Study Abroad & Off Campus

An extraordinary opportunity available to University of Minnesota-Twin Cities students is the chance to study abroad or off campus. You can live in a foreign country, take classes at another university, become involved with internships or volunteer organizations, or even gain research experience abroad. Any of these experiences can enrich your life.

"I am spending this semester studying abroad in Thailand with the MSID (Minnesota Studies in International Development) program, and have been having an incredible experience! Throughout the first 9 weeks of my program, I have taken classes in Chiang Mai city and lived with a Thai host family, allowing me to immerse myself in the culture more than I thought would be possible."
–Kasey, Thailand, Spring 2018

"It was an eye-opening experience for me to explore London as a student, an employee, and a traveler. I have taken two classes with CAPA London and interned in the Center for Brain and Cognitive Development at the University of London.  The most interesting part of my internship was to shadow and have hands-on experience handling the EEG device. I get to strengthen my networking skills by interacting with many experts in the psychology field and gain inter-cultural competency skills while working with colleagues and participants of diverse backgrounds. Overall, my study and intern experience in London has definitely reinforced my original career plans and boosted my confidence to achieve my goals!"
–Li Shen, England, Fall 2018

Learning Abroad

Begin the Study Abroad Process
by completing a First Step Session through the Learning Abroad Center (in-person and online options).

The Learning Abroad Center has fantastic resources to guide you through the entire process of choosing a program, acquiring financial aid, and enrolling in courses abroad. From short-term global seminars to year-long programs, there is a program to match your interests and goals.

Psychology & Research in Madrid, Spain

Psychology & Research in Madrid, offered by the Learning Abroad Center in conjunction with the Department of Psychology and Fundación Ortega-Marañon, provides opportunities to study psychology coursework in Madrid, Spain during fall, spring, and summer semesters. Through this program, students can gain an international perspective on psychology, specifically in the brain sciences area, and work on psychological research while abroad. 

  • During the summer term, students will earn 6 PSY credits in just 6 weeks! Students will have the option to take Biological Psychology (taught by Professor Jonathan Gewirtz, Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities) for 3 credits, Cross-Cultural Psychology for 3 credits, Psychology in the Workplace for 3 credits, or a research lab in Madrid, earning 6 credits of PSY 5993, Directed Research in Psychology. 
  • During the fall or spring semester, students can choose from: Abnormal Psychology, Health Psychology, Biological Psychology, Sensation and Perception, Psychology in the Workplace, and Research Laboratory in Psychology, or Internship in Psychology, along with other Spanish culture courses to total 13-18 credits.

For more information, visit the Learning Abroad Center website. 

"[Studying abroad in Madrid] was literally a dream come true. It proved to me that hard work pays off. I learned much more than what was in the classroom. I learned more about myself on the way. It was an eye-opening experience because I learned I was capable of things I didn't know I could be capable of. I learned that I can be self-sufficient and that I can have fun and still do well in class." –Anna, Spain, Summer 2015

National Student Exchange (NSE)

National Student Exchange (NSE) allows students to go on exchange to another school in the United States or Canada. Choose from more than 200 schools and hundreds of subjects to study from across North America. You can still earn credit toward your U of M degree and the credits you earn may be used toward your psychology major or minor. 

International UROP Scholarship

The International Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (I-UROP) Scholarship provides critical funding to students enrolled in select credit-bearing learning abroad programs involving a research project. The learning abroad program must be a fall or spring semester or the academic year. A minimum of 100 hours must be dedicated to onsite research.