Maymester and Faculty-Led Programs
Faculty-led Maymester programs are regular Vanderbilt courses (usually 3 credit hours) that are taught by Vanderbilt faculty overseas or off-campus domestically. They are typically three to four weeks in length, and offered in the month of May. Maymester courses may also fulfill Liberal Arts Core requirements, with approval from the appropriate Office of Academic Services.
Maymester programs are generally announced in November; applications become available shortly thereafter. For more information about Maymester course offerings and to apply, go to the Summer Sessions page. Applications for Maymester are reviewed on a rolling basis, so you should apply early. Admissions decisions are made by the course's Vanderbilt faculty leader(s). Under-enrolled courses may be cancelled.
2025 Maymester Courses
| Course No. | Course Title | College |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA 1480 | Discover Korea (South Korea) | A&S |
| CLAS 3700 | Uncovering Greek Religion: Cults, Festivals, and Sanctuaries in the Ancient World (Greece) | A&S |
| CSET 3258 | Digitalizing Medieval Castle (Serbia) | A&S |
| CSET 3310 | Geological Filmmaking: Exploring Geological Thinking through Cinema (Hawaii, US) | A&S |
| EES 3865 | Field Investigations (New Zealand) | A&S |
| EUS 2260 | Fashion Forward: Navigating the Business and History of Style in France & Italy – Luxury Redefined in the Age of Sustainability (France, Italy) | A&S |
| FREN 3230 | History & Economics of French Film (France) | A&S |
| GSS 3505 | Queer Collectives in Europe (Netherlands, Germany) | A&S |
| HART 2808W | Contemporary Issues in Museums (Washing D.C., US) | A&S |
| ITA 3704 | Made-in-Italy: Italianness in Italy and Abroad, A Culinary Journey (Italy) | A&S |
| SPAN 3302 | Spanish for Oral Communication through Cultural Topics (Spain) | A&S |
| SPAN 3325 | The Way of Saint James (Spain) | A&S |
| SPAN 3330 | Cultural Studies in the Andes (Peru) | A&S |
Costs and Scholarships
Fees vary by program and typically include Vanderbilt tuition, course-related transportation and lodging in the destination country, health insurance, and some meals. Airfare to the destination country, most meals, and costs of personal travel are generally not included in the program fee–but check individual program descriptions for specific details.
Financial aid generally does not apply to Maymester/summer programs. The Global Summer Fellows Program and other scholarships offered by Immersion Vanderbilt provide funding that can be used to offset the costs for students enrolling in Vanderbilt-approved, credit-bearing Maymester abroad programs. You can apply for all of these scholarships with a single Common Application on the Immersion Funding page. The Common Application is typically made available in November, around the same time that Maymester applications become available.