About SIT/World Learning

SIT Study Abroad programs foster academic rigor, intensive cultural immersion, substantial community involvement, and an emphasis on field-based research.


Watch 'Why SIT Study Abroad' video

SIT has provided programs for undergraduate students for over 50 years and currently offers a total of 75 programs in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs in multiple locations.

SIT students step beyond the boundaries of a traditional classroom to analyze critical issues shaping local communities around the globe. Students become deeply engaged in a topic and undertake their own research, case studies, in-depth practica, or community projects. Students enjoy unparalleled access to local, national, and international networks and are encouraged to treat every experience as a learning opportunity. In doing so, students often discover a lifelong passion that can lead to successive academic and professional achievements.

SIT Study Abroad is deeply embedded in local communities around the world. Program components are designed to respect the strengths of local partners to foster enduring relationships.

SIT Study Abroad and World Learning

Photo of World Learning / SIT Campus from the air

SIT Study Abroad is a program of World Learning, a private, nonprofit international organization. World Learning works globally to enhance the capacity and commitment of individuals, institutions, and communities to create a more peaceful and just world through international education, exchange, and development programs.

In addition to SIT Study Abroad, World Learning operates the following programs:

  • SIT Graduate Institute offers internationally focused master’s degrees, certificates, and professional development programs in the fields of conflict transformation, international education, sustainable development, and TESOL. Founded over 40 years ago, SIT Graduate Institute’s flexible full-time and low-residency programs are based on an experiential learning model and a commitment to social justice and intercultural communication.

  • The Experiment in International Living offers three- to five-week summer programs that immerse high school students in other cultures and languages through engaging experiential activities in 30 countries throughout Europe, The Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Experimenters explore different cultures through the arts, travel, language training, homestays, community service, peace studies, and ecology.

  • World Learning International Development and Exchange Programs empower people worldwide to build and sustain vibrant, healthy communities. They bridge the desire for human development and the ability to achieve this goal with meaningful projects that meet critical needs, foster learning, and provide long-term positive impact. Projects in more than 20 countries focus on civil society and governance; education; HIV/AIDS; international professional, academic, and cultural exchanges; and capacity development and training.

Our Mission
SIT prepares students to be interculturally effective leaders, professionals, and citizens. In so doing, SIT fosters a worldwide network of individuals and organizations committed to responsible global citizenship. SIT fulfills this mission with field-based academic study abroad programs for undergraduates and accredited master’s degrees and certificate programs for graduates and professionals.