Studying abroad is not a requirement of the UC San Diego Math Department undergraduate program, and no special credit is earned by doing so, but the department supports student interest in this.

Most of what you need to know about the process of getting to study abroad will come from the UC San Diego Study Abroad office. A Study Abroad in Mathematics information sheet is offered by that office as an introduction to what you need to know. Meet with Study Abroad advisors far in advance of when you hope to travel. 

Academics

We strongly recommend that you plan ahead for coursework that you want to take while abroad and have counted toward your major. Submit any equivalency or requirement substitution requests before traveling; that way you'll know in advance if the coursework you are taking will fulfill your major requirements or not.

Earning MATH Credit Abroad

It is possible to use courses you take abroad to satisfy Math Major requirements, and/or in place of MATH courses. Please see details on how to do either option below:

1. Transfer Equivalency Petition - You want a course abroad to be accepted toward your major as equivalent to a specific UC San Diego course. See MATH course descriptions here.

2. Major Requirement Exception Petition - You are a Math major taking a course abroad that you want to use an a major elective, but the course does not match the content of any UC San Diego MATH courses.

For either option, submit the corresponding type petition to the Math Department via the Online Petition Portal. You will need to provide a course syllabus or outline for the course, ideally a document that includes the course grade breakdown, list of topics covered/course schedule, and the textbook used. 

Expect 2-3 weeks for full petition review. Submit your petition(s) before you finalize your course plan. There is no guarantee a course will be approved for equivalency or as an elective.

Noteworthy International Programs in Mathematics

One program recommended by some UC San Diego Department of Mathematics faculty is the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics.