The Program

• This innovative program, hosted by a group of renowned research universities, is designed for advanced North American students looking to gain international research experience
• As a participant, you will learn about scientific reasoning, research methods, theoretical principles related to the research area, and scholarly communication. By finalizing the results of your Research Project in a paper of publishable quality, you will also have improved your writing and presentation skills
• Experience the culture of your host city and culture through extracurricular programming designed to introduce you and orient you with your new surroundings

Your host University
The EuroScholars program partners with 11 distinguished research universities in seven countries.  Projects are usually available in Arts and Humanities, Performing Arts, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy, Computer Science, Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Law, Economics, Management, Politics and Social Studies. No matter where you are hosted, ample opportunities are afforded to explore the host country in both structured and unstructured ways.  During the semester, all students will be invited for a 'European Orientation' at one of the participating institutions. Students will be introduced to “Europe” by lectures on different European aspects, like cultures, languages, politics, etc. Moreover, students will have a chance to meet each other in another setting and learn form each other’s experiences.


Academics
The main element of the EuroScholars program is the Research Project. When applying to the EuroScholars program, you will select a specific research project from the EuroScholars Research Project Database. Almost all projects are ongoing research projects at the host institution, so as a EuroScholar, you will be an active contributor to an already existing research team. About 175 Research Projects at the 9 partner universities are available, in many fields of study. The other part of the curriculum is built around the Research Project in dialogue with the supervising professor.

There are several standard elements in the curriculum regardless of the host university: a Language & Culture Course/s (classes), a Methods & Literature Review (independent study) and the Research Project (including a paper or article). The Language & Culture Course/s will give the student basic knowledge of the language and culture of the host country. The Method & Literature Review will provide the student with the opportunity to best contribute to the Research Project by independently reviewing scientific literature on the area of research.

EuroScholars offers two different basic curriculum options. Whether a student chooses option 1 or 2 also depends on if the preferred host institution offers courses in English in the field of study. The basic element is always the participation in the Research Project participation.

Option 1 (higher research focus)
6 ECTS Language & Culture Course/s
6 ECTS Methods & Literature Review
18 ECTS Participation in Research Project including article/presentation/paper

Option 2
6 ECTS Language & Culture Course/s
6 ECTS Methods & Literature Review
12 ECTS Participation in Research Project including article/presentation/presentation
6 ECTS Elective course in the field of research

You will earn approximately 30 ECTS (15 RU credits) for one semester.  ECTS (European Credit Transfer Accumulations System) is the credit scale used by EuroScholars.  It is not possible to take classes as not-for-credit or pass/fail.

For information about Study Abroad credit transfer, registration, and transcripts please visit the Academics section of our website.


Academic Calendar
The academic calendar for the EuroScholars program will depend on the specific European university calendar.  This information will be provided to the student upon acceptance.  The start and end date of the program may differ from the Rutgers academic calendar.
*All dates are subject to change.  Do not book your flight until you have been accepted by Euroscholars and the academic dates have been confirmed. 


Accommodations and Meals
Accommodation is included in the cost of the program. Each of the participating institutions offers good quality accommodation which is especially reserved for students, participating in the EuroScholars program.

Accommodation will be mostly private rooms with shared kitchen, bathroom and/or shower facilities. The housing is, in most cases, close to the city center and either in walking distance or reachable through public transportation to the university campus.

Upon acceptance at one of the institutions, students will be informed about their accommodation. Please look at the university’s housing website (provided in each university profile) for more detailed information. Some institutions might ask for a deposit for the housing that will be returned if the room is delivered in good state afterwards. Please note that deposits are not included in the fee. Students have to pay these separately themselves.


Financial Information

For more information on the total cost of the program go to the top of this page, locate "Budget Sheets" and click on the appropriate term.
 
For more information about Finances, including information about Financial Aid please visit the Finances Section of our website.
 
As part of your preparation to apply for this study abroad program, please familiarize yourself with the Rutgers Study Abroad policies.


Scholarships
Students are also encouraged to start researching Scholarship opportunities as early as possible.  You may find the following scholarships applicable to this program.


Rutgers Global–Study Abroad  Scholarships- Available to all Rutgers students participating in a Rutgers Global–Study Abroad program during the fall/spring/academic year/summer.  For more information please visit the Scholarship section of our website.

Benjamin A. Gilman Study Abroad Scholarships- Available to study abroad students who receive a Pell Grant.  For more information about the scholarship and additional eligibility requirements please visit the Gilman website.

Please also visit the Scholarships section of our website for additional information about Rutgers and National Scholarships.

Perspective from a EuroScholar:A  Rutgers student's experience at Geneva University, Switzerland Fall 2010My time spent in Geneva on the Euroscholars program proved to be everything that I expected and more. I look back very fondly on my time in the laboratory, and the people that I had the chance to meet while I was there. In my view, studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity to broaden horizons in terms of cultural awareness, but the Euroscholars broadened my personal academic ambitions as well. Not only did I come back to my home institution with a new outlook on American relations, but I am now looking to pursue research as a career which I had not considered as a serious option before this experience.In Geneva, I was working in an fMRI laboratory on a project concerning the effect of hypnosis on pain and stress. Of course there are laboratories in the United States that are doing fMRI research and even research on hypnosis, but traveling to Europe and conducting the research in Switzerland gave me the opportunity to see how the university system differs in Europe compared to the United States. Specifically, what I observed is that there is a more strict differentiation of the students into their respective disciplines in Europe such that they pursue a more focused course of study from high school whereas the American System embraces the idea of a liberal arts education with much opportunity to explore different areas of study. What I truly enjoyed about studying in Europe was the fact that the people in my lab came from many different countries not only in Europe but around the world. Thus, each person contributed a unique perspective to the lab environment.

 
As I now plan to continue to do research, I do want to retain some of the characteristic features of my European experience that I found to differ in America. For instance, I noticed that my colleagues in the lab took out time each day to eat lunch together in the café, whereas in the US researchers are more likely to grab a quick bite in between runs of an experiment. I think that keeping a social structure is important not only for human interaction but also for the spread of scientific ideas. Overall, the experience in Geneva was fantastic and I hope to someday make it back!