The London Scholars Program

June & July

Review your course selections with your Northeastern University London academic advisor and confirm your fall courses. You should discuss any AP, IB, or other transfer credits you have or anticipate.

August

Summer advising for London Scholars fall semester closes. Your courses are finalized and confirmed with Northeastern University London. No course changes can be made until you arrive on site.

August & September

Program launches, and classes begin. Course changes during Northeastern University London’s add/drop period are possible. However, while you can request a change, you are strongly discouraged from doing so. Your courses were carefully reviewed and confirmed with your academic advisor over the summer. Any changes once you arrive on-site may impact your academic progress. Please also keep in mind that requests are not guaranteed. Factors such as capacity, timetabling, and add/drop deadlines may not allow for a change to be made.

October & November

You will have the opportunity to consult with academic advising and plan for spring courses. You can expect to complete spring course selection at this time.

Visas: If you require an F-1 visa to study in the U.S., you will need to apply for an I-20 that allows you to begin your studies in the Summer. More information about Summer Enrollment expectations can be found here: https://international.northeastern.edu/ogs/current-students/understanding-visa-requirements/summer-term/

For more information, please refer to the 2024 Summer Course Information Document here.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, London Scholars will reside across a selection of student accommodation properties. Find out more information here: London Scholars 2024-2025 Housing

For information about the Northeastern London Housing process, including the housing application and important dates, please read through this resource: NU London Housing Dates and Details

Click here to download the London Scholars Packing Guide.

If you require services and accommodations during the academic year because of a disability, please contact the Disability Access Services (formerly known as the Disability Resource Center). You can find all resources and contact information for the DAS for London Scholars students here.

All students are required to obtain a UK Student Visa to participate in the London Scholars program before traveling to the UK. UK and Irish citizens are exempt from this process.

You will need to obtain a Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS) from Northeastern University London prior to making your online visa application. Additional information regarding the visa process and any documents required from you will be communicated as early as possible. Please note that such information is intended as informational guidance only and does not constitute legal advice.

Further information regarding UK Student Visas will be made available to incoming students in the spring before their program start date.

Q: Can I travel during weekends and/or school breaks in the UK or other countries?

A: Students who are participating in the London Scholars program are able to undertake tourist activities outside of class time. It is very important that students ensure their intended travel does not impact their studies. If a student wishes to travel outside of the UK, it is their responsibility to gain the necessary visas to enter the country that they are traveling to. Northeastern University London is not able to provide advice to students regarding visas for other countries. Many countries have visa information on their governmental websites, and it is important that students access this information to understand the visa requirements for their destination country prior to traveling.

Q: Can I travel to other European countries post-program?

A: Once students have completed their program in London, they are free to travel to other countries in Europe. Students need to ensure that they have the correct visas to enter the European countries that they are traveling to. It is a student’s responsibility to obtain a visa(s) and adhere to the visa rules and requirements prior to and while traveling in European countries. Students should check visa requirements on the countries’ governmental websites or the Schengen Visa website if they are only traveling to EU countries that belong to the Schengen Area.

Group Flight Travelers

The London Scholars Program offers a group flight option for students to travel with their peers to and from their London Scholars location at the beginning and end of the program.

On arrival at their London Scholars Program location, students on the group flight will be guided and transported to the student residence. At the end of the program, students on the group flight will be guided from their student residence to their location’s airport.

More Group Flight information, including reservation forms and itineraries, once available will be provided through your Application Status Check.

Fall 2024 Group Flight

Group flight registration for the 2024 London Scholars program (Fall 2024 – Spring 2025: from August/September to May) has been completed. All group flight registrants have been notified by our travel agency- Advantage Travel.

As a group flight participant, you will not receive a group flight credit to your student account during Fall 2024 semester.

If you have flight or travel itinerary questions, please call Advantage Travel at +1.315.471.2222 or email our Advantage Travel Representative at [email protected].

Baggage Allowance

Please review the guidelines on the airline website for more specific details on the baggage allowance of the group flight airline. It is your responsibility to confirm the luggage policies of your airline(s).

Travel Information Form

To ensure the safety of all participants, all students must provide London Scholars with the details of their itinerary, whether they are flying on the group flight or independently.

Independent Travelers

If you do not take the group flight option, you are responsible for your travel arrangements to and from their London Scholars Program location at the beginning and end of the program.

Group Flight Credit

Students who do not take any segment of the group flight will receive a flight credit. This credit will be posted to the student’s fall bill and will be equal to the cost of one group flight airline ticket. If a student flies any segment of the group flight, they will not receive a credit. London Scholars students traveling separately must arrange their own transportation to their student residence and arrive on-location on the program start date (early check in will not be available).

