Email: [email protected] or  [email protected] 
Phone: 717-948-6062

C114R (Olmsted Building)

Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm

What are International Programs?

International Programs are opportunities to build global skills and perspectives through immersive, experiential learning abroad. You'll enhance your education and learn the skills you need to stand out in your future career. In fact, a recent study showed that most education abroad alumni say that their experience abroad helped them land a job and then get promoted into leadership roles!

Types of Programs

Penn State offers over 350 education abroad programs. These programs range from just a few days up to an entire year, and there are programs with coursework in English for all majors all over the world. All programs award Penn State credit, so it's possible for education abroad programs to fit easily into your degree plan.

Penn State Harrisburg Programs (Faculty-Led Embedded):

  • Short program designed to supplement a course taught on campus or online
  • Harrisburg faculty leading a group of students from our campus
  • Travel usually happens over spring break
  • Some other Penn State campuses offer online or distance-learning courses with embedded travel open to all Penn State students.
  • Most affordable option
  • Find programs on this page!

Penn State Programs:

How to get Started

For Penn State Harrisburg Faculty-Led Embedded Courses, students will follow the registration process as outlined in each course/trip brochure. You can also visit the International Programs Office located in C114R Olmsted or email [email protected].


For other Penn State programs, you can apply online! Just use the search tool to find the program you're interested in and click "Apply Now" in the upper right portion of the program brochure pages. Deadlines vary by term, but they might be earlier than you think, so start planning as soon as you can. These programs also each have an assigned Education Abroad Adviser listed on their brochure pages; if you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch or schedule a time to meet!

Cost & Scholarships

Education abroad programs all cost more than just tuition, but we work hard to keep them affordable and accessible to all students.  There are many online resources available to help you plan and budget for your education abroad program, and we've even identified the lowest cost Penn State programs in each region of the world (some are cheaper than staying on campus!)  Costs can vary widely between programs, however, so make sure to compare the budgets.  In almost all cases, students studying abroad can continue to access any grants, scholarships, or other financial aid they normally receive, but make sure to check with Student Aid about your situation. There are numerous additional scholarships available, including the prestigious Gilman Scholarship and Boren Awards, as well as fellowships like the Penn State Perreault Fellows Program.

Special Travel Awards for Penn State Harrisburg Study Tours

Thanks to the generosity of donors to the college, travel awards are being made available (up to $700 each) for the upcoming year's spring break (embedded) study tours!

Travel awards are only for Penn State Harrisburg students with unmet financial need, though some awards are available regardless of financial need.

The following criteria will be used to determine awards recipients:

  • GPA
  • Half-page essay describing why you want to travel (included in the online application)
  • Free of judicial review or judicial sanction

Deadline: October 28, 2022

Apply Now!

Travel Information

Traveling abroad can be intimidating for experienced and first-time travelers alike. You'll need a passport and perhaps a travel visa to participate in an education abroad program, and in rare cases you'll need additional vaccines. We have great resources available online to guide you through these processes, and if you've ever got a question, please get in touch with the Office of International Programs!

Eligibility

Requirements, such as GPA, class standing, or course prerequisites, vary extensively by program, but all students who want to study abroad should be in good academic standing and be free of conduct violations. If you have concerns about your eligibility, please feel free to contact us for more information.