Graduate and professional school admissions offices usually request the foreign study transcript in addition to Princeton's and recognize the credit granted by Princeton University for the semester or year abroad. Courses taken abroad may satisfy up to two distribution area requirements in two different areas and may also be preapproved to fulfill departmental requirements. Grades received in departmental courses taken abroad may not be used in calculating averages for departmental honors. Junior Independent Work. Upperclass students are required to submit independent work to Princeton regardless of where they decide to study abroad.
Many students find that doing research in a foreign country is vital to their independent work.
Writing about a particular foreign culture or an international topic often acquires a different dimension, a greater depth and sense of context, when a student directly experiences the environment under study. The result can be a uniquely impressive piece of work and a rewarding educational experience. Some students, who know in advance that they will be away on study abroad in the junior year, opt to do a junior paper earlybefore the junior year. Writing a junior paper early is a good idea if your topic does not depend on research in the foreign country or if it requires resources only available at Princeton. If you are interested in study abroad, you should read thoroughly the Guide to Study Abroad , which is available in the Office of the Dean of the College and on the web.