Graduate Student Resources

• Credit programs

• Non-credit programs

• Independent Learning Abroad (Internships)

• Research opportunities - Research abroad options are the most common among graduate level students. Talk to your  academic advisor/department about international collaborators or apply for grants to complete research abroad. See these websites to start a search: https://nsf.gov/about/  & https://euroscholars.eu/

• Fulbright U.S. Program for Graduate Students

• Fulbright Program for Foreign Students and Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs)

• Country specific options directly through foreign embassies in the United States (i.e. ThinkSwiss (Switzerland).

Graduate level students can use VT exchange or direct enrollment options to study/take classes abroad for a semester. All courses to be taken abroad should have your faculty advisor’s approval in writing prior to studying abroad. Graduate students must earn a “B” or better to transfer credit from another institution back to VT.  Credit transfers for graduate students are done by including the transfer credit (with official transcript) on the plan of study.  See the VT Graduate Catalog for current credit transfer rules.

• IF you want to study abroad, contact the Global Education office(GEO) at VT. There are faculty-led programs where you are still registered at VT or there are programs where you take courses at an international institution.

  IF you plan to do research abroad, start by talking to your academic advisor/department/COE about opportunities. Paperwork to travel internationally must be completed in advance through your department and the GEO office.

• IF you plan to be part of a service-learning opportunity, contact VT Engage or other offices/departments that offer such programs. 

• VT has a Fulbright coordinator/officer who can help you with the process of applying for a Fulbright.

• Faculty-led programs often have a program fee which covers many of the costs for logistics.
  
• Scholarships may be available from your department, CT or other sources for all types of abroad opportunities. 
  
•  Consider registration and assistantship concerns. In some cases, different types of registration may be selected (reduced, in-absentia, etc.). In some cases, students may need other funding arrangements if an assistantship is not allowed for international travel.

Many departments offer scholarships for their own students to go abroad for various activities. The College of Engineering’s GEER office as well the Global Education Office at VT offer scholarship options as well. There are outside sources for funding like: NSF, Boren, Chateaubriand Fellowship Program, DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service, Nakatani Research and International Experience for Students in Japan (Nakatani RIES) Fellowship, ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships, Chinese Government Scholarships, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, and IRES (International Research Experiences for Students) at Virginia Tech.

There are many opportunities where English is spoken enough for you to study, research or experience a service trip abroad. However, other opportunities will have language requirements. Check each opportunity individually before confirming your participation.

IF students plan ahead and work with their academic advisors, then abroad experiences need not delay graduation.

Graduate students who support themselves through research or teaching assistantships need to know that they may not be allowed to continue that work if going on a study abroad program. Talk to your department and college contacts about assistantships while abroad.