Selecting Your Program
The guide below shows your options for studying engineering during a fall or spring semester abroad. Your curriculum plan and your other goals will help you decide if a fall, spring, Maymester, or summer study abroad program is best for you.
The GEO website has a complete list of programs, including additional VU programs where you can fulfill non-engineering degree requirements. The GEO site also includes information about fees, costs, and billing.
Where Can I Study Engineering Abroad?
The tables below show your options for studying engineering in your major abroad. Click to expand the country/region. Look in the column for your major. Click on university name for general information and on the catalog icon for course catalog.
M - host institution offers your major
C - courses offered but no major
F, S - Links to sample fall or spring study abroad curricula, respectively
Note that ES majors tend to have the flexibility to study at any of these institutions. Civil engineering majors need to be at VU for the spring of the junior year.
THIS IS ONLY A GUIDE. FOR COMPLETE LIST OF PROGRAMS OFFERED PLEASE VISIT GEO'S WEBSITE.
Browse Programs By Country / Region
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Australia
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME Monash University 
M C M M M M University of Adelaide M M M S
FM M University of Melbourne F S M M M M C M University of New South Wales F M F M C M C M University of Queensland M M F C M M C F University of Sydney C M M M M M C M -
China - Exchange Programs
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME City University of Hong Kong C C M M M F C M Hong Kong Univ. of Sci & Tech M M M F
SM M S -
Denmark
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME DIS-Copenhagen C C S -
England
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME University College London C M C C M C University of Leeds M M M M C M University of York M M M -
France
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME Georgia Tech, Lorraine (Metz) M M M F F
SAmerican University of Paris C -
Ireland/Northern Ireland
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME Nat'l Univ of Ireland, Galway M M M M C M Queens University C M M M M University College, Cork M F M M University College, Dublin C C F M C C S -
Italy
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME Politecnico di Torino - Exchange Program C S CET Siena C -
South Korea
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME Yonsei University (CIEE Seol: Arts and Sciences) C C C C -
New Zealand
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME University of Auckland M M M M M M C S University of Canterbury M F M M C C M -
Scotland
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME University of Edinburgh M M C S M C M University of Glasgow C F C M M S -
Singapore - Exchange Program
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME National University of Singapore F F M M M M C M -
Spain
University Catalog BME ChE CE CMPE CS EE ENGM ME Universidad Carlos III de Madrid F
SC S C F
SSaint Louis University - Madrid C C
Non-VU Programs
If VU does not offer a study abroad program that suits your needs, under certain circumstances you may be allowed to study with another program and transfer the credits back to VU.
Important Notes:
- As a condition of receiving transfer credit, you must register your travel for and during non-VU programs and comply with all VU global safety requirements per the student international travel policy (see instructions at https://www.vanderbilt.edu/global/travel-registration/ ). See Global Safety website for more information.
- Basic Safety and Security Checklist
- Transfer of credit is not guaranteed. If accepted for transfer credit, only grades of C- or better can be transferred AND these grades will not count in your VU GPA.
- Transfer credit cannot replace a course previously completed at Vanderbilt.
The first step for VUSE students is to contact VUSE Office of Student Success (vuse-studentsuccess@vanderbilt.edu) to determine if the proposed study abroad program is acceptable.
If the proposed study abroad provider is determined to be suitable AND you plan to study abroad during the summer only, then go to your landing page in YES and click on the link for "Transfer Credit." Follow the instructions to get each course you propose to take evaluated. With your first request, be sure to upload your completed Study Elsewhere Review and Acknowledgement – School of Engineering.
If the proposed study abroad provider is determined to be suitable AND you wish to study abroad during the fall or spring semester, you will have to apply for a leave of absence (LOA). IF a leave of absence is granted for study abroad, you will not be able to use VU financial aid or other resources such as housing or VU student health insurance during your leave. To apply for a leave of absence, you must do the following:
- Write a petition that describes the compelling reasons why study abroad with this program, rather than any of the VU programs, is important to your education.
- Go to your landing page in YES and click on the link for "Transfer Credit." Follow the instructions to get each course you propose to take evaluated.
- Include in your petition your curriculum plan, showing how courses from this program will combine with your VU courses to allow you to meet your degree requirements in a timely manner.
- Ask your academic adviser if she/he will endorse your petition. LOA’s will not be approved without the academic adviser’s endorsement.
- Submit your petition to VUSE Office of Student Success (vuse-studentsuccess@vanderbilt.edu)
Summer Transfer Credit Opportunities
There are some great opportunities to study engineering and related subjects abroad over the summer. You get all the benefits of study abroad plus typically the flexibility to add travel or other activities. In addition to the direct-credit summer programs offered through the VU Global Education Office, here are links to English-language summer programs other VUSE students have enjoyed:
- University of Alabama Engineering in Spain program, including the course “Society, Technology, and the Environment” and conducted in Pamplona, Spain. This program also includes Spanish language classes targeted to the level of each student and conducted by the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute.
- Clemson University International Perspectives in Bioethics and Spanish Culture, also in Pamplona, Spain with Spanish classes at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute.
- Technical University of Denmark Chemical / Biochemical Laboratory. Four week lab course equivalent to CHBE 3900W. Note that you must contact VUSE Associate Dean Paschal for important details before applying for this program.
- University of Kentucky Renewable Energy program, also in Pamplona, Spain with optional Spanish classes at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute.
Here are some other English-language summer programs abroad of potential interest but with which VUSE does not yet have experience:
- University of California - Davis Summer Abroad: Thermodynamics in the Land of Fire and Ice in Reykjavik, Iceland where the grid is entirely powered by geothermal and hydroelectric resources. This is a unique setting to learn about renewable power and complete a traditional thermodynamics course equivalent to VU’s ME 2220 (3 hrs).
- University of California - Davis Summer Abroad: Engineering of Historic Roman Construction in Rome, Italy. Study ancient art and architecture including the science and engineering of ancient Roman and Etruscan construction while completing a traditional statics course equivalent to VU’s CE 2200 (3 hrs).
- University of California - Davis Summer Abroad: Earthquake Hazards Mitigation in Japan in Tokyo. Learn historical perspectives of earthquake hazards in Japan and the variety of innovative strategies used to mitigate such hazards while also completing a mechanics of materials course equivalent to VU’s CE 2205 (3 hrs).
- University of California - Riverside Embedded Systems Education in Switzerland. Study embedded systems for CS depth elective credits at VU and complete a hardware or software project in Lausanne.
- University of California - Riverside Study Abroad in Mexico City. Study transport phenomena for biomedical applications, equivalent to VU’s BME 3000 (3 hrs), in English alongside local university students.
- University of California - Davis Summer Abroad: Sustainable Energy Technologies in Seoul, South Korea. Students will learn cutting-edge energy technologies as well as the history, traditions, and culture of Korea.
- Campus B Global Engineering Summer Internship - São Paulo, Brazil. Students work on projects related to their field of study in partnership with SENAI (National Service for Industrial Apprenticeship). Students who work with SENAI will have the chance to get hands-on experience in their field of study working on metrology, consultancy, research and development, or specialized technical service projects.
A few important notes:
- These are NOT direct credit programs and are not offered through VU GEO. Thus, you need to follow the instructions for “Transfer Credit” in YES (see your landing page) to get each course you propose to take evaluated in advance of committing to the program. If accepted for transfer credit, grades for these courses will NOT count in your GPA.
- VU financial aid does not cover summer study abroad, though some funding may be available through the Gilman International Scholarship program.