The London Scholars Program

As a London Scholar, you’ll be exposed to unique place-based inquiry components, designed to explore global and local issues from comparative perspectives in your courses. These Place-Based Inquiry designated courses are integrated with your major plan of study and with our NUPath requirements, meaning it’s not an “extra course” but part of your degree pathway. For London Scholars, they are called Global Inquiry and integrate the course content in the context of London and the UK.

Complete two full-time fall/spring semesters as a matriculated student, or successfully complete the London Scholars program, and be enrolled in a degree-seeking program according to the student’s assigned pattern of attendance. Some programs may require completion of additional semesters to be eligible for co-op.

International students must attend one academic year as a matriculated student, or its equivalent, and obtain proper authorization from the Office of Global Services before engaging in co-op.

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.

Fall 2026

Spring 2027

Information on Summer 2026 Course Information can be found here.

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 to London, students on the group flight will be guided through our arrival transport support process 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 also via public transportation.

More group flight information, including reservation forms and itineraries, will be provided through your Application Status Check once they are available.

The London Scholars program offers a group flight option for you to travel with your peers to and from your location at the beginning and end of the program. Group flights depart from certain hub cities around the United States. If you are departing from cities outside of those hub cities, you have the option of working with our travel agency, Advantage Travel of CNY, to book domestic connections as well. 

Group flight tickets are provided as round-trip tickets only with specific, program-based arrival and departure dates.  

All students should complete the travel questionnaire to indicate whether they would like to participate in the group flight or you would like to book their own travel independently. If you choose to book your own travel, you will be asked to share your individual travel details this summer. If you do not opt for a group flight for any reason, your student account will automatically be credited for the average cost of a round-trip group flight ticket to your program location. The credit will appear in your student account before the conclusion of the Fall 2026 semester.  

You can complete the questionnaire in your Application Status Check by clicking the button below. Please complete this step as soon as possible and no later than May 21. 

[Complete the Questionnaire] 

If you select to participate in a group flight, you will then need to register with our travel agency, Advantage Travel of CNY. The link to register with Advantage will be provided upon completion of the above questionnaire. 

You must confirm your group flight registration with Advantage Travel of CNY through the provided dashboard by May 29. 

The Global First Year Programs team has created a travel outline video to walk you through everything you need to know. Please also refer to the full timeline of the group flight journey. 

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

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.

To ensure the safety of all participants, all individual travelers must provide London Scholars with the details of their travel itineraries. Students will receive an Individual Traveler Information Collection form in late June where they will be able to submit their travel itineraries, as well as opt into arrival transport support to the London campus via public transportation.

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.

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 average cost of one round-trip group flight 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).

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 or personal belongings while traveling or living in residence halls.

All Northeastern University students, faculty, and staff requiring medical, security, and travel assistance abroad can obtain assistance through the Northeastern Global Safety & 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 partner Crisis24, a GardaWorld company. They will also notify the Global Safety Office of your call to provide an added layer of support.

Register your travel by through the Crisis24 Horizon Portal using 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 University requires all students to enter their travel itinerary and housing accommodations into “My Travel Plans” on the myNortheastern student portal or by visiting the Crisis24 Horizon Portal. 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 Global Safety website.

U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to register their travel plans with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. STEP is a free service that will allow the U.S. State Department to better assist citizens abroad in the event of an emergency.

During the program, please complete this Personal Travel Form at least 1 week prior to your travel plans. This form should be completed for each trip you take. Make sure that you provide accurate details for all information requested. Failure to complete this form in a timely or accurate manner violates the N.U.in/Scholars Supplemental Code of Conduct and may result in disciplinary action.

The London Scholars Program is a residential program.

London Scholars are required to live in University assigned accommodations that are contracted through the Northeastern University London Housing team.

Students (and/or families) should not book housing independently. This includes directly with Northeastern University London housing providers. 

Additional information about the housing process will be shared with students when applicable. For context about timing, the housing application cycle for London Scholars begins in May, and information will be shared in relation to this timeline.

Please review the Packing List for things to consider while you prepare to travel to London!

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

Current students can find additional information about healthcare in London via the NU London Healthcare website.

For information about tasks for current students enrolled in London Scholars to complete, and support resources during the London Scholars program, please review the London Scholars Preparation and Resources Checklist.

For information for current students about on-site support resources during the London Scholars program, please review the guide for Support Resources at Northeastern University London.

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 student 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.

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.

Admission to London Scholars depends on a number of factors including your major. Academic compatibility is a key requirement for any first-year program.

For more information, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by email at [email protected] or by calling +1.617.373.2200.

Fall 2026 London Scholars will not be eligible for federal or state aid during the first year of their program. Upon successful completion of the program, London Scholars will transition to the Boston campus for Fall 2027 and eligible students can apply for federal or state aid. The estimated cost of attendance and federal financial aid eligibility varies for each program. For estimated costs please visit admissions.northeastern.edu/cost-financial-aid/

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: 2026-2027 London Scholars Payment and Withdrawal Policy (the policy will also be available in your Application Status Check).

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 2025-2026 London Scholars Program guaranteed university housing during their second year in Boston, provided they meet the required application and deposit deadlines. Students will have the ability to choose between university housing or opting to live off campus. The university housing process for continuing students begins in mid-December. Please note that university housing for all students—including students completing the London Scholars Program—can take the form of traditional campus residence halls, semi-private suite-style buildings or apartment-style buildings, including leased apartments in the area around campus. As students start to make these choices and applications are available, more information will be provided by the London Scholars program, Housing and Residential Life, and Off Campus Engagement and Support so students can make the best personal choice for housing for the 2026-2027 academic year in Boston. Please consult this link for more information about University Housing or this link for Off Campus Engagement and Support.

London Scholars students who will require F-1 status to study in the U.S. will need to request an I-20 from the U.S. Office of Global Services (OGS U.S.) to begin the process of applying for an F-1 visa.

For detailed information about applying for an F-1 visa as a London Scholars student, please refer to this resource (note that you will need to log in with your Northeastern credentials to access the resource).

A recording of a webinar on this topic is also available here.

Students with any questions about the I-20 request or F-1 visa process should reach out to OGS U.S. through the self-service portal.
 

All London Scholars 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.