Study Abroad

Graduate students seeking a profound understanding of the world must experience it beyond the classroom, immersing themselves in diverse cultures and perspectives in real-world settings.

There is a program for you regardless of your major

Arabic Calligraphy Workshop

Programs are short and credit-bearing

Programs are affordable

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Study abroad and graduate on time

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Choose from credit-bearing and non-credit program offerings

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Programs are TC faculty-led

Jeff Young leads a class discussion

Choose Your Program

Ready to explore the world?

Spain and Morocco

Global Perspectives on STEM Education

Faculty Leader: Dr. Irina Lyublinskaya

In partnership with IES Abroad, this program explores how research, policy and culture shape STEM teaching in Morocco and Spain. Based in Rabat, students visit schools and teacher-education institutions, meet education officials and STEM advocates, and observe lessons before crossing the Strait of Gibraltar to Granada. Each theme follows a cycle of expert presentation, immersion and comparative reflection, preparing participants to bring equitable STEM innovations back to their own classrooms.

Location: Morocco and Spain | Credits: 2-3 credits or non-credit | Dates: Jan 4–18, 2027 | Enrollment range: 15 - 20

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Hong Kong and Shenzhen

School Improvement and Educational Transformation in Global Perspective

Faculty Leader: Dr. Thomas Hatch

What does it take to improve schools and transform education systems? This study tour brings students into kindergartens and primary, secondary and international schools in Hong Kong and Shenzhen to compare Eastern and Western approaches to learning, improvement and innovation. Through school visits, conversations with educators and education officials, Ednovators' EdFest 2027 and gatherings with TC and Columbia alumni, participants build the knowledge and networks to drive educational change in their own contexts.

Location: Hong Kong and Shenzhen | Credits: 2–3 | Dates: Jan 5-16, 2027 | Enrollment range: 10 - 15

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Brazil

Experiments in Interdisciplinarity, the Arts, and Ecologies of Sound

Faculty Leader: Dr. Randall Everett Allsup

Hosted by the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, this intensive arts course explores sound ecology and sustainability in Campo Grande, the urban gateway to the Pantanal. Through soundwalks, field recording, improvisation and collaborative creation alongside Brazilian artists, educators and students, participants explore listening as an embodied, collective practice. Afternoon labs in percussion, singing, digital-electronic music and guitar build toward a public interdisciplinary performance. Artists and educators from every discipline are welcome.

 

Location: Campo Grande, Brazil | Credits: 2-3 or non-credit | Dates: Jan 02-15, 2027  | Enrollment range: 15-20

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Geneva

The Global Governance Institute in Geneva

Faculty Leader: Dr. Gita Steiner-Khamsi

Offered with the Geneva Graduate Institute, home of the UNESCO Chair in Comparative Education Policy, this TC-wide course takes students inside International Geneva. Participants meet UN agencies, permanent missions, foundations and NGOs, including UNICEF, Education Cannot Wait, the Aga Khan Foundation and UNESCO IBE, to see how international organizations shape national education policy. The week includes joint seminars with Geneva Graduate Institute students and an inter-university research conference. Open to master's and doctoral students from all TC departments.

Location: Geneva, Switzerland | Credits: 3 credits | Dates: Mar 12–21, 2027 | Enrollment range: 10–12

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Costa Rica

Education, Conflict, and Peacebuilding

Faculty Leader: Dr. Garnett Russell

In collaboration with the United Nations University for Peace, this immersive program engages students in critical dialogues on education's role in conflict-affected societies. Through guest lectures, field visits, and interactions with peacebuilding practitioners, participants explore frameworks of transitional justice, reconciliation, and educational equity in Latin America. The 10-day experience integrates academic rigor with intercultural exchange to equip students with global perspectives on peace education.

Location: Costa Rica | Credits: 3 credits | Dates: March 2027 | Enrollment range: 15–20

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Camino

Walking the Camino de Santiago: A Journey Through Sound, Place, and Encounter

Faculty Leaders: Dr. Patrick Schmidt and Dr. Cathy Benedict

What changes when the place becomes the curriculum? Starting in Porto and walking 100 km of the Portuguese Camino from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela, students explore curriculum as something lived, shaped by landscapes, rituals, conversations, music and silence. Each walking day is guided by inquiry questions, field journals, soundscapes, photographs and interviews, followed by evening seminars. No musical background is needed. The focus is listening as a way of knowing place and one another.

Location: Portugal & Spain | Credits: 2–3 or non-credit | Dates: July, 2027 | Enrollment : 10-15

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Eligibility Requirements

Teachers College welcomes a diverse group of participants for its study abroad programs, including:

  • Teachers College and CU Students
  • CU Undergraduate Students with:
    • A minimum of 90 earned credits by the program start date.
    • Relevant coursework or experience.
    • Approval from their academic advisor and program director.
  • Non-Teachers College Graduate Students and Professionals who:
    • Are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
    • Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or Overseas.

Participation Requirements

1. Passport and Visa

  • Must possess a valid passport. A copy of your valid passport is required before you go abroad. If you are ​in the process of applying for or renewing your passport, you may begin your application, but you must ​be prepared to submit a scan of your new passport upon receipt.
  • International students may require a visa to study abroad. Visa letters can be supplied once you submit ​your application and confirm your participation in the program.

2. Health and Safety

  • Must provide proof of health insurance that covers international travel.
  • Must complete a health, safety, and security orientation session prior to departure.

3. Financial Preparation

  • Must demonstrate the financial capability to cover program fees, travel expenses, and living costs during ​the program.

4. Program Commitment

  • Must commit to full participation in all program activities, including pre-departure meetings, ​coursework, and any additional requirements set by the Office of Global Engagement.

5. Code of Conduct

  • Must agree to adhere to the code of conduct set forth by TC and the host institution abroad, ​ensuring respectful and professional behavior at all times.

Study Abroad Planning Timeline

6 months before departure

  • Attend info sessions
  • Choose your program
  • Speak with your advisor
  • Plan your finances

5 months before departure

  • Submit your study abroad application
  • Confirm your participation
  • Pay deposit

3 months before departure

  • Complete required documentation
  • Pay all due fees

1 month before departure

  • Attend the pre-departure orientation
  • start packing your suitcase

Departure Day

  • Embark on a transformative academic journey where learning happens naturally

Grants & Scholarships

Teachers College Grants

International Travel Grant for Study Abroad:

Funded by Office of Global Engagement, the International Travel Grant (ITG) for Teachers College students ​engaging in academic activities abroad is intended to support travel-related expenses for conducting research, ​fulfilling internships, presenting at conferences, or participating in other academic activities outside of the ​United States. Email globalengagement@tc.columbia.edu to inquire or apply.

Passport Grant:

To promote diverse participation in study abroad programs, which foster personal and intellectual growth, the ​Office of Global Engagement is offering a grant to help cover passport fees for TC students interested in ​studying abroad. Email globalengagement@tc.columbia.edu to inquire or apply.

External Funding Resources for Students 

The Office of Global Engagement at Teachers College provides this curated list of external funding opportunities to support students pursuing study abroad or other global experiences. These opportunities are managed by external organizations, and students should contact each provider directly for information on eligibility criteria and application processes.

If you have additional scholarship resources to share, please email us.

Scholarship & Grant Search Platforms

These platforms provide access to a variety of funding opportunities for travel, study abroad, and research:

Crowdfunding Opportunities

Personal fundraising can help cover the costs of study abroad or other global experiences. Popular platforms include:

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