Study Abroad
The world is part of the curriculum.
Every Soka student studies abroad for a semester. It’s included in tuition and built into the four-year plan for earning your degree. You’ll spend a semester immersed in a language, culture, and community outside your comfort zone — and you’ll grow in ways a classroom can’t replicate.
Learning beyond borders
Study abroad at Soka isn't optional enrichment. It's a graduation requirement*, and it's been that way since the university opened in 2001. After two years studying a language of your choice — Chinese, French, Japanese, or Spanish — you'll spend a semester living and learning in one of 11 possible countries. Every program on the approved list has been vetted for academic rigor, language immersion, and student support.
*Students who are unable to travel abroad due to health conditions or immigration status may complete equivalent coursework on SUA campus.
Built into your regular tuition
Study abroad is covered by your standard cost of attendance. There's no supplemental program fee or separate application cost. Housing, academics, and support services are all coordinated through SUA's approved program network.
Chinese
Immersion at full intensity.
SUA’s Chinese study abroad programs place you inside the language from day one. Both programs use structured immersion — coursework, housing, and daily life in Chinese — to push your proficiency further and faster than a typical semester in a classroom can.
French
Experience the French-Speaking World
French programs span six cities across France and one in Senegal — from intensive literature and language courses in Paris to community development fieldwork in Dakar. Whatever your level, there’s a program calibrated to meet you there and push you further.
Japanese
Learn the language where it lives
Japanese programs place you in residential Japan — not in international student bubbles, but in universities, neighborhoods, and organizations where Japanese is the operating language. Three locations offer different intensities and environments. All three boost your proficiency beyond what is achievable in a classroom.
Spanish
The widest reach of any language track.
Spanish programs span three continents and multiple countries — including Spain, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Costa Rica — with options calibrated to intermediate and advanced learners across a range of academic focuses.
What to expect
Junior year, fall or spring semester. Your four-year academic plan is built around it, so your semester abroad won’t disrupt your progress toward graduation.
You'll need to complete four semesters in your target language, reaching at least the 202-level before you go. Language proficiency tests are required both before departure and after you return.
SUA maintains an approved list of programs across 11 countries. You'll choose from that list; outside programs aren't permitted. Your language track narrows the options, and from there, you'll work with the study abroad office to find the right fit.
Housing is guaranteed and coordinated by SUA so you can focus on learning. The type of accommodation varies by program. You might live with a local family, in dorms with other students, or in an off-campus apartment.
Yes. Programs carry between 12 and 16 credits per semester, which count toward your degree.
Students on academic probation are not eligible to participate until their standing is restored.
It depends on the country and program. See the program options in your target language for more information.
Yes, we provide information by country and region regarding rights and safety for LGBTQ+ students.
Study Abroad staff
The Office of Study Abroad helps you find the right program, navigate logistics, and prepare for departure.
