BOSP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Bing Overseas Studies Program is committed to the health, safety, and success of our students. Below are common questions we receive from students. Please direct any other questions to: studyaway@stanford.edu.
General FAQs
No. Beginning with winter quarter 2025-2026 BOSP programs and going forward, you may not participate in quarter-length academic programs and global seminar programs immediately following a leave of absence.
No. You will need to reapply to a BOSP program in a future quarter. You can find information on our application cycles and deadlines here.
BOSP follows Stanford’s International Travel Policy, which outlines current restrictions to university sponsored travel. Stanford’s highest priority is the health and safety of our students. As we consider study away programming and international travel, Stanford University and the Bing Overseas Studies Program monitor travel advisories and public health guidance from Crisis24, the U.S. Department of State, local intelligence sources and public health officials, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BOSP program viability decisions also take into consideration on-site resources and our ability to provide operational and academic continuity.
Yes, under limited circumstances. Students participating in BOSP quarter-length programs must first enroll in a minimum of 12 units of coursework offered onsite by BOSP. Students in some programs are also eligible to enroll no more than one (1) CGOE course from a predetermined list of courses. Additional details on which courses CGOE will offer is available on the BOSP website here.
BOSP staff members are always available to help address questions and concerns about our programs and processes. If you are feeling generally stressed out or anxious, we encourage you to reach out to Stanford’s many student resources including Stanford Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), support staff within your residential neighborhood, and/or your Undergraduate Advising Director (UAD).
You can participate in a BOSP program as a coterm as long as you have not conferred your undergraduate degree during the quarter of your participation. You are also bound by the same Participation Agreement as all students, which requires you to enroll in a minimum of 12 units of coursework from courses offered by the program, including any specific courses required by the program. We urge you to speak with an academic advisor to understand how these requirements may impact your degree progress. For more detailed coterm information, including information related to tuition, billing, and financial aid, please refer to the Coterm Enrollment FAQs.
Please note that placement in programs that have a language prerequisite is based on the last completed course work at Stanford. Students who have taken language classes at Stanford should not take a placement test. If you have not completed course work at Stanford or are a native speaker, you will require a valid placement test that has been taken within the last 10 months. Please refer to the testing schedule for updated test dates by language. See more common questions about language prerequisites in the next FAQ section.
More questions about language prerequisites
Yes. You will need to take the placement test specifically for home background speakers through the Language Center.
Yes, although you fulfilled the university language requirement, you will still need to fulfill the prerequisite.
Yes, AP or SAT II tests do NOT count toward the prerequisite.
No, students are permitted to take the placement test ONCE per year.
No, oral communication courses do not fulfill the prerequisite.
Have you completed the language prerequisite for your BOSP program?
If the following applies to you, you have NOT completed the language prerequisite.
- I have not taken the prerequisite language course yet.
- Students need to complete the prerequisite course successfully before they participate in their BOSP program.
- I took a placement test my first year at Stanford.
- Placement scores are valid for ONE year. You should take the earliest test possible in case you need to enroll in the prerequisite course.
- I scored a 5 on the AP Language Test.
- AP Test Scores do NOT count for the BOSP prerequisite. You still need to fulfill the prerequisite.
If the following applies to you, YES, you have completed the language prerequisite!
- I took a Language Placement test within a year of my BOSP program.
- Placement tests are valid for ONE year. Your placement test scores need to be valid through the beginning of your quarter abroad.
- I completed the prerequisite by completing a course at Stanford.
- Great! You have completed the prerequisite.
