Carnegie Mellon University

Study abroad

Would you like to expand your horizons, immerse yourself in a vibrant new culture, and gain insights into your own way of life while earning your Carnegie Mellon degree? Why not consider enrolling in an exchange program?

With careful planning, any ECE student in good standing may study abroad. A variety of exchange options are available to students at Carnegie Mellon. Most of these programs focus on the student's junior year. Opportunities may be found for exchange study in schools in Europe, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Based on their interest, ECE students may choose to participate in university exchangesdepartmental exchanges, or sponsored programs, or they may directly enroll in a university abroad or other study abroad program.

Highlighted University Exchange Programs 

CMU participates in several university-wide undergraduate exchange programs. CIT and ECE highlight two programs for their strength and depth in engineering: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) located in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Monterrey Tech (ITESM) located in Monterrey, Mexico. Students who participate in one of these programs receive their regular financial aid package and are responsible for room, board, travel, and miscellaneous expenses.

Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne 
Lausanne, Switzerland

The Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland is a semester-long OR full-academic-year program open to ECE majors in their junior year. Previous study in French is preferred but not required. Classes are taught in English and French. Students not fluent in French may enroll in a three-month intensive French language program with no increase in tuition in the summer before fall semester study or an abbreviated French program in the winter before spring semester study; those who are fluent in French may participate in an optional internship at EPFL in place of the language program. The application deadline is early in the semester before study abroad would begin.

Direct Enroll Programs  

ECE students have studied in over 25 unique study abroad programs in over 15 countries and received preapproval to transfer credit back to CMU. Students can use CMU, federal, and state financial aid to study abroad through many of these programs. Schedule a meeting with your study abroad advisor to find out more about these options.