a man makes bubbles in a public plaza

Carnegie Mellon Architecture encourages study abroad experiences for students for the valuable perspective gained through immersion in another culture and language.

Study abroad enables students to be exposed to architectural subjects beyond Carnegie Mellon, allowing them the opportunity to study architecture directly in an indigenous context. Visit the Office of International Education (OIE) for more information about studying abroad. Students planning to study abroad must apply through both the Carnegie Mellon Architecture office and OIE for non-CMU programs. Students studying abroad during the spring semester must apply in October of the previous year. 

Study abroad can happen in a number of ways:

  • Summer study abroad studios in which a course is taught by Carnegie Mellon Architecture faculty.
  • Exchange programs between Carnegie Mellon Architecture and another school. These can be one semester or a full academic year in duration. 
  • Programs sponsored by Carnegie Mellon where students pay their regular tuition plus room and board and retain their eligibility for financial aid.
  • Independent study abroad programs occurring in the second semester of a B.Arch student's fourth year.

Carnegie Mellon Architecture students have attended study abroad programs in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland. 

Summer Study Abroad Trips

Carnegie Mellon Architecture's Summer Study Abroad Studios are studio and elective courses taught by Carnegie Mellon faculty. 

Study Abroad Showcase on Vimeo

Architecture Exchange

Like other schools and departments at Carnegie Mellon, Carnegie Mellon Architecture conducts an officially recognized exchange program for fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students to study abroad. Students may attend programs at one of the following institutes for one semester or an entire academic year:

  • National University of Singapore (NUS): Acknowledged as one of the finest universities in the Asia-Pacific region, NUS is a comprehensive university that offers a broad-based curriculum underscored by multidisciplinary courses and cross-faculty enrichment. It has 11 faculties and an enrollment of over 23,000 undergraduate and 9,000 graduate students. The Student Exchange Program (SEP) provides students from NUS Partner Universities the opportunity to study for up to two semesters at NUS. NUS is a leading English language university situated in the exciting city-state of Singapore. 
    • Carnegie Mellon Architecture students can attend NUS for up to one academic year during their fourth year of study.
  • Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Switzerland: The range of courses includes studies for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture, civil and environmental engineering, postgraduate course cycles, and doctoral programs. The teaching establishes links between the disciplines to provide students with the tools required to design and build together. The disciplines united in the faculty are called upon to produce innovative solutions to face the most important challenge of our time to achieve a sustainable environment. This multi-faceted field requires long-term research at a multidisciplinary and international level. This research is conducted as a creative interaction between art, science and engineering. 
    • Carnegie Mellon Architecture students can attend the EPFL for one full year during their fourth year of study. Students must have a working knowledge of the French language.