Program Guide
Our Mission
Mission Statement and Statistics
ACU’s mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. ACU Study Abroad supports this mission through interaction with the global Christian community, academic excellence, the pursuit of wisdom, the practice of humility, and through giving and receiving hospitality.
For over 100 years, ACU has equipped students to discover their unique calling in the world through international educational experiences. Study Abroad semester and summer programs are consistently cited as one of the most powerful and transformative educational highlights of a student’s career. In addition to deepening our students’ faith and advancing their maturity and independence, students who participate in ACU Study Abroad are among ACU students with the highest GPAs, they are admitted to graduate programs in higher numbers, have higher levels of engagement with undergraduate research, and are successfully awarded some of the most competitive undergraduate/ graduate fellowships and scholarships.
In 2023-2024, US News and World Report recognized ACU’s achievement in international education by ranking ACU #23 in the nation for Study Abroad. Since 2022, more than 52% of ACU’s student body has participated in an international cross-cultural learning experience each year through ACU Study Abroad and/or the Halbert Center for Missions.
52% of all undergraduate students participate in an international cross-cultural experience through Study Abroad or the Halbert Center for Missions.
ACU was tied with Yale University as the 23rd best institution in the nation for Study Abroad in the latest US News and World Report rankings.
Student Testimonials
GEORGIA SIEGEL
LEIPZIG FALL 2023
“Living in Leipzig for a semester was an unforgettable adventure! It gave me the opportunity to learn and grow in a new environment while immersed in rich history, culture, and traditions. Not only did I fall in love with Leipzig, but I also collected memories and experiences that will last a lifetime! Studying abroad transformed and broadened my global perspective, shaping me into who I am today! Do not miss out on the opportunity to live and learn abroad in Leipzig!”
KADE KILLION
MONTEVIDEO FALL 2023
“Studying Abroad in Montevideo was a huge shift for me in my journey towards growing up. I learned what it was like to live in a totally different society to where I was raised, with a new language, in a separate hemisphere. Simply put, living in South America taught me the beauty of simplicity. Uruguayans are incredible people and were the key reason I felt so at home in Montevideo. The opportunity to travel around Argentina, Brazil, and Peru also were chock full of once-ina-lifetime experiences. It was such a blessing and the LORD did so much during my 3 months in Uruguay!”
ERIN HODGSON LEIPZIG SPRING 2022
“Spending a semester abroad in Leipzig has forever changed my life because of the ways in which it taught me how to take a posture of humility and gratitude to the people and places surrounding me. The history, cultural diversity, and the natural serenity of the city of Leipzig is divinely unique and I cannot imagine a better place to spend a semester abroad with ACU.”
SAM O’QUINN
OXFORD FALL 2022
“Spending a semester studying abroad in a city with centuriesold traditions like Oxford was both an unforgettable and transformative experience. From forging lifelong friendships to cultivating a newfound appreciation for travel, this trip gave me invaluable experiences that defined who I am today. I can’t recommend Oxford enough, and I can’t think of a more enriching place to study abroad!”
EMMA PALAFOX
MONTEVIDEO SPRING 2023
“Going to live in Montevideo for a semester was a wonderful opportunity for growth, fun, and unforgettable memories of traveling with friends. I was able to enjoy and learn from the calm, fun, relaxing, and diverse culture of Uruguay. I enjoyed the people and loved the city of Montevideo as there is so much diversity mixed in all the architecture, people, and traditions. I am thankful that ACU allowed me to live and immerse myself in Montevideo for a semester in a fun and safe environment that allowed me to flourish and grow into the multicultural person I am today.”
WESLEY MULLENS OXFORD FALL 2023
“My time in Oxford was probably one of the greatest seasons of my life. I got to live and explore with people who started out the semester as strangers and ended as some of my closest friends. I experienced a call to adventure like no other there, and God met me in the craziness and the quiet of life in Oxford. I am beyond blessed to say that I was a part of Oxford Fall 2023. Looking back on how impactful this time was for me, I can only turn back to Texas and holler at the top of my lungs that it is not worth missing out on this experience! Sign up for Oxford Study Abroad!”
Leipzig
Location Details
Leipzig is located in the German state of Saxony and is rich in German culture and history. Situated at the crossroads of Europe, it is an ideal location to learn about the origins of contemporary Europe and its influence during the Cold War. Today, Leipzig is the fastest-growing city in Germany and is among the most dynamic urban centers in Europe. Home to composers like Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn, Leipzig has long been a driving force in music and cultural arts. The Leipzig Hauptbahnhof, the main central station, is the largest train station in Europe, ready to take you anywhere across the continent and beyond.
