Study Abroad with Honors
The Honors College is home to six unique study abroad opportunities that are available to all of our students!
See the world and gain credits to count toward graduation! The Honors College has multiple opportunities for our students to study abroad. Whether you are interested in Italy or Iceland, Ireland or New Zealand, the Honors College has opportunities ready for you to pursue.
Honors in Cambridge: History and Storytelling
The Honors College and the Global Education Office are delighted to offer a unique opportunity to study and explore one of the foremost institutions of higher education in the world: Cambridge University. Honors students who participate in this trip will be able to take two Honors courses that will count towards their Honors requirements: Science, Romanticism, and Society: British Culture since 1600 (taught by Dean Breuninger) and Storytelling: The Art, Science, and Global Impact (taught by Professor Gardinier Halstead). These courses take advantage of Cambridge to provide hands-on learning opportunities for students and will give you a better sense of how this place has played an important role in the creation of the modern world. For more information, visit the link below.
For questions, contact, Dr. Scott Breuninger Dean of the VCU Honors College and/or Professor Ann Marie Halstead Assistant Professor & Coordinator of Humans of RVA & VCU
VCU Summer: Sorrento, Italy: VCU Honors and Global Discovery with Community Engagement
The Global Education Office and the Honors College are pleased to offer both incoming first year students and upperclassmen students a unique opportunity to participate in an international education experience in Sorrento, Italy hosted by the Sant’Anna Institute before the start of their first semester on campus at VCU. Participants on this exclusive program will have the opportunity to bond with other incoming first year Honors students and upperclassmen students from VCU through a variety of exciting, educational and enriching experiences including engaging in community service activities, attending special lectures on Italian culture, participating in Italian language training and traveling to various sites in and around Sorrento and Naples.
For more information on studying abroad in Sorrento contact Honors Associate Dean Carrie Connolly.
STEM Research in Ireland
Conduct STEM research in Ireland during the summer. Through a program at the University of Limerick, VCU Honors College students can participate in an eight-week Research Summer School. This program allows Honors students to work in the labs of University of Limerick researchers. As part of this program, students can embark on a project of their choice, closely guided by experienced mentors in state-of-the-art facilities. Students can immerse themselves in a dynamic learning environment while enjoying daily student-led fun events. Enhance their skills and knowledge as you collaborate with UL researchers and even conduct your own pre-approved research project.
Program dates: May 27 - July 22, 2026. For more detailed information, check out this link and please contact Dean Breuninger for more information about the application process.
Icelandic Immersion: Exploring Wellbeing in the Land of Fire and Ice
This VCU Honors College faculty-led global education experience will integrate academic content on wellbeing science with experiential learning in Iceland, a global leader in wellbeing policies and practices, mental health promotion and sustainable community design. Over the course of this seven-day trip, students will visit key sites that support/promote personal and community wellbeing, and talk to wellbeing leaders/innovators. This educational program will be offered for 10-12 students. This trip will take place in mind-May 2026 and be worth two credits. More information from VCU Study abroad will be made available soon.
Human of London
During spring break, the VCU Honors College sponsors a study abroad trip to London, England through the Humans of RVA/VCU course. Students on the trip visit London's neighborhoods, see historic sites, attend performances by local artists and more. For more information on this trip contact Honors Professor Ann Marie Gardinier Halstead.
Honors Spring Break 2026 - New Zealand: Exploring Healthcare Innovation
The Global Education Office and the Honors College at Virginia Commonwealth University are pleased to offer a unique opportunity to explore healthcare innovation in New Zealand. Auckland is an international city of 1.4 million people. Built around a stunning harbour, it has world-class facilities and a diverse multicultural population.
New Zealand – Aotearoa – is a modern, technologically advanced, globally competitive nation offering internationally recognised university education within a unique cultural and natural environment. They have a high standard of living that is consistently ranked highly in international quality of life indexes. Their society is diverse, sophisticated and multicultural, and the honesty, friendliness and openness of New Zealanders, or “Kiwis”, is world-renowned.
Contact Dr. Stephen Sowulewski for additional information.