Notre Dame Pre-College delivers a true college experience abroad for exceptional high school students! Students connect with like-minded students from around the world. Are you ready to go further, dream bigger, and experience a new culture? Join us at one of our Notre Dame Global Gateways in Italy, Ireland, South Africa, or at our newest destination in London!

Credit

Residential

Accepts International Students

Dig into the architectural history of Rome, with all its fountains, ruins, winding streets, and delicious gelato. Or do you gravitate more toward the Emerald Isle, which boasts both the bustling city of Dublin and the castles and sweeping views of the west as we explore the divide between traditions and modernity? Our exciting adventure in South Africa will allow you to confront the turbulent history of the nation, while also taking in the incredible landscape of canyons, mountains, falls, and wildlife. In London, you'll be immersed in one of the world’s oldest and greatest cities renowned for its distinct literature, acclaimed theater, iconic architecture, and thriving financial district.

Whatever your preference, our study abroad programs offer you a unique opportunity to travel the world, explore a new culture under the guidance of Notre Dame faculty, and make memories that last a lifetime.

Italy: History, Culture, and Experience

This 12-day seminar introduces students to the history and culture of the Eternal City, with a focus on the built environment. Notre Dame faculty in a range of fields, from art history and architecture to anthropology, provide students with an immersive experience and guide students in their exploration of this fascinating city. Students have the opportunity to visit many of Italy’s most revered cultural treasures and participate in rich cultural and intellectual exchange.
The state-of-the-art Notre Dame Rome Global Gateway on Via Ostilia, a stone’s throw from the Colosseum, serves as the home for lectures and discussions, while the city itself, with its rich assortment of monuments, museums, and densely-textured, storied neighborhoods serves as the students’ true classroom.

South Africa: A Cultural, Historical, and Social Analysis of Racism

The South Africa program is a 13-day seminar led by Notre Dame Psychology professor and South African native, Anre Venter. This intensive program is designed to incorporate both a cultural dimension and an academic component to allow for more meaningful engagement with the issue of social cognition and how it is related to racism. Through the course and cultural excursions, you will gain a deep understanding of South Africa's challenges as a nation. Students will also delve into conservation and how South Africa is taking major steps to preserve its amazing landscape and wildlife. Students will be stretched outside their mental comfort zone to confront tough issues, pushed to explore new ways of thinking, and grow holistically through this incredible journey.

The History of London as a Global Trading Capital

For two weeks, students immerse themselves in one of the world’s oldest and greatest cities renowned for its distinct literature, acclaimed theater, iconic architecture, and thriving financial district. The curriculum focuses on how London came to be one of the leading trading capitals in the world through an exploration of its fascinating history and culture by visiting its many historic buildings, museums and diverse neighborhoods. Each day will focus on a different period, and a different area of London, from the city's Roman foundations through to the 2012 Olympic games, to build up a multilayered understanding of how London came to be the place it is today. We will particularly focus on how London developed as a global city of trade and immigration over the centuries. Simultaneously, the course will explore the idea of history, not as a simple set of facts about “what happened in the past," but as a changing interpretive discipline, rooted in the evaluation and interpretation of primary source material.
Guest lecturers who are experts in their field will guide students through London, with academic and extracurricular activities, including field trips, plays and theater tours, museum visits, and catching a performance on the stage of Shakespeare’s Globe.
Classroom instruction is taught by Notre Dame faculty from the London Global Gateway at Fischer Hall near Trafalgar Square in the heart of London’s governmental, cultural, historical, royal, and entertainment districts. Students live in Conway Hall, a Notre Dame residential facility on the South Bank, one of London’s best connected and vibrant areas.

Ireland: History, Culture, and Experience
Ready for a true Irish experience?

Discover the rich history and culture of both bustling Dublin and bucolic Connemara, Ireland, with this 12-day seminar on the Emerald Isle. Guided by Notre Dame faculty and local scholars, students will embark on an exploration of Irish culture, history, and landscape through what Notre Dame's O’Connell House calls "learning through the soles of your feet."
With seminars held at the Keough-Naughton Notre Dame Center in Dublin and the historic castle of Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Study Abroad: Ireland treats students to numerous sites of interest in both the east and west.

Students are eligible to receive one transferable college credit upon completion of the program. The program is limited to 18 students who will be rising high school seniors by the time of the program.

Study Abroad: Italy Program

Jun 01 - Jun 15

2 weeks

Residential

7375 USD

Study Abroad: South Africa Program

Jul 26 - Aug 12

2 weeks

Residential

8450 USD

Study Abroad: London Program

Jul 06 - Jul 20

2 weeks

Residential

7375 USD

Study Abroad: Ireland Program

Jul 20 - Aug 03

2 weeks

Residential

7375 USD

All applicants must submit a non-refundable application fee of $75 that will not be applied to the program costs. A non-refundable enrollment fee of $2,000 must be submitted once a student has been notified of their admission to study abroad to secure a place in the program. The enrollment fee will be applied to the total program cost amount.

Financial Aid

We do not currently have funding for any financial aid or scholarships for our study abroad programs. As with other program opportunities, we encourage students to reach out to their communities to help offset the program costs. If a student is facing extreme economic hardship and wishes to be considered for financial aid should any funds become available, please send us an email at [email protected] and explain the circumstances. No application fee waivers are or will be available for study abroad.