The Butler Overseas Difference
Why choose Butler Overseas?
Butler Overseas is an innovative global degree model with three key differentiators from traditional study abroad programs:
A fully integrated and immersive degree experience
Butler Overseas isn’t just a study abroad opportunity—it’s a whole new way to earn a college degree.
Butler Overseas offers a reimagined vision for what higher education can look like. Comparable programs include Minerva University, which offers exclusively online classes, and Long Island Global, which offers exclusively in-person instruction. Butler Overseas is the first global degree model that uses hybrid instruction, blending best practices in online learning with place-based learning alongside local faculty.
Every facet of the program leverages the distinct characteristics and cultures of each country, so students don’t just learn while living somewhere new; they learn by living somewhere new.
Additionally, Butler faculty may visit the international site during the semester, connecting with local faculty for a collaborative learning experience that unites different cultures and approaches to education. The Environmental Studies and International Business degrees are, in every way, Butler University degrees, with all the prestige that comes with the Butler name.
When you choose Butler Overseas, you choose a program that integrates both academics and adventure.
Established presence in locations through IFSA partnership
Butler has been sending students around the world for over 30 years through its nationally recognized study abroad programs, often in partnership with the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA).
Thanks to IFSA, each semester-long experience is supported by a robust network of local professionals with an onsite, on-call infrastructure. IFSA’s protocols for health and safety, student well-being, risk assessment and mitigation, and onboarding/offboarding practices are already established in ways specific to each region and its climate. This means that Butler Overseas builds upon the already tried-and-true foundation of structure, safety, and excellence that families come to expect of Butler University.
When you choose Butler Overseas, you choose a program designed by trusted study abroad experts.
An emphasis in sustainability and green travel practices
At its core, Butler Overseas is designed with a global mindset—one that recognizes sustainability as a shared responsibility across borders. Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the program empowers students to become informed and engaged leaders in environmental stewardship.
Sustainability is woven into every aspect of the program. From day one, students receive a Green Travel Guide with practical, site-specific tips for reducing their environmental impact and engaging thoughtfully with local communities.
Using best practices from IFSA, students will reduce waste by minimizing overpacking, limiting single-use materials, and prioritizing digital materials over printing. They’ll embrace sustainable transportation methods like walking, biking, and using public transit. And they’ll reflect on how everyday choices—from how we travel to what we consume—shape our planet’s future.
While purchasing carbon offsets does play a role in our efforts, Butler Overseas goes beyond by actively exploring partnerships with grassroots organizations that lead community-driven sustainability efforts. In some locations, students will even participate in service-learning projects that tie directly into local environmental initiatives—gaining real-world insight into how research, business, and other global and local collaborations can create lasting change.
When you choose Butler Overseas, you choose a program that strives to shrink its footprint.
a degree like no other
“Butler Overseas was born from this question: ‘If the world was your classroom, how would that shape your degree?’ With hands-on learning enriched through multiple cultural lenses, graduates will have résumés that stand out from the rest.”
Jill McKinney, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and Director of Global Engagement
