Through the Office of International Programs, Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, offers study abroad programs in France, Brazil, China, Cuba, Japan, Italy, India, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. Each program is headed by a Brown resident director and operates a fully-staffed center of study in the host country. Length of stay varies based on the country chosen. For example, the study abroad program in Cuba takes place for one semester, whereas the program in China, which is a part of the Brown Plus One International Program, can take up to three years as it offers a dual degree with The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Brown's study abroad program was ranked among the best by the 2011 "U.S. News & World Report" listing.
Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, offers one of the nation's largest study abroad programs, rated among the best in the 2011 "U.S. News & World Report" ranking. Duke's study abroad program is founded on the principles of offering students rigorous academics and the opportunity to interact directly with a foreign culture. Semester programs are offered in 13 countries, including China, Russia, Italy, Costa Rica and South Africa. Summer programs are offered in 15 countries, including Australia, Switzerland, Greece, Mexico, Spain, Ghana and Turkey. Because each program is different, students can match their interests with a specific host country like the Australian study abroad program in 2011, which is a four-week summer course that focuses on the biogeography and culture of Australia, allowing students to visit the Great Barrier Reef and tropical rain forest of Queensland.
New York University's study abroad program began in 1958 with an exchange program in Spain. Today, the school operates academic centers in eight countries, and has established summer programs in another 17 countries. During the school year, 10 study abroad programs are offered to Ghana, Argentina, Italy, Germany, Spain, England, the Czech Republic, France, China and Israel. Study abroad courses at New York University can fulfill degree requirements and include majors in such subjects as physics, business, psychology and chemistry, as well as language courses needed for graduation. New York University's study abroad program also provides guaranteed housing, internships and volunteer placement, travel within and outside the host country, trained resident assistants, student advisers, housing staff and scholarship opportunities. "U.S. News & World Report" ranked New York University's study abroad program as one of the best for 2011.
Stanford University in Palo Alto, California is another institution ranked highly in the 2011 "U.S. News & World Report" listing of best study abroad college programs. All Stanford undergraduates who have finished their freshman year in good academic standing can apply for the Bing Overseas Studies study abroad program. In fact, 50 percent of each graduating class studies abroad in one of the university's 11 main foreign locations: Brisbane and Sydney in Australia, Cape Town, Beijing, Berlin, Florence, Madrid, Kyoto, Moscow, Paris, Oxford and Santiago. Applicants are encouraged to choose their host country based on five criteria: faculty, language background, internship opportunities, semester and general education requirements.