Planning Your Study Away

Requirements

Students participating in off-campus study not conducted by the College are on an academic leave of absence (ALOA). ALOA applications are processed by the Associate Dean for the Office of the Dean of Studies and approved by the Off-Campus Study Committee prior to a student's departure from Oberlin.   Academic Leaves are approved when students can demonstrate the value of such leaves for their Oberlin education and meet the following criteria:

1.  A complete and on-time ALOA application, with all appropriate signatures.

2.  Completion of at least one year (two semesters) at Oberlin.

3.  A student must be in good academic standing in order to be approved for an academic leave
     of absence.

4. Completion of a total of less than 101 credits upon return from academic leave for College 
students; less than 110 for Conservatory students; and less than 134 for DD students. If you will be near any of these limits and you wish to spend your last semester on an academic leave, please see Associate Dean Sayles (Peters 205).

5.  Eligibility to transfer all credits while on ALOA without exceeding the transfer limit:

•  No more than 56 hours of transfer work (62 for DD and Conservatory students) toward an Oberlin degree (count transfer work before and after enrolling at Oberlin, including AP, IB, and “thirteenth year”).  
• No more than 36 hours of transfer credit after enrolling at Oberlin (do not include AP, IB, and “thirteenth year” credit, etc. in this calculation).

6. Declaration of a major – an “intended” major does not qualify. Declaration of major forms are
available at the Registrar's Office and in the Office of the Dean of Studies.

7. Completion of a preliminary transfer of credit form for courses with the approval of relevant department chairs. (All abroad courses and US major, minor, and internship courses need department chair signatures; US elective courses do not need signatures.) If you are applying to more than one program, you must fill out a separate set of transfer forms for each program.

8. A minimum of 12 hours; maximum of 16 for College and 17 for DD and Conservatory students.

9. A sound educational rationale that includes an analysis of how your study away credit will impact your graduation plans.