EcoLeague

College of the Atlantic

The only liberal arts consortium dedicated to sustainability and experiential learning

Founded in 2003, the EcoLeague is a network of six liberal arts colleges focused on environmental stewardship, social change, and educating students to build a sustainable future.

In an EcoLeague exchange, students get the benefit of a tremendously rich multiplicity of educational resources while enjoying small school environments, small classes, and experiential settings.

The EcoLeague allows students to be part of a larger community that stretches across the country, with study opportunities worldwide. The consortium offers many possibilities, including student exchange, faculty collaboration, shared courses, joint field courses, and academic programs.

The EcoLeague is composed of six colleges across the United States. All are pioneers in sustainable education and environmental studies.

Alaska Pacific University (Anchorage, AK)
College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, ME)
Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA)
New College of Florida (Sarasota, FL)
Prescott College (Prescott, AZ)
St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY)

All students enrolled at COA can apply for up to two non-consecutive, semester-long exchanges to any other school in the EcoLeague consortium.

Being part of an EcoLeague exchange provides students with the opportunity to take any courses offered by the host colleges, engage in research with other faculty, meet new colleagues, and explore diverse ecosystems and cultures; in an EcoLeague exchange, you get the benefit of a tremendously rich multiplicity of educational resources while enjoying a small school environment, small classes, and experiential learning.

The exchange program is open to students who are enrolled in any academic area, not just the environmental sciences, and credits earned at the host college are easily transferred back to COA, making it possible to fulfill graduation requirements through the program. Tuition costs are still paid to COA, and room & board to the host college. Financial aid packages do not change and funds can be used toward the EcoLeague exchange.

Keep an eye on the course catalogs and listings of all the participant colleges to know when the best time to start your EcoLeague exchange is, and which school may fit your academic path better.

You can also attend an EcoLeague information session; those usually happen every year during the fall so students can plan with their academic advisors and with the EcoLeague representative for COA applicants, who can also answer any further questions about the application process.

Eligibility

In order to apply for a EcoLeague exchange students must have all the following:

Sophomore, junior, or senior standing
Good academic standing
No academic or financial holds on their student account, meaning that all balance is paid in full or covered by loans, aid or payment plans
No incomplete grades for the semester prior to the one in which they participate in the EcoLeague exchange

Requirements

Students are required to submit the following as part of their application:

Two-page essay describing how the EcoLeague experience fits into your academic career plans and what you hope to gain from the experience;
Academic advisor approval;
Approval from Registrar, Student Accounts, and Financial Aid offices (when applicable) confirming your understanding and eligibility to participate;
Start by filling out this form of intent.

Start here to fill out your EcoLeague application!

Interested in studying abroad to explore cultures and environments around the world? Through the EcoLeague you have access to many global programs.

Across the EcoLeague participant colleges, programs are available in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Mexico and other Latin American countries, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom, Israel, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa.