Undergraduate Study Abroad Options
Allen School students have access to a wide variety of study abroad programs – both through the department as well as the UW.
Some options allow students to earn CSE credit toward their degree, while others can help fulfill general education requirements. To explore how studying abroad could fit into your long-term degree plan, we encourage students to review the information on this page for departmental exchanges, explore UW study abroad programs, and meet with their assigned Allen School academic adviser.
This page will help get you started with reviewing some of the various study abroad programs available to you.
Study Abroad Program Types
The Allen School offers direct departmental exchange to four schools located in Europe. Based on the high quality of these schools and our excellent history with these exchanges, it is relatively easy for Allen School majors to plan courses that will fulfill upper level CSE degree requirements. These tend to be highly independent and immersive programs, where students will be directly admitted to the university and take classes there.
Locations:
- EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland
- ETH in Zurich, Switzerland
- KTH in Stockholm, Sweden
- Saarland in Saarbruecken, Germany
Eligibility: Current Allen School students only
Term: All schools are on the semester system – students can choose to go for one semester or for the entire academic year. See each program’s individual page for more information on their dates of instruction (individual program pages coming soon!).
Courses: Students typically take a mix of CSE core and CSE elective courses, language courses, and/or non-CSE courses through these programs.
Cost: Exchanges use a “home tuition model” meaning you pay an exchange fee equivalent to UW tuition to the UW (1.5 quarters of UW tuition for 1 semester abroad and 3 quarters of UW tuition for 2 semesters abroad/for the academic year)
Application Deadline: January 31st, 2026
For more information about the Allen School departmental exchange, please visit the general information page.
The UW has exchange partnerships with over 70 universities around the world. Please visit the UW Exchanges page to learn more about UW-wide exchange programs. Please note that there is no guarantee that you will be able to receive upper-level CSE credit while attending a University-wide exchange. We recommend checking in with your assigned Allen School academic adviser about how studying abroad on a University-wide exchange might fit in with your long-term degree plan in addition to how courses abroad will fulfill your requirements.
If you have any questions about university-wide exchanges, please contact the UW Study Abroad office to learn more.
The University of Washington offers many different types of study abroad programs throughout the academic year and the summer. Check out the UW Study Abroad website to learn more about other study abroad programs available to undergraduate students.
These programs can be a great way to complete general education requirements like Arts & Humanities (A&H) and Social Sciences (SSc), or can just be a great opportunity if you have some flexibility with your degree plan. Often, with advance planning, it’s possible to make studying abroad during your time at UW a reality. We always recommend meeting with your academic adviser to discuss how study abroad could fit in with your degree plan and graduation timeline.
Some programs of potential interest to check out:
- Term: Available Autumn, Winter, & Spring quarters
- Eligibility: Open to all majors
- Courses: Complete general education requirements (many A&H and SSc options)
- Various locations
- Term: Quarter, semester, and academic year options
- Eligibility: Open to all UW undergraduates
- Courses: Wide variety of options, no guarantee you’ll be able to take CSE courses
Next Steps
- Research your study abroad options to find a program that might be a good fit for you by:
- Reviewing some of the study abroad options on this page
- Check out all types of study abroad programs the UW offers on this page
- Search for upcoming programs or by keyword (location, term, etc.) via this page
- Attend an info session
- We typically hold an information session on the Allen School departmental exchanges every Autumn. Keep an eye on the EdBoard for this announcement & further event details.
- Attend the UW Study Abroad fair (typically held in January each year)
- Meet with a study abroad adviser to discuss your study abroad options
- Talk with your Allen School assigned Academic Adviser to understand how studying abroad could fit in with your long-term degree plan. Consider your short-term and long-term goals, remaining degree requirements, and summer quarter options alongside how you’re financing your education. Your assigned adviser can help you organize your thoughts and identify all of your options while keeping in mind departmental and university policies.
- Explore funding options
- Review the UW Financial Aid page for details on how to determine which programs may be eligible for financial aid. For further information or questions on applying your financial aid to study abroad, please check in with the UW Financial Aid Office.
- Check out UW Study Abroad’s financial aid and scholarship resources and/or meet with a study abroad adviser.
- Apply by the appropriate deadline!
Student Stories
Check out the Student Stories page with stories and advice from Allen School students who have studied abroad.
Questions
For any general questions about study abroad, please schedule an appointment with a UW Study Abroad adviser or contact their team.
For any questions related to Allen School exchange programs, please feel free to reach out to the Allen School Undergraduate Advising team (ugrad-adviser@cs.washington.edu).