abroad course grades for all Linfield-sponsored semester programs and January term off-campus courses will be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA on the Linfield transcript. For all other (non-Linfield sponsored) study abroad courses and/or programs, the course grades will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA on the Linfield transcript.

To fulfill Linfield Curriculum (LC) requirements, students should carefully review the description of the LC in this catalog and the description of the transfer credit policy to the Transfer Credit section of this catalog. Students should try to identify courses that parallel courses approved for LC credit on the Linfield campus. Consult the Office of the Registrar for further clarification.

All participants are required to take INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION: DEPARTURE & REENTRY (IDST 031). This course is graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. All assignments (some conducted online) must be completed in order for students to receive a Satisfactory (S) grade. Students accepted to a study abroad program must earn a “B” in the target language during the term immediately preceding departure.