Travel Insurance

You are encouraged to research whether you would like additional insurance that covers the costs of trip interruption or cancellation, as well as loss of baggage and personal effects either while traveling or living in residence halls.

Safety Resources while in London Scholars

All Northeastern University students, faculty, and staff requiring medical, security, and travel assistance abroad can obtain assistance through the Northeastern Travel Support Network. Please contact the 24/7 international assistance hotline +1.857.214.5332 (international collect calls are accepted) to access support services provided by our partners, the Collinson Group and Crisis24, a GardaWorld company. They will also notify the International Safety Office of your call to provide an added layer of support.

Please be sure to register your travel by visiting the GardaWorld Travel Security portal and log in with your Northeastern email and credentials. Once registered, download the mobile app by the same name to stay up to date on important travel safety related information.

Northeastern Travel Registry

Northeastern University requires all students to enter their travel itinerary and housing accommodations into “My Travel Plans” on the myNortheastern student portal also called the traveler registry. You should also enter any independent travel during the semester and make sure your contact information remains updated.

More information can be found on Northeastern University’s international travel website.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

U.S. citizens can register their travel plans with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. We strongly encourage you to register, as this is a free service that will allow the U.S. State Department to better assist citizens abroad in the event of an emergency.

Additional Resources

For more resources, visit the U.S. State Department, which provides information on safety for travelers abroad, including tips on handling money, traveling on public transportation, and safety in a hotel.

Passports

All London Scholars students will need a passport. If you do not already have a passport, you should apply for one as soon as possible. Please plan accordingly for passport processing times.

The program is required to make advance financial commitments to travel agents, vendors, and the partner institution to secure items such as housing, classroom space, and co-curricular activities. Therefore, should you withdraw from the program at any time after May 1, you will be responsible for the terms provided within the Payment and Withdrawal Policy. You are encouraged to plan carefully and are required to review this policy as soon as possible. In this policy, you will see information on payment terms, schedule of charges, and withdrawal conditions and processes. You can read more about this policy here: 2024-2025 London Scholars Payment and Withdrawal Policy.

We know that keeping in touch with family and friends back home can be challenging during your time away. Students have found it helpful to set up a schedule for calling home, as having a set time can make time differences much easier to handle. You and your family might also consider a variety of technologies to keep in touch. For example, the instant messaging service WhatsApp also allows voice and video chat, and the voice-over-IP (VOIP) programs Skype, Zoom, and FaceTime use an Internet connection to talk for free.

Email communications from Northeastern University and the London Scholars Program will be sent to students via their Northeastern email addresses, which are created as soon as you activate your myNortheastern portal. Parents will receive some communications, but students are encouraged to initiate their own inquiries and problem-solve independently.

For safety reasons and for ease of communication, London Scholars students are required to have a working cell phone for use on-location during their time in the London Scholars Program. Phones must be acquired and working (calls, texting, and data required) within a week of arriving on location. You should research the mobile phone options available to you prior to arriving. You typically have a chance to learn more about phone plans and purchase a phone during on-location orientation.

Upon successful completion of the London Scholars Program, you and your peers will enroll at Northeastern’s Boston campus to continue your studies in your second year. You will be invited to attend orientation and receive ongoing support as you transition into academic and social life in Boston. Your experiences with the London Scholars Program will allow you to apply a unique global perspective in the classroom and beyond.

We are pleased to be able to offer students who complete the 2024-2025 London Scholars Program the opportunity to apply for university housing during their second year when they arrive in Boston, provided they meet the required application and deposit deadlines. Interested students will have the opportunity to declare their intention to reside in university housing during the Spring ’25 term. This opportunity does not represent a mandatory requirement, as students can still decide to live in off-campus housing in the local area if they choose. Please note that university housing for all students—including students completing the London Scholars Program—can take the form of traditional campus residence halls, leased apartments, or leased hotel spaces in the area around campus. We will provide more information about specific housing options for London Scholars later in the 2024-2025 academic year.

For more information, please refer to the Summer and Fall Transition slides from the accompanying webinar hosted in April 2024.

We will provide more information about specific housing options for London Scholars later in the 2024-2025 academic year. Please consult this link for more information.

All NU London Scholars participants earn a full semester of academic credits in their fall and spring semesters, provided that they achieve a grade of “D-” or better in the U.S. grading system. Your London Scholars program courses and letter grades will appear on your Northeastern University transcript and will be included in your Northeastern GPA. You can download an unofficial transcript through your Northeastern student portal, and you can request official copies of your transcript from Northeastern’s Registrar.