Recent Winners

Seeking General Graduation Credit for your Light Fellowship program?

While applying for Study Abroad credit is not required by the Light Fellowship, students seeking general graduation credit for your time abroad as a Light Fellow must apply for credit by the relevant deadline. If you have any questions regarding studying abroad for credit on a Light Fellowship, please email or set up an appointment with the Assistant Director.

Summer Credit for Light Fellows

Currently, all Light-approved summer programs are approved for Study Abroad credit, except:

IUC Yokohama

Students interested in earning up to two general graduation credits must complete an application for Credit for Non-Yale Summer Abroad.

The Light Fellowship does not require that you transfer credit. Those students who are planning to use the International Summer Award (ISA) after the Light Fellowship funded experience are advised to wait to transfer credit. This is because students may only transfer a total of 2 credits across all three summers and leaves of absences (this includes credit received for summer courses taken at another university.)

However, if a student does transfer credit for a Light Fellowship funded experience, they would still be able to use the ISA for future participation in Yale-in-London or Yale Summer Session programs abroad (which are taken for Yale credit, not transfer credit).

Deadline for Summer Abroad credit applications: March 1

Tip: Credit for Domestic Programs: Students completing a domestic summer program are also eligible to receive up to two general graduation credits upon completion of the program. Note that the credit transfer limit outlined above still applies. There is no separate application to fill out prior to the start of the program (unlike Study Abroad credit). The process for transferring credit from a domestic program is as follows:

Upon successful completion of the program, send an official transcript to your college dean’s office

Visit the Registrar’s Forms & Petitions page and logs onto the Request to Add Course Work Completed Outside Yale

Upload course syllabi from the domestic program

Please see the Yale College Programs of Study for full details on Yale’s policy for transferring credit from other U.S. institutions.

Term-time Credit for Light Fellows

Light Fellows who plan to study abroad during the fall, spring or academic year have the option of 1) taking a Leave of Absence for the duration of their fellowship (effectively delaying graduation), or 2) applying for Year or Term Abroad (YTA) in order to receive general graduation credit for one or two semesters abroad.

Students who apply for Year or Term Abroad can earn 4 general graduation credits for one term abroad or 9 credits for an academic year abroad. Those studying abroad for a summer and one term (but not the full academic year) can apply for credit for both the summer and term (for a total of up to 6 credits)

To apply for general graduation credit for your semester or year abroad, you must complete an application for Credit for Year or Term Abroad.

Deadline for Fall & Academic Year Abroad credit applications: April 1

Fulfilling Major Requirements or Language Distributional Requirement

The YTA and Summer credit applications are for general graduation credit only. At the discretion of the relevant DUS, it is possible (but not guaranteed) to fulfill major and/or distributional requirements through Light Fellowship programs. Please note that this process is handled entirely by the DUS of the relevant department and not by the Light Fellowship office.

Figuring out your Visa application process?

If your participation in a program requires a visa, you should start with your program. Your program will be the best resource in helping you navigate the visa process. Please note that each country may have different regulations depending on the nation from which you hold your passport. As such, you want to do thorough research in understanding what is required in your particular situation.

You can also refer to the Consular Affairs' website of the country you wish to visit below: