<p>Hmm, that’s a good question. The only person I know who wanted to go on a non-approved study abroad program bypassed Bryn Mawr completely by taking a leave of absence and organizing everything herself. </p>
<p>Knowing Bryn Mawr, I would expect the following: if you want to go to a country where we do not yet have an approved program, if you can demonstrate why this program is important to your personal goals, if you can demonstrate how this program would fit into your liberal arts education, and if you have the support of a faculty member, then Bryn Mawr would make you jump through a gazillion hoops but eventually approve your choice of program. </p>
<p>I also noticed that most approved study abroad programs in non-English speaking countries are actual study abroad programs, not direct admission to a native university in that country. I wonder why: did Bryn Mawr decide not to approve such endeavors, or are students not interested in just attending a foreign university overseas? That always seemed counterintuitive to me because it seems that you would get much more out of a study abroad program surrounded by natives of the country, not other American study abroad students.</p>