Did You Know? How University Affiliations Can Strengthen the Semester at Sea Alumni Experience (and How You Can Help)!

If you or someone you know has sailed on a Semester at Sea voyage, you already know how incredibly life-changing the experience can be – and how wonderful it is to connect with fellow SAS alumni. What can be all the more special is a layered connection – establishing bonds with those who have both sailed on SAS and attended your alma mater.

With all of this in mind, do you know whether your alma mater(s) have an official affiliation agreement with SAS? And that this affiliation, if in place, can help pave and solidify pathways for more students from your alma mater to join a SAS voyage – therefore potentially increasing the number of alumni (and your points of connection) from your university over time? Read more to learn about what official affiliations with SAS mean for a university – as well as how you can play an important role in encouraging them.

What is an official University/College Affiliation with SAS?

An affiliation is a written (formal, but non-binding) agreement that outlines how Semester at Sea and a university will work together as partners on behalf of sailing students. It helps define how communication flows between SAS/ISE and the university, how financial aid and billing are handled, and how course information is shared for credit evaluation. In short, an affiliation agreement helps to create clear expectations on both sides so students can navigate the process with fewer surprises.

When a school is officially affiliated with Semester at Sea, there are what Jason Hughes, Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment for ISE, calls “well-worn pathways” established between the university and SAS. That often means:

Study abroad offices and representatives at the affiliated institution are already familiar with the program.
Staff from the university may have visited the ship or sailed on site visits.
Credit transfer processes are often clearer and smoother.
Financial aid questions and issues are usually easier to navigate.
Students receive consistent guidance from the affiliated university, often leading to fewer logistical surprises in their dealings with the Semester at Sea credit transfer and financial aid process.

In short, affiliations can help to improve the flow of communication and resources between ISE/SAS and a university or college. And, as Jason noted, the more obstacles we can knock down as students consider SAS as a study abroad possibility, the better. “What we know from research that’s been done on study abroad in general is that it’s the complexity of going abroad that is such a hurdle for students, so anywhere that we can remove some complexity is good,” he said.

With less complexity often comes increased access, and this can also make the journey to saying “yes” to a SAS voyage more feasible for an increased number of students of all types from a diverse array of universities. In addition, