Semester at Sea
Program Details
| Program Location |
Many Cities around the World, Multiple Countries
|
| Sponsor |
Semester at Sea |
| Program Type |
Co-sponsored |
| Course # |
SA 30017
|
| Duration |
Semester
|
| Upcoming Program Dates |
| Spring 2026 |
01/05/26 to 04/20/26
|
| Fall 2025 |
09/09/25 to 12/22/25
|
| Past Dates |
| Spring 2025 |
01/04/25 to 04/20/25 |
Country map courtesy of The General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin
Please Note: Programs may be altered or adapted with little notice
Overview
Now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 voyage!
Ever wonder what it'd be like to sail around the world and visit cities on nearly every continent?
Semester at Sea provides study abroad opportunities for the exploration and study of many of the people, places and cultures around the world. The shipboard curriculum provides you with a series of insights into various cultures and societies and allows you to dissect and assess what you observe. Not only will you develop the ability to understand new cultures as they are encountered, but you will also gain the intellectual tools that will allow you to relate past experiences to future situations. Similarly, you are called upon to examine the crisis issues of global concern, such as those relating to environment, population, foreign policy interrelationships and economics, in the context of the nations visited.
The ship truly becomes a campus on which you will work in a traditional classroom setting, and the world a laboratory from which approximately 20% of the credit earned for a course is fulfilled. The integration of classroom and international fieldwork enables Semester at Sea to provide a learning environment unattainable on a traditional land campus.
The exact itinerary changes every semester.
For more program information, please visit the
program website.
This program is sponsored by:
Semester at Sea.
Eligibility
The program is open to Purdue students in good standing who have completed at least two semesters of university study by the start of the program. Successful candidates will demonstrate academic success, maturity, and a desire to experience another culture.
STUDENTS SHOULD NOT APPLY TO SAS BEFORE BEING APPROVED BY PURDUE.
GPA Requirement:
2.5 on a 4.0 scale
Language Requirement: none
Purdue Credit
Direct Credit
available from the following:
[
College of Engineering] [
College of Liberal Arts] [
Daniels School of Business] [
College of Health and Human Sciences] [
College of Science]
Specifically from:
Engineering Education (ENGR), BIOL & EAPS (SCI) and HK, PUBH & PSY (HHS)
Students interested in completing courses while abroad from Purdue colleges or departments that are not listed above should discuss this with their study abroad advisor before applying to the program.
Academic Program
Semester at Sea coursework is geared directly toward the itinerary of each voyage in a cumulative and comparative way, offering a relevant and unique study abroad opportunity. Each voyage has a unique course offering based on the expert faculty and the regions on the itinerary.
SAS offers 70-72 courses on a voyage, and students enroll in four courses earning 12 credits by the end of the semester. Courses are taught both in the classroom on board the ship and through organized and independent fieldwork in the visited countries.
For more information on courses, please visit the SAS website.
Note: While this program has some courses that are offered each semester, it also has some rotating courses due to guest faculty who sail on the voyage for a single semester. Please keep this in mind and be sure to reference course information for the voyage you intend to sail on.
Housing
Students will live onboard the MV World Odyssey during the progarm, and several cabin types are available. Some cabins may carry additional costs, please see the
SAS website for more information.
Estimated Program Costs
Students pursuing program participation accept financial responsibility. Purdue will take measures to mitigate financial risks, although will not be liable for loss. Students should carefully note what costs need to be paid to Purdue University or to a co-sponsor or agency, and what costs need to be paid at the overseas study location. This will vary by program. The SAS program fee is per person and includes tuition, room (standard cabin), board, premium travel health insurance, fuel fee, and email account.
STUDENTS SHOULD NOT APPLY TO SAS BEFORE BEING APPROVED BY PURDUE.
Costs for this program are estimated and subject to change. The cost figures listed below are
for: Fall 2025
|
Costs per semester to be billed by Purdue
and Co-sponsor
|
| Program Fee |
$25,350.00
|
| Study Abroad Fee |
$914.10 |
| Housing |
$8,400.00 |
|
Approximate additional costs per semester
|
| To be paid by the student.
|
| Round-trip Airfare |
$2,000.00 |
| Local Transportation |
$550.00 |
| Visa |
$825.00 |
| Books and Supplies |
$550.00 |
| Miscellaneous Personal Expenses |
$0.00 -
$5,275.00 |
| Travel Documents (passport, photos) |
$175.00 |
Financial Aid
See the program's website for additional scholarship and work/study options.
Purdue University financial aid may be applied to the costs of studying abroad. Students interested in receiving financial aid should
NOTE: Recipients of certain tuition remission and scholarship programs should pay careful attention to the regulations for using those benefits for study abroad. Ask your financial aid advisor about any limitations.
Click here for a list of scholarships and grants available to assist with the costs of studying overseas.
Application Deadlines
For full consideration, students must submit all supporting documents (typically an essay, transcripts, 1-2 recommendations, and copy of passport) before or by the application deadline. Popular programs fill quickly, often before the deadline. To ensure a place in a program, apply early.
As soon as a student submits an online application, a My Study Abroad account is created. Applicants should consult this page often to check on the status of the application.
The Institute for Shipboard Education accepts applications on a rolling basis; therefore you are encourage to apply early to ensure acceptance.
| Program Application Deadline
|
| Fall Semester Programs |
Mar 1 |
| Spring Semester Programs |
Sep 15 |
Returnees Information
Click below to search for Purdue students who have participated in this program and are willing to be contacted. If you get no results, you can use the search form to find people who studied in the country you are interested in.
Resources
The websites listed below contain information about this program. The accuracy of information at external sites cannot be guaranteed.
For more information on this program, please contact the Study Abroad Office by phone (765) 494-2383
or email
studyabroad@purdue.edu.
