When considering studying abroad, most people usually think about Erasmus and taking a semester or two to explore faraway places, often at the cost of specific classes and friendships.

By Mary O'Leary | Apr 21 2026

What many don’t consider is the extra option, where they study abroad in the summer or winter, outside of average semester times. Programmes such as these usually last anywhere from one to three months and are conducted by universities around the world, including UCD!

I myself have studied in Seoul, South Korea twice during the summer, and am preparing to study in China this coming summer - so I can attest to how good they are. These programmes not only provide extra credits or language experience you might not have, but they also organise trips to a wide variety of tourist locations. For example, the programs I attended gave its students the opportunity to visit the North Korean border, Gyeongbok Palace, and a wide range of national museums. 

To see what sort of excursions and class types there are, all you have to do is dig into a university you’re interested in by searching up its name followed by ‘summer programs’. From here it should bring you to links explaining the costs, accommodations, class types, and excursion plans. These programmes should also have a direct link to an application as well as dates for when these applications close. 

Regarding living accommodations, most programmes will allow you to apply for a dormitory for the duration of your study. Besides a dormitory, you can look into staying with a homestay family where you won’t have to worry about meals and can practice your language skills freely. Having stayed with a homestay family in the past, I can also attest to the fact that they allow you to truly experience the average residential area of the place you are visiting. 

Of course, when staying in these countries, and especially if you plan on living with a homestay family, make sure you understand their rules and cultural expectations. You don’t want to find yourself in a place where you or your homestay family is accidentally overstepping boundaries.

As these programmes tend to be small, you’ll also have a lot more free time to explore the city, make friends, and do weekend trips away from school. Most major countries have a train system which connects their larger cities together, so traveling through short weekend trips should be no issue. It’s not uncommon for someone studying in Seoul to visit Busan or for someone in Tokyo to visit Osaka. Those who study in mainland EU countries will even have the opportunity to travel between different nearby nations!

Unlike regular university semesters where class schedules are too jam-packed to allow for much of these excursions, summer semesters are a lot more flexible. Most programmes also operate under the assumption that their students are there to travel, so schedules and trips are created with these students in mind. 

This is not to say that these programmes are by any means unacademic. Most, if not all, have some variation of a final exam and graduation ceremony. Many of these classes are also taught by world class professionals that are more likely to hire the students they’ve taught in one of these programs. When graduating from my programme last summer, I was also able to intern online for one of my summer professors during the school year. 

Though a great opportunity to have fun and travel, it’s also important to understand the large number of opportunities within these smaller programs. Due to the much smaller class sizes, your ability to make connections, especially with academics abroad, grow exponentially. Studying at one of these institutions during the summer might also help you if you’re planning on applying there for a masters. After all, showing a school that they’ve already accepted you before is bound to help in your application process!

Lastly, when preparing for such a trip, it’s best to first make sure your visa is in order for your stay. You should be able to find out how this process works through an embassy website and can go from there. I recommend starting this process as soon as you hear back from a programme so as not to leave it until the last minute. Apart from that and sorting out the cost of the programme, all that’s left is the plane tickets and packing! Let the summer begin!