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Study Abroad

Allen School Departmental Exchanges

The Allen School offers direct exchanges to KTH in Sweden, ETH and EPFL in Switzerland, and Saarland in Germany. All offer courses in English. Based on the high quality of these schools and our history with these exchanges, it is relatively easy for Allen School majors to plan courses that will fulfill degree requirements. This page contains basic info on these exchanges, plus advice for planning ahead, applying, and how coursework transfers back to UW.

Remember to also read the detailed pages on KTH, ETH, EPFL, and Saarland for specific info on each school (individual program pages coming soon!):

  • EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland
  • ETH in Zurich, Switzerland
  • KTH in Stockholm, Sweden
  • Saarland University in Saarbruecken, Germany

2025-26 Timeline for Allen School Departmental Exchanges in 2026-27

  • Autumn: Research your options!
  • Late November/early December: Attend the Allen School Departmental Exchanges information session (session will be recorded and shared out on the undergraduate discussion EdBoard as well)
  • Early December: Allen School Exchange Application opens (apply through UW Study Abroad)
  • January 31, 2026: Allen School Exchange Application due
  • February 15: Applicants notified of decisions via email and study abroad portal
  • Late-February: Selected students must commit to the exchange (including intended semester, if going abroad for one semester)
  • Mid-March: Deadline to sign study abroad contract

Eligibility

Allen School departmental exchange programs are open only to current Allen School undergraduate and BS/MS students. Applicants must also:

  • Have completed at least one 300-level CSE fundamental course by the time of application, and be able to complete all 300-level CSE fundamental courses prior to departure.
  • Be in good academic standing at the time of application
  • Be cleared for study abroad by UW’s Community Standards and Student Conduct Office
  • Be at least a sophomore standing by credits (45+ credits completed) by the start of Winter quarter

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Application

The application to attend a departmental exchange in Autumn 2026 and/or Spring 2027 will be due January 31st, 2026, at 11:59:59 pm PST.

Students should submit their application through the UW Study Abroad Portal. 

  • Students can apply for study abroad scholarships through this same application via the Scholarship Eligibility Questionnaire.

Application Details:

  • We do not require nor do we accept letters of recommendation
  • If you’d like to be considered for more than one Allen School departmental exchange program, please list your other choices in order of preference at the bottom of your essay. You only need to submit one departmental exchange application and write one essay for whichever school is your top choice.
  • You can apply for 1 semester or a full year
  • If you plan on applying to other UW Study Abroad opportunities (non-Allen School departmental exchanges), you must submit a separate application for other programs. More information and FAQ’s for applying to other programs can be found here.

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Courses & Credits

Students will get to choose which classes they want to take while abroad on an Allen School departmental exchange. The course options, availability, and registration will depend on the program. See the specific exchange school page for more details (KTH, ETH, EPFL, Saarland – program-specific pages coming soon!).

Accessible Accordion

Our exchange partners use a standardized European credit system (ECTS credits). A standard schedule is 24-30 ECTS credits per semester, however please check each school’s page for any specific enrollment requirements.

  • 1 ECTS credit = .75 UW credits

Credit equivalents:

  • 3 ECTS credits = 2 UW quarter credits
  • 4 ECTS credits = 3 UW quarter credits
  • 5 ECTS credits = 4 UW quarter credits
  • 6 ECTS credits = 5 UW quarter credits
  • ** Actual credits awarded to be assessed upon completion of study abroad program/exchange**

If you go abroad for one semester, you must plan your credits carefully to ensure you are full-time for the year (especially if you receive financial aid or other benefits requiring full-time enrollment). If you have any questions about planning your courses abroad, please reach out to our undergraduate advising team (ugrad-adviser@cs.washington.edu).

Most students take a combination of 2-3 upper-level CSE courses, equivalent to our CSE core and senior elective coursework, and a non-CSE course (typically a language course).

  • All courses taken through an Allen School departmental exchange can count as UW credit
  • Courses are taught in English (no language skills required, though it may be useful)

Credits are officially evaluated and entered on your UW transcript after you finish your exchange.

Please visit this page on the UW Study Abroad website for more information on the official credit conversion process and specific instructions on obtaining your study abroad credits and grades. It is your responsibility to initiate and complete the credit conversion process.

The Allen School is responsible for assigning the UW CSE equivalent for any CSE courses taken abroad. To start the process of determining how a course will count towards your CSE degree, follow these steps

  1. Refer to the equivalency guide linked on your individual programs page to see if a course you are interested in taking has been evaluated already. This is just a list of the courses we have already evaluated, not a list of all of the courses you could take.
  2. If a course is not on the equivalency guide, please email the Allen School Advising team (ugrad-adviser@cs.washington.edu) with the following information:
    • Course name, number, and website
    • Course syllabus (if available)
    • If you’ve already completed the course, please include additional course materials as appropriate (key assignments/projects, midterm/final).
    • If you’ve identified a UW CSE course you think this course aligns closely with, please mention that and describe what overlap in topics/content you think is covered in both courses. 
  3. Please note that the credit evaluation process can take 4-6 weeks. We will do our best to communicate the expected timeline when you reach out.

The Allen School advising team can only review courses and award credit for CSE courses. If you need a course evaluated for non-CSE credit, you will need to contact the advising office of the corresponding department at UW before or after your study abroad (Math, Humanities, etc.). Note some advising offices may only evaluate a course once you have finished your study abroad program.

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Expenses & Fees

Students attending a departmental exchange pay an exchange fee equivalent to UW tuition (1.5 quarters of UW tuition for a semester abroad, and 3 quarters of UW tuition for a year abroad). Students do not pay any tuition at the host university. In addition to tuition, students will pay an additional study abroad fee.

  • Exchange fees are determined by UW residency status: in-state students pay an exchange fee equivalent to in-state tuition, and out-of-state students pay an exchange fee equivalent to out-of-state tuition.
  • The exchange fee and the UW Study Abroad administrative fee are charged to your UW account and due by the regular UW tuition deadline for your term(s) of study abroad.
  • You will pay housing fees directly to the host institution.
  • You should also budget for additional expenses such as international airfare & transportation, books & course materials, visa & passport fees, study abroad insurance, and personal expenses.

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Financial Aid & Scholarships

Some programs and terms are eligible for use with financial aid, and some are not, depending on program duration and alignment with the UW academic calendar. The UW Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) reviews program term dates to determine eligibility.

Financial aid eligibility by term can be found on the Finances tab of the online UW Study Abroad Portal. UW Study Abroad will publish financial aid eligibility as program dates become available and have been reviewed by OSFA.

Review this page with additional information on using financial aid for study abroad. For further information or questions on applying your financial aid to study abroad, please check in directly with the UW Financial Aid Office.

UW Study Abroad has additional funding and scholarship resources here. Their office also has advisers available to meet with students to discuss budgeting and paying for a study abroad program.

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FAQs

When is a good time to attend a departmental exchange?

  • There is no “right” time and ultimately it depends on you! Departmental exchanges are typically best for students in their third or fourth years looking to take upper-division CSE courses. We do request that students complete their required CSE 3xx-level fundamental coursework before they go abroad. We recommend working closely with your academic adviser to build a degree plan with study abroad in mind.

What can I expect from the CSE courses I will take abroad?

  • European courses are often different in style and structure than UW courses. Most consist of lectures and one big exam at the end of the semester — possibly no projects, homework, or group work. This style can feel very independent, and also puts lots of pressure on final exams. 
  • This can vary based on the school, instructor, and course. We recommend checking out the student stories page as well as the specific exchange school pages for more details on their course offerings.

How does it work with these schools being on the semester system?

  • You will be enrolled in the UW quarter equivalent of the term you are abroad. Each specific exchange program may have slightly different term enrollment possibilities; you should verify the terms of your program upon acceptance. 
  • You can also find the academic terms in the “Academics” tab of the program brochure on the study abroad website. Take note of the following term notations and what they mean:
    • Autumn semester – You will be enrolled in FSTDY 300 only during Autumn quarter only.
    • Autumn semester (A/W) – You will be enrolled in FSTDY 300 during both Autumn and Winter quarters
    • Spring semester (W/Sp) –You will be enrolled in FSTDY 300 during both Winter and Spring quarters.
    • Year (A/W/Sp) – You will be enrolled in FSTDY 300 during Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters.

Do I have to be an Allen School student to participate in an Allen School departmental exchange?

  • Yes. Allen School departmental exchanges are open to currently enrolled undergraduate Allen School students only.

Do I need to have prior foreign language experience?

  • Nope! Our departmental exchange programs do not require any previous language experience and all courses will be taught in English. There will be opportunities for language instruction at our partner schools, which can be a good opportunity to learn and practice using the local language. 

How competitive is it to get accepted to an Allen School departmental exchange program?

  • Each year, we may have a different number of applicants and a different number of total students we can send to each school. We encourage you to just apply if you are interested! For reference, last year we accepted 21 out of 49 applicants. 

Am I held to the requirements of the Allen School Continuation Policy while I study abroad? 

  • Students who study abroad during the academic year (autumn, winter, or spring quarter) will not be held to the Continuation Policy requirements during the quarter(s) they are studying abroad. However, they should be mindful of their academic progress, especially in regard to the Benchmark Requirements, when planning to study abroad during the academic year. Please meet with your academic adviser to discuss your academic plan.

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