Study abroad decisions for the 2026-27 academic year were released Jan. 17, marking a key moment for Notre Dame sophomores as they consider academic plans abroad and evaluate their options following a competitive application cycle. According to the University’s Study Abroad Office director, Robert Leis, Notre Dame received over 2,300 applications from nearly 1,200 individual students for various overseas programs.
Students have a designated window to accept or decline their study abroad offers. Given the potential for additional rounds of placement, this means finalized acceptance data is not yet available. Leis said in a written statement to The Observer that the University remains in the midst of a multi-stage enrollment process.
“What we can share at this stage is a reflection of student interest,” he wrote. “Interest in Notre Dame’s global opportunities remains very high.”
As in previous years, programs in Western Europe attracted the largest number of applicants, receiving significantly more applications than available spots. This makes them among the most competitive programs.
“Similar to years past, the study abroad programs that receive the most applications tend to be in Western Europe,” Leis said. “ND site locations such as Rome, London and Dublin receive far more applications than their ability to accept.”
To accommodate students who did not receive an initial offer, the Study Abroad Office reopened applications for several programs with remaining capacity through Feb. 1. These include sites in Spain, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, India, China and the United Kingdom. While many of these programs require prior language experience, Leis still encouraged students without placements to explore these alternative options.
For students who received offers, the news brought relief after months of preparation. Sophomore Drew Hemmesch, who lives in O’Neill Family Hall and majors in strategic management, economics and sociology, was accepted into the London Spring program. Due to academic requirements and scheduling considerations, it was the only study abroad program he applied to.
“I heard [the decision] might come out at midnight, and I was pretty nervous leading up to it,” Hemmesch said. “Once I opened it and saw I got into London Spring, I was really excited. I knew it was a risk applying to just one program, but London fit really well with my majors and my overall plan.”
He added that the cost structure played an important role in his decision to apply. “It costs the same as being on campus for the semester, aside from flights and extra expenses,” Hemmesch said. “That made it feel accessible.”
Sophomore Gracie Keough, who is double majoring in medieval studies and French with a minor in theology, was accepted into the Paris program. Keough said she applied primarily to Francophone programs that, while challenging, aligned with her academic goals and supported her long-term plans.
“I was excited when I opened it, but then it hit me that I’d be doing an entire semester academically in French ... that part was intimidating,” Keough said. "Paris has a lot of resources for medieval French history, which is what I want to pursue in graduate school.”
Felix Ruda, a math and physics major from Siegfried Hall, was accepted into Notre Dame’s year-long Oxford program, which provides Notre Dame juniors the opportunity to pursue the study of a single subject area in depth at the University of Oxford. He said he was both anxious and confident as he awaited the decision.
“I was obviously super happy to get in, super excited,” Ruda said. “It really gives you the chance to dive deep into your chosen topic, which really appealed to me.” He also noted a personal connection: “A lot of my family’s over in Europe, and I’m an EU citizen, so being able to travel and be closer to them was something I was really looking forward to.”
Ruda said that financial aid or scholarships were not an issue and that the program would allow him to continue fulfilling major requirements while taking additional physics classes, though he would need to catch up slightly during his senior year. “I’ve talked to my advisors, and it seems like I’ll be able to do it,” he said.
As for the application process itself, he described it as structured but manageable. “I definitely had to lock in there for a little bit at the start of the semester, and I just had to ask for recommendation letters really early,” Ruda said.
Looking ahead, Ruda said the year abroad will shape his Notre Dame experience academically and socially. “It’ll be tough to be away from campus for a year, but I think it’ll really enrich my experience,” he said. “Spring programs in general, London especially, seem to me like the most competitive ones.”
Both Hemmesch and Keough agreed with this assessment, describing the process as doable but competitive, particularly for European programs.
“There are a lot of strong options, but some programs just have far more applicants than spots,” Hemmesch said.
As students consider whether to accept their offers and others explore reopened programs, the Study Abroad Office emphasized flexibility during the remaining placement period. The Jan. 17 release represents a significant step for sophomores, shaping their academic experience at Notre Dame, whether that means preparing for a semester abroad or reconsidering alternative global opportunities.
