In order for academic credit earned on a study abroad program to be used toward a Merrimack degree, a student must obtain approval from the Office of International Programs in advance. The following conditions pertain:
1. Academic Rationale. The principal requirement is that you show your academic advisor(s) and the Study Abroad Office that you have strong academic reasons for wanting to study abroad. You must demonstrate that you have considered carefully the following points:
• The coherence of your proposed courses with those already taken at Merrimack;
• Your level of preparation for the program;
• The extent to which the program offers solid courses that are not available at Merrimack but are compatible with the College’s liberal arts curriculum;
• The contribution of the program to the strength of your proposed major(s)
2. GPA. Each study abroad program has a different GPA requirement. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of the GPA requirement for their program of interest.
3. Sophomore year study abroad. Students applying for study abroad during their sophomore year may be asked by the Office of International Programs to wait for a response until courses from two semesters are recorded on their Merrimack transcript.
4. Declaring a major. Sophomores applying for study abroad in their junior year must have declared their major(s) before submitting an application.
5. Residency requirements. Eight (8) of the last ten (10) courses must be taken at Merrimack. Any student wishing to study abroad during the senior year must therefore submit a special request for permission to the Academic Board.
6. Suspension/Probation. Students may not study abroad if they are on probation or suspended from Merrimack College for the proposed period, either for academic reasons or for violations of the academic or social codes of behavior.
7. Merrimack Accounts. All Merrimack bills must be paid in full prior to a student’s study abroad program.
8. Evaluations. Upon completion of the program, a program evaluation must be returned to the Office of International Programs.