Hope College Off Campus Study/Study Abroad

03/12/2025

Hope student Megan Kamper takes us along with her through the mountains of Ecuador. Read more on our blog!

If you didn’t know, there are a lot of mountains in Ecuador. Quito sits between two mountain ranges, and recently I’ve also visited the mountains of the Paramo, Cotopaxi, and the Cloud Forest. That’s a lot of mountain experiences since my last blog! These field trip adventures could also be de...

02/20/2025

Day of Giving is here! Join us as we rally around our new Passport Initiative, which provides passports to first-year students who are first-time passport holders. Visit donate.hope.edu/passport to learn more on how you can support students like Sydney 🌎

"Studying abroad in Australia taught me that a passport is far more than just a travel document—it is a gateway to a world of incredible opportunities, diverse cultures, and meaningful relationships. The lessons, connections, and personal growth I experienced in just one semester continue to propel me forward, fueling my confidence to dream bigger. I’m so thankful for everything this experience has given me!" - Sydney Ritsema who studied in Sydney, Australia

02/17/2025

"My time studying abroad in Jordan gave me the opportunity to grow in my sense of generosity, authenticity, gratitude, and wonder while immersing myself in a new culture. I could never have dreamed of meeting the beautiful strangers I now cherish or finding spaces of community around the world without a passport. It's something that I believe every student should have the opportunity to experience at least once in their time at Hope." - Kaylee Stanton on her semester in Amman, Jordan

Join us later this week in supporting Hope students as they grow through travel abroad. Visit donate.hope.edu/passport to learn more about our new Passport Initiative and how you can be part of it.

02/06/2025

Day of Giving is 2 weeks away! February 21 and 22 is your chance to give to what you love at Hope College. This year, our office is raising money for our new passport initiative, where we will cover the cost of a passport for any first-year student who is a first-time passport holder.

We invite you to join us in this initiative by donating on Day of Giving! Learn more and give at donate.hope.edu/passport

01/29/2025

We're excited about the work Hope is doing to make it possible for Nursing majors to study off-campus!

Dr. Melissa Bakhuyzen ’95 Bouws believes there’s a way to equip nurses with both nursing degrees and experiences outside of West Michigan.

She’s spearheading an initiative to offer Hope nursing majors opportunities to study abroad starting in spring 2026, in Oman, India and Bahrain.

Read the full story in the latest issue of News from Hope College: https://goho.pe/42LhNCj

01/29/2025

Hope students are starting to settle into their semesters abroad! Follow along with Anabel Sietsema as she starts a semester in Alicante, Spain.

I have been in Spain for almost a week now and finally feel like I am starting to settle in (though I have a long way to go). The past week has been a whirlwind of feelings, experiences, conversations, and more. There have been some high highs and low lows, if you know what I … Continue reading "S...

01/16/2025

Save the date for our Spring Off-Campus Study Fair! Learn where YOU could study off-campus 🏔

You'll get the chance to talk with representatives from our off-campus study providers and look at our student poster showcase 🗺 You'll also have the chance to win one of two $250 grants toward a semester off-campus.

Event details: Tuesday February 18 from 4-7 pm in the Maas Aud

12/18/2024

How do you budget for a semester abroad? Check out these tips from our Global Ambassador Anagrace!

Anagrace F***t is a Global Ambassador at Hope College and TEAN Robina, Australia alumna. In … Read more

11/30/2024

Now is the time to start your application for Fall 2025! Visit travel.hope.edu to explore your options and start your journey to study off-campus.

11/20/2024

We're helping first-year students get their first passport! The Center for Global Engagement has started a new initiative to provide first-year Hope students with a U.S. passport, made possible by the support of generous donors. This program is available for first-year Hope College students who are U.S. citizens and who have not had a passport before (passport renewals do not qualify). This is one way we hope to reduce barriers to a global education and help students experience the world!

Students can apply for this initiative by April 1 by filling out this form. https://forms.gle/HrvELmKm7XZwz3L39

11/08/2024

It's National First-Gen Celebration Day! We are excited to highlight Abby, who studied abroad in Australia last year. ✈ Read about her experience!

What was the most impactful part of your semester off-campus?
I met so many people and formed wonderful friendships. We took opportunities to travel together and see more parts of Australia, making the experiences even better. My friends became my study-abroad family and my in-person support system. While the classes I took were wonderful and the places I saw were beautiful, I will never forget the relationships that happened so naturally.

How did being a 1st gen student impact your decision to study off-campus or your experience?
No one in my family has done anything like a study abroad semester, so some people were excited for me while others were not. I knew that I could not rely on my family members for study abroad advice, but I leaned on their support and introduced them to places they had never visited. My parents were nervous that they could not help me right away because of the distance and the time difference. They helped me through every difficulty at Hope and continued to support me in Australia no matter the circumstances. Without them, I probably would not have jumped in so quickly when deciding to study abroad.

What encouragement would you give to other 1st gen students considering off-campus study?
There are always people who can be your support system while you’re abroad: friends, family, and the Off-Campus Study staff. Studying abroad comes with ups and downs, but they are all part of the bold adventure you are embarking on. If you can dream it, you can do it with the support of Hope College because they will do everything they can to help you.

10/08/2024

Want to study off-campus in Spring 2025? Remember the deadline to apply is October 15. Finish your application in travel.hope.edu!

09/01/2024

Want to study off-campus in 2025? The list of Hope College May, June, and July term programs running next summer is now live on our website! Visit travel.hope.edu to learn how you could spend 3-4 weeks in locations like Hawaii, South Korea, Brazil, and more!

07/17/2024

This month is Disability Pride Month, and we're spreading the message that ALL students can study off-campus! Check out this blog post from Safia Hattab ‘21 on how she navigated a semester abroad as someone with chronic illnesses and accessibility needs.

So there’s actually not a ton of information about studying abroad when you have needs. I remember spending so much time browsing the internet trying to find literally anything regarding disability abroad. So I guess that makes it my job to break the ice. For a little bit of background, I have bee...

06/21/2024

We love see how Hope students can grow through the Philadelphia Center's internship program!

05/30/2024

You never know who you’ll meet abroad. Alayna and Jane met Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen while touring Vienna during their May term! Check out what the Vienna Summer School group is up to 🇦🇹

05/13/2024

Our Hope College May term students are out traveling the world! Check out the Celtic May Term group traveling through Scotland as they dive into topics of peace, justice, and reconciliation.

04/04/2024

Anna Stowe is currently studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland with IES Abroad. Check out this video of her solo date to Malahide and her reflections on studying abroad!

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