1. Read through this page fully to understand the process, eligibility, timelines, and deadlines.
2. Identify a program of interest, their visiting student requirements, and deadlines.
3. Schedule an appointment here with Dean Mauricio Cobian to discuss your proposal.
4. After the meeting you will be directed to complete an intake form in which you will outline the proposed coursework and program.
5. If the proposal is on the right track, you will be asked to secure support from your concentration advisor for your proposed plan and to formally submit a request for transfer credit in ASK. All coursework must meet Brown’s transfer credit course eligibility criteria.
6. Once your concentration advisor approves your plan and the College approves your proposed coursework, you will be conditionally approved for FTSA pending confirmation of admission into the program.
7. Once formally approved, we will report your leave status to the Office of the Registrar and Residential Life.

The deadline to finalize a FTSA approval is May 1st for Fall programs and December 1st for Spring programs.  The review process from the scheduled appointment to final approval can take at least 2-4 weeks. Schedule a consultation appointment as early as possible and no later than 1 month before the approval deadlines. 

The College takes a student-centered approach in its review of student academic plans for FTSA and considers multiple factors prior to recommending approval. This approach is used in order to increase the probability of a successful experience. Applicant must:

• Be in and maintain good academic standing.
• Demonstrate a unique academic opportunity not available at Brown in alignment with transfer credit guidelines and propose a high-quality academic plan for full-time enrollment (12 semester credit hours or equivalent).
• Not have already earned a semester of standing via other transfer credit opportunities.
• Complete at least one semester at Brown in-residence.

F1 students (and other non-immigrant visa holders) must also consult OISSS and ultimately receive their approval to ensure there are no issues with their non-immigrant status or impact their CPT or OPT options.

Once enrolled in courses at the host institution, the Registrar’s Office will request an enrollment verification. Failure to submit timely enrollment verification will result in the cancellation of a student's FTSA status, and convert their leave to a Personal Leave, forfeiting all transfer credit and the semester of standing. 

To receive transfer credit for FTSA, the host institution and each course will be evaluated for transferability  in alignment with Brown's transfer credit guidelines. Students are responsible for reviewing these guidelines thoroughly before applying. Students who study away enroll directly at their host institutions. Upon completion, students must request that their host institution send an official transcript directly to the Brown Registrar’s Office to finalize the transfer of credit.

With the exception of transfer students (including RUE and Veterans), students may not receive more than one semester of transfer credit and advanced standing without prior approval for an exception to advanced standing policy from the Committee on Academic Standing (CAS). And so, students cannot participate in a semester of Study Abroad and also be approved for FTSA. The Writing Requirement can only be completed at Brown and under no circumstances can a student earn and apply more than15 course credits via transfer credit towards undergraduate Brown degree.        

FTSA approval does not assess whether specific courses can be applied towards concentration requirements. The College will simply seek concentration advisor confirmation that the proposed academic plan will not sidetrack or delay the timely completion of concentration requirements, but it is the student’s responsibility to confirm with their advisor on how coursework can be applied towards concentration requirements, if necessary. 

Applying FTSA coursework towards concentration requirements may look one of two ways:

• Course Equivalency - During the transfer credit review phase, if students need confirmation of course equivalency (e.g. student needs to confirm Berkeley’s CHEM 12A is equivalent to Brown’s CHEM 0350 for their concentration requirement), we can have this reviewed and confirmed.
• Unassigned Credit - If a student takes a unique course not taught here (e.g. History of the Aztecs), we will transfer this as a generic unassigned HIST credit, and students can then work with their concentration advisors to see if this course can count towards concentration requirements even if we have no equivalent.

Funding and Costs
Students cannot carry their Brown institutional financial aid on FTSA. Students who receive federal aid, can work with the Brown’s Undergraduate Financial Aid Office and the host institution to develop a consortium agreement that may allow for the packaging of federal aid. If your state has an aid program (e.g. Cal Grant, FSAG, TEXAS Grant, NY TAP), you may be able to tap into these funds - consult with the host institution and the respective state program early on. Students interested in studying away within the United States may consider other programs to which they can apply their Brown financial aid like the Tougaloo Semester Exchange, Brown in Washington, or the Semester Internship Program.

While students will pay tuition and any other associated fees directly to the host institution, students on FTSA will also be responsible for select Brown fees. Exact fees are subject to change, but generally include: 

• Undergraduate Student Activity Fee
• Undergraduate Student Resources Fee
• Health Services Fee
• Student Health Insurance Fee (if not generally waived)

You can see an annual breakdown of these fees here.

Semester Standing
The transfer of credit and semester standing advancement take place upon program completion and after the Brown Registrar’s Office has received and processed your official transcript directly from the host institution. For example, a 2nd semester Junior enrolled at Brown, pre-registering for coursework or signing up for housing the following Fall would be treated as a student going into their 1st semester Senior term, but a student on FTSA would be treated as a student just entering their 2nd semester Junior term until their FTSA coursework is processed.
 

For more information about Full-Time Study Away, please write to studyaway@brown.edu.

Office of the Registrar - Study Elsewhere