Eligibility

CSU students must meet the following minimum eligibility criteria in order to be approved by CSU for an education away experience. Depending on the program, there may be additional and/or more stringent admissions requirements.

Current degree-seeking student with

• 2.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher (3.0 or higher if graduate-level); may not be on warning, probation, etc.
   
• Clear conduct record as determined by the Office of Student Conduct and Advocacy. Students may not have any current sanctions in violation of the Student Conduct Code including: recommendation of expulsion, recommendation of suspension, disciplinary probation, reprimand, restitution, restriction, community service, counseling, holds, or others. Any previous sanctions will also be taken into account. 
   
• Successful completion of one semester at CSU if a transfer student or two (2) semesters if new first-year student.
   
• Good standing with the Bursar's Office, i.e. no financial holds in CampusNet.
   
• Full-time enrollment at CSU in the semester(s) immediately prior to and during the education away experience.
   
• College Credit Plus and Project 60 students will be considered on a case-by-case basis for CSU Faculty-led Programs Abroad (FLPA).
   

As part of the general review process, the following items will also be considered:

• Location and general safety of the program and hosting location:
        - Applications for approval to study in countries where the U.S. Department of State has an Advisory Level 3 or 4 will be reviewed by the International Travel Review Committee. CSU students should not presume that education abroad participation is a given in these localities. CSU reserves the right to bar participation in certain study abroad sites or localities. In general, travel to a Level 4 destination is not permitted.
   
• U.S. Department of State Advisory level (or similar government announcement e.g. Centers' for Disease Control)
   
• The applicant's general preparedness for the Education Away experience (ex: foreign language capability (if needed); obtained the appropriate academic level, etc.)
   
• The applicant's class standing (first-year, sophomore, junior, or senior)  
   
• Accreditation and reputation of the foreign university, college, or school issuing a transcript 
       - The academic institution must be accredited by the host country's Ministry of Education (or similar) and issue an transcript that CSU's Office of the University Registrar will accept. 

Senior Residency Requirement

Any undergraduate student with senior standing (above 90 credits) seeking study abroad approval from CSU to earn study abroad transfer credits at CSU (through an affiliate program), must submit a University Petition packet that will "fast tracked" (but it's not a fast-tracked petition) through their College academic coach to request an exemption to the senior residency rule. Information regarding CSU's residency requirement can be found under the University Regulations section of the Undergraduate Catalog and/or from their academic coach.

Senior standing is reached whenever an undergraduate student has earned 90 or more credit hours. Please consult the Class Rank section of the Undergraduate Catalog for more details.

The University Petition consists of:
1. University Petition Form (available from a professional academic coach)
2. statement from the student (approximately a paragraph) about why they wish to study abroad even though they have reached senior standing. 
3. statement of support (two or three sentences) from the chairperson or undergraduate program director of the student's major department (or academic coach) stating that the student's graduation plan will not be negatively impacted and that the tentative course selection/experience will enhance the student's program of study
4. letter of support for study abroad from the CISP education away advisor

These four items should be collected by the student's professional academic coach and submitted to the Office of the University Registrar for processing. This University Petition for study abroad transfer credit approval after attaining senior standing  does not go before the Petitions Committee ( and does not follow the Petitions deadlines);  it is fast-tracked and automatically approved when received.

last updated October 2025