Nazareth Sends a Record 325 Students Abroad in 2026 — 19 Countries, Five Continents
The Short Version
- Nazareth University sent 325 students abroad in 2026 — a university record and a 36 percent jump from the 238 who went the year before.
- More than 30 percent of Nazareth's Class of 2026 studied abroad before graduating.
- Short-term programs made up most of the count: 283 of 325 students chose them, spread across 17 countries including Cambodia.
- The SPARK Grant gives first-year, sophomore, and transfer students $1,500 toward any Nazareth study abroad program — removing the upfront budget barrier.
- Four new short-term destinations open in 2027: Bahamas, Ecuador, Nepal, and Panama.
Nazareth University study abroad enrollment hit a university record in 2026: 325 students, 19 countries, five continents. That includes students who spent part of their summer in Cambodia — one of 25 short-term programs Nazareth ran this year. The Pittsford campus on East Avenue placed more students internationally in 2026 than at any point in its history.
A Record Year for Nazareth Study Abroad
A Record Year for Nazareth Study Abroad
325 students from Nazareth studied abroad in 2026 — up from 238 the year before, a 36 percent jump in a single year. The destination list runs from Austria and Finland to Vietnam and South Korea — students from this campus ending up in places that rarely come up in a Rochester conversation.
More than 30 percent of Nazareth's Class of 2026 studied abroad before finishing their degree. Nazareth has also been ranked among the top 30 percent of universities worldwide for international student engagement by StudyAbroadAide.
"We are more globally engaged than ever before," said Nevan Fisher, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for International Education.
Short-Term Programs Carried Most of the Weight
Short-Term Programs Carried Most of the Weight
Of the 325 students who studied abroad, 283 chose short-term programs — 19 programs across 17 countries. The remaining 43 completed full semesters at partner universities in nine countries. Nazareth ran 25 short-term programs in total, 15 led by Nazareth faculty.
Cambodia was among the 17 countries in the 2026 short-term lineup.
The SPARK Grant Is Moving the Needle
The SPARK Grant Is Moving the Needle
The SPARK Grant gives qualifying first-year, sophomore, and transfer students $1,500 toward any current Nazareth study abroad program. Every current program qualifies.
Early-career students are the ones most likely to decide, before any real planning begins, that international study isn't in the budget. The grant meets them before that calculation gets made. It is access built into the offer — not a scholarship students have to find after the decision has already been made against going.
New Partners, and What's Coming in 2027
New Partners, and What's Coming in 2027
Nazareth added two new partner universities for the 2026-27 cycle: the University of Rennes in France and the University of Exeter in England. Four new short-term programs launch in 2027: Bahamas, Ecuador, Nepal, and Panama.
Students in the current incoming class can apply for the Bahamas and Nepal programs now. The Center for International Education on East Avenue is where to start.
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