Off-Campus Study

Semester & Summer Study Abroad Opportunities

Off-Campus Study is one of the many platforms available to F&M students who want to understand their place in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world. Students interested in becoming more informed and engaged global citizens are encouraged to apply to one of the many programs F&M offers for a summer or semester term.

At F&M, off-campus study is viewed as a valuable component of a liberal arts education. No matter where life takes you after Franklin & Marshall, you will be working and living with people with vastly different ways of perceiving our world. Off-campus study will help you begin to understand how to negotiate these differences, strengthening your abilities to successfully live and work in our increasingly interconnected, global society. You will also be faced with complex, critical global issues throughout your lifetime that will require creativity, passion, and perseverance to address. Students come to off-campus study programs from different backgrounds and with different stories to share, but we all have an opportunity to effect change by becoming more informed, active global citizens. If you want to engage with different cultures and languages and places, learn new ways of thinking and living, and better understand your place in our interdependent world, we encourage you to explore the resources available to you on this website to see if off-campus study is right for you during your time at F&M.

Explore Programs

Considering an off-campus study experience? Read more about the criteria you should consider as you explore F&M's pre-approved programs.

Application Process

Ready to get started? Read more about the process, requirements for summer and semester applications, and timelines and deadlines.

OCS Portal Login

Already opened an application? Access the F&M OCS Application Portal to continue working on your requirements.


Academic Guidelines


Degree planning, credit transfer, and program transcripts.

Read more: Academic Guidelines »

Eligibility Guidelines


Requirements for F&M eligibility, approval criteria, and program pre-requisites.

Read more: Eligibility Guidelines »

Finances & Scholarships


Expected costs, tuition invoicing, program deposits, financial aid, and scholarships.

Read more: Financial Guidelines »

Housing Guidelines


Housing requirements for F&M students while abroad and how to plan for on-campus housing upon return to F&M

Read more: Housing Guidelines »


Connect With Us

Drop-In Advising

Students interested in meeting with an OCS Advisor should register for virtual advising offered every week during the advising cycle. Visit our drop-in advising appointment calendar to find a 10-minute slot that works for you.

(Note that drop-in advising is intended for quick questions and conversations. Students who start an official advising application for a specific summer or semester term will have the opportunity for a longer 1-on-1 advising appointment with an OCS Advisor.)

Examples of drop-in advising questions:
  • I'm not sure which term makes the most sense for my Off-Campus Study experience - can you help guide me?
  • I have a lot of degree requirements left - is Off-Campus Study feasible for me?
  • Is there a specific professor in my major or minor departments that can help me with academic planning?
  • Who can I talk to about how my financial aid applies to off-campus study?
  • What if my GPA is below 2.75?
  • What should I be thinking about as I plan to start the advising and application process?

Newsletter Archive

Miss one of the weekly OCS e-Newsletters? Check out the Newsletters Archive to ensure you have the important OCS information you need, including:
  • Getting Started & Application Process
  • Timeline/Deadlines
  • Webinars
  • Drop-in Advising
  • Other videos and resources

Upcoming Events

Past OCS Student Stories

  • Conduct animal behavior field research in Tanzania.
  • Intern in UK Parliament or at a non-profit in Sydney.
  • Study Spanish literature at a Costa Rican university.
  • Immerse yourself in the works of Jane Austen in Bath, England.
  • Study marine ecology in the Galapagos Islands.
  • Research climate change in Patagonia.
  • Improve your German language proficiency in Heidelberg.
  • Learn about activism and social justice in South Africa.
Read about F&M students who studied off campus, where they went, what they studied, how it impacted their studies, and reflect on what you want your story to be.

Contact the OCS Staff

The Off-Campus Study advising team consists of Dean Sue Mennicke and Dean Ali Janicek. They are part of the F&M Office of International Programs and have offices in the Joseph International Center

iocs@fandm.edu
701 College Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603
Office Phone: 717.358.7187*


*Please note that the Office of International Programs does not have a department coordinator or front-desk receptionist. If you call the office, please leave a detailed voicemail with your name and number, and the appropriate staff member will return your call as soon as they are able.