Williams-Mystic Ocean & Coastal Studies

Every year a few students apply and are selected for the 12 College Exchange. Students first apply through the Guarini Institute by the February 1st application deadline. After February 1st, Guarini Institute staff review applications and make acceptance decisions. Students are notified of their acceptance decisions on March 1st.

Successful applicants who are accepted and commit to the program will receive a nomination from the Guarini Institute. Applying for an exchange program involves two steps: if you receive a nomination from the Guarini Institute you will also need to complete the host institution's application, which is administered and reviewed by the host institution. The host institution makes the final acceptance decision. The Guarini Institute will provide further instructions on this second step to students after they are accepted and commit to a program.

Please note: The host institution's fall semester typically requires that students arrive by late August. This can create a conflict for students who are on-campus during summer term. Students who are accepted and commit to this program must communicate with their professors well in advance of the summer term to determine whether a summer course can accommodate an early departure, and if not, to select an alternative course. Students who study away for a spring semester will be enrolled for the Dartmouth winter term and must take a leave term for the spring term.  

For more information about applying for this program, see our webpage on How to Apply & our FAQs under section 2 (How to Apply: Application), or contact the Guarini Institute.

Each student planning an exchange term must be in good academic standing at the College. 

Students who participate in exchange programs can apply to transfer back courses they take at their host institution to count towards their Dartmouth degree. Students are responsible for applying for transfer credit approval in advance of the program. The transfer credit approval process is managed by the Registrar's Office. Detailed instructions, FAQs, and the mandatory forms for transfer credit approval requests are available on the Registrar's website.

We encourage students to engage with their SAS advisors and program faculty/staff during the exploratory, pre-application phase to discuss how disability-related accommodations and access needs can be supported in an off-campus environment. If you currently have approved accommodations at Hanover, SAS will review them to determine which can be provided at your off-campus location and what alternatives may be needed. On-campus and off-campus accommodations may differ depending on each program location's resources and accessibility features. We recommend beginning this discussion with SAS as soon as you are accepted and no later than at least one whole quarter before your program start date.

For next steps, review the Off-Campus Program Accommodations page on the SAS website. 

Dartmouth students pay service fees to Dartmouth and pay the tuition, room and board for each semester directly to the host institution. Please note: At semester schools, the tuition, room and board covers approximately 15 weeks. The overall cost of attendance for the semester is typically greater than the cost of attendance for a single 10 week term at Dartmouth. The cost of transportation to and from the host institution is the responsibility of the student. Because the exchange is an official program sponsored by the College, the Dartmouth student does not need to pay the transfer term fee that the College charges to students who study on outside programs during leave terms. 
 

In order that all qualified Dartmouth undergraduate students may have the opportunity to take part in off-campus programs, the College endeavors to adjust its normal financial aid awards for students already receiving aid. Tuition and expected family contribution for Dartmouth's off-campus programs are the same as for an on-campus term.

All costs, including airfare and spending money, are considered when determining the cost of an off-campus program. Any costs in excess of a typical term in Hanover are met with additional Dartmouth Scholarship Funds.  If you have a work expectation for the term, this will be replaced by scholarship funding.

Students are responsible for purchasing their own plane ticket and, in many cases, meals. Often this means that part of the expected family contribution is used towards these costs rather than for tuition. For help sorting out who pays what and how, contacting the Financial Aid office is often advisable.

 Financing your program | Financial Aid | Scholarships | Budgeting & Costs