Semester at Sea welcomes curious, engaged students of any sex, gender identity, race, disability status, veteran status, nationality, or ethnicity to apply to travel the world as part of our living and learning community.
Find your voyager type and click to learn about specific admissions requirements.
Recent high school graduates who are interested in sailing before enrolling full-time at an undergraduate institution
Students who are enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at an accredited 2- or 4-year college or university
Students who have recently completed their undergraduate studies and wish to extend their learning
10+ Destinations
Experience life in more countries than any other study abroad program.
Shipboard Life
With the ship as your home, you’ll be part of an amazing community of learners.
College Credit
Keep your goals on track, and earn up to 15 credits from a top-ranked university.
Global Experience
Become a citizen of the world, and develop a comparative understanding of global cultures.
Full-time undergraduate students can apply and launch their journey with Semester at Sea in five easy steps.
Set yourself up for smooth sailing on your admissions journey!
Find out if your school requires separate admissions or documentation for you to sail with SAS.
Admissions are on a rolling basis, but early application gives you the time you need to prepare. Please note, you must be at least 18 years old at the time of embarkation.
Additional funding opportunities may be available through your school.
Cost CalculatorGet an estimate of how much your Semester at Sea voyage will cost, sent directly to your inbox.
Disclaimer: The calculator provides an estimate of total program fees. Tuition and cabin fees are subject to change. Additional scholarships and grants are also available.
Studying abroad is an investment in your education and your future. Semester at Sea offers numerous funding options, including scholarships and grants, to help make our one-of-a-kind program available to more students. Even students who don’t receive financial aid at their home colleges or universities may qualify for funding assistance through Semester at Sea.
Download our brochure to learn about the many funding options available to help you on your voyage.
Everything you need to know about applying to Semester at Sea.
Yes. Students must be 18 at time of embarkation. This includes Gap Year participants.
Semester at Sea operates on a rolling admissions basis, meaning there are no application deadlines for specific semesters. However, it is recommended that you begin the application process 12 months before the semester in which you would like to participate. Applications will continue to be accepted until approximately one month before the start of the voyage.
Yes, students from all majors regularly enroll in Semester at Sea. More than 40 majors are typically represented on any given voyage.
If you are in good academic standing and have a good record with regard to behavior on your home campus, you will be given every consideration. Semester at Sea operates with the philosophy that all undergraduate students should study abroad. We will work with you to help make it possible.
Once the Office of Admission has received your completed application, you will receive a reply in about 7-10 business days. It is advisable to follow up and verify that all components of your application have been received.
January 05 — April 20
Germany Ghana India Kenya Malaysia Morocco Mozambique South Africa Spain Thailand Vietnam
September 09 — December 22
France Ghana Hong Kong India Mauritius Morocco Netherlands South Africa Spain Thailand Vietnam
There’s no better way to learn about the Semester at Sea experience than from someone who has sailed with us! Through our Global Ambassador Program, you’ll be matched with a recent voyager who is still enrolled as an undergraduate student at a campus near you — or maybe even at your home campus! Global Ambassadors can answer many of your questions about the program and share their unique experiences with you.
Have you met your personal admissions counselor yet?
Complete this form to receive a welcome message from your counselor!
"*" indicates required fields