Program Details
In Leipzig, students live in ACU’s 19th-century Villa, which accommodates up to 40 students, a faculty-in-residence family, and local staff. The Villa is within walking distance of the city center and it sits on the serene banks of the river Elster. The Villa provides a classroom, kitchens, common rooms, and a library for living, learning, and gathering in community. German language courses and other core classes are taught by local ACU program faculty.
Students have the opportunity to travel within Germany and to nearby countries during their time abroad. They also participate in an Educational Field Trip (EFT) where the entire group travels together, typically to Greece or Turkey. Visit acustudyabroad.com for more information on Leipzig.
Oxford
ENGLAND
Location Details
Oxford is located approximately 90 minutes from London and is famous for its charming architecture. The nearby University of Oxford, which has been home to countless great scholars and writers for over 900 years, including John Locke, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Oxford is at the forefront of education globally and is an ideal location to step into a country rich in history and academic tradition. Director Jacqueline Morrison, an ACU alumna and long time UK resident, guides and leads the program and local faculty and staff.
Program Details
In Oxford, students will live in the ACU Oxford house, which accommodates up to 25 students and a faculty-in-residence family. The house is a walkable distance from the city center, university park, and Port Meadow. It provides multiple classrooms, kitchens, and common living spaces designed to foster community among Oxford program students and faculty.
Students will have the opportunity to travel within the United Kingdom and to nearby countries during their time abroad. They will also participate in an Educational Field Trip (EFT) where the entire group will travel together. Visit acustudyabroad.com for more information on Oxford.
Valencia SPAIN
Location Details
Nestled on the Mediterranean coast, Valencia is Spain’s thirdlargest city, rich with history and a vibrant contemporary life that offers a unique backdrop for personal and academic growth. From exploring the iconic City of Arts and Sciences to savoring traditional paella in bustling markets, each day presents new opportunities to embrace Spanish language and customs in Valencia. It is also the home of the University of Valencia, one of the largest universities in Spain and a dynamic learning center for diverse fields in the sciences, engineering, and liberal arts.
Valencia is one of the best-connected cities in Europe. Valencia’s airport connects travelers to over 20 countries, and it is strategically situated on Spain’s high-speed rail network. Located just 90 minutes from transportation centers in Madrid and 3 hours from Barcelona, quick connections can be found to amazing sites across Spain or to virtually every major city across the European continent and around the world.
Program Details
The Valencia program offers students an unparalleled opportunity to study Spanish from beginner to advanced levels. In addition, students will have the opportunity to travel within Spain and to nearby countries during their time abroad. They will participate in an Educational Field Trip (EFT) where the entire group will travel together, typically to Morocco or Egypt. Visit acustudyabroad.com for more information on Valencia.
Educational Field Trips
Our sites in Leipzig, Oxford, and Valencia were selected for their rich history, vibrant local communities, and strategic language-acquisition opportunities. At the same time, we also seek to expose our students to other cultures and locations that shape the host communities where our students live and which are rapidly shaping the future world they will inhabit. In pursuit of this objective, students will travel with their programs for 7-10 days to another country on an Educational Field Trip, or EFT. Locations vary, but current EFT locations can be found in Greece, UK Lake District, Turkey, Kenya, Morocco, Egypt, and more. During these trips, students will have the opportunity to explore the Christian faith tradition, learn and experience new cultures outside of their hub-site location, and build deeper connections with their program cohort.
MOROCCO & EGYPT
LAKE DISTRICT & KENYA
TURKEY
International Programs
Rwanda (Summer 2025)
Led by Dr. Rachel Slaymaker, this program will investigate the themes of social power and oppression in the social and historical context of Rwanda. Through examining the history of colonialism and the pre-/post-genocidal social context, and by engaging with individuals involved in the ongoing reconciliation efforts, students will explore the ways themes of oppression and justice shape and reshape Rwandan cultural, social, political, religious, and economic national identity.
As one of the world’s most beautiful regions for wildlife, students will also explore the ways the themes of power and oppression manifest in ecological efforts to conserve and protect the natural world. Students will have the opportunity to observe wildlife in its natural habitat and meet with conservationists who are working to secure a future for some of the world’s most endangered plants and animals.
Costa Rica (Spring/Summer 2025)
Both short-term spring and summer programs take place in Turrialba, Costa Rica at CATIE, an international institute for agricultural development and biological conservation in Central America and the Caribbean. At CATIE, ACU students have the opportunity to put their education into practice by learning and serving alongside local businesses while exploring sustainability and international business in a Spanish-speaking context.
In addition to a multi-cultural center for learning, the CATIE campus is a beautiful wildlife refuge, comprising more than 1,000 hectares in the middle of a mountainous landscape, where coffee plantations, agricultural activity, and cane fields abound. Through curricular and extra-curricular experiences, students will be transformed personally and professionally through their experiences in Costa Rica.
Switzerland Global Sport (Summer 2025)
As the capital of the global sporting world and home to numerous sporting associations, including the International Olympic Committee, Switzerland is the perfect context to explore the critical role that sports play in business, diplomacy, and technological development. Through classroom experiences and meetings with global sporting agencies, international diplomatic missions, and development groups, students will leave Switzerland with an increased sense of the importance of global sporting connections and how their own careers might intersect with the global world of sport.
Led by Mark Barneche, ACU’s Executive Director of International Education and a 10-year resident of the city of Lausanne, and Melissa Long, chair of ACU’s Kinesiology department, students will also have the opportunity to see some of Switzerland’s most beautiful regions in French and German-speaking Switzerland.
Dukes Around the World (Summer 2025)
Dukes Around the World is a first-of-its-kind opportunity to see the world with faculty from the Dukes School of Finance. While this trip is not intended to be exclusive to Dukes Scholars or finance students, it is an opportunity made possible by the Dukes’ endowment.
Led by Professors Jody Jones and Daniel Garcia Santiago, the Dukes program begins in San Francisco and ends in London, visiting Singapore, India, and Japan along the way. These economic sites have been chosen for their varied cultural offerings and prominence in global finance, allowing students to engage with the world of international business and finance in a multicultural setting and to witness the interconnected nature of 21st-century markets.
Due to the fast-paced nature of this trip (4 weeks), students will need a certain level of physical fitness and the proper attitude required to meet physical mobility requirements, endure long flights, and maintain a busy schedule.
International Programs
Celtic Spirituality in Ireland (Summer 2025)
Follow ACU professor Dr. Richard Beck and the Landon Saunders Center for Joy and Human Flourishing to Ireland as they explore Celtic Christianity. Taking a cue from Beck’s book, Hunting Magic Eels, Beck will explore how the Celtic Christian tradition, with its deep reverence for nature, mysticism, and finding the sacred in everyday life, can help modern Christians reconnect with a sense of the divine in the world around them. In a first-of-its-kind intergenerational program, current students or ACU alumni participants will follow Beck on a journey that takes them into the heart of ancient spiritual traditions which will reinvigorate modern Christian practice with a sense of wonder and the sacred.
This program will take you from the heart of urban Dublin to the verdant Irish countryside. Participants need to be in good health, able to walk long distances and stay in accommodations without ADA access.
Alumni Adventures
Alumni Trips
Are you looking for a new adventure or a place to reconnect with other alumni and beloved ACU faculty? ACU Alumni Adventures offers alumni the opportunity to engage in meaningful travel and learning experiences beyond graduation through specially curated experiences around the world.
In June 2026, a small group of ACU alumni will be traveling to Tanzania to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, followed by a safari experience on the Serengeti plain. Along the way, experienced faculty and staff from ACU Study Abroad will manage the details with established partners, and faculty will provide guided conversations on faith and vocational discernment in the second half of life. Participants should be at least 28 years old, in good health, and ready for a new adventure. For more information, please see acustudyabroad.com/alumni-adventures.
International Student Alumni Reunions
In August 2026, all former, non-US citizen ACU international student alumni are invited to ACU’s Oxford House for the first inaugural ACU international student alumni gathering. We’re looking forward to gathering alumni from all corners of the globe to reconnect, reflect, and renew together!
This unique event will include a special reception event in Oxford, fun low-cost local activities, and great optional cultural events in London. For more information, register here: acustudyabroad.com/alumni-reunions.
On-Site Director Feature
JACQUELINE MORRISON
About Jacque
“I have been married to Michael for almost 16 years. We have two children, Matilda and Miles, who are 9 and 6, respectively. We live in a small village outside of Oxford. About me specifically - I went to ACU and graduated with a degree in history in 2003. I did my MA and started doctoral work at Oxford Brookes University in history, and I have a specific research interest in post-colonial settler cultures in southern Africa. My ideal holiday would be either camping with my family or to stay at an Italian agri-tourismo farm.”
What is your role as an on-site director?
“I see my role as that of a facillitator and guide, walking alongside students as they grow, explore, and discover both inside and outside the classroom.”
What do you enjoy most about being an on-site director?
“I love to watch the students as they make Oxford their home. To me, the crux of study abroad is that students have the opportunity to really live in a new place. They can develop roots and friendships that deeply connect them to a place in a way that is much different from tourism. I speak from experiencestudy abroad changed the course of my life. And the students are just awesome - they make me laugh and teach me new things every day.”
What are some of your favorite places you have visited?
“I always love to be in Italy. I lived in Rome as a teenager, and it remains a favourite place. I’d also say Girona, Spain. Within the UK, Ambleside in the Lake District National Park is a firm favourite, and the Wye Valley area along the border with Wales. I love places where I can be outside!”
