International & Domestic Programs

two students with Cecil in front of Pomona sign

Lyla Stettenheim '23 and Maria Duran Gonzalez '24 - Quito, Ecuador

Pomona College offers 71 programs in 38+ countries for its own students. Approximately half of Pomona College students participate in an off-campus study program before graduating. To ensure equal access, the College charges the same fees for a semester or year off-campus as for a semester or year spent on campus and extends financial aid allowances to cover the time away.

To begin the process, students should attend an international and domestic programs info session. Then, students will be able to make an advising appointment with an International and Domestic Programs Office (IDPO) advisor to discuss program options. The IDPO maintains a resource library with program information and keeps feedback forms by former participants for each program. You may stop by the office to browse a collection of general travel literature and other resources that may be useful as you prepare for your time away from campus.

Note: Pomona College may be obliged to alter or eliminate programs described without prior notice. Dates, courses, and costs, both for on-campus services and for programs off-campus, may change without prior notification.


Guiding Philosophy and Principles for International and Domestic Programs

Approved by the International and Domestic Programs Committee on December 8, 2021.

Guiding Philosophy

Pomona College has long embraced the philosophy that the cultural awareness fostered through international study is part of a liberal arts education. In 1971 the faculty passed the following resolution (updated by the International and Domestic Programs Committee in 2021):

The College believes that the opportunity to study off-campus in the U.S. or abroad may benefit each student's academic program and enrich the life of the College community. Through international and domestic programs, the College seeks to maximize the benefits of living temporarily in a different culture and environment; to extend the curriculum of the College beyond the Claremont campus; to generate both intellectual and personal sensitivity to the variations of life, culture, and scholarship in the world; and thus to prepare students to collaboratively address complex challenges.

Guiding Principles

In support of the College’s institutional learning goals, the specific learning objectives of our academic departments and programs, and the Strategic Vision, the International and Domestic Programs Committee has outlined the following principles to guide the work of the International and Domestic Programs Office. These principles draw on the past findings of various committees, working groups, and task forces that have examined and envisioned Pomona College’s international programming. The principles highlight the values that we wish to center in the development of and support for international and domestic programs at the College.

Mission and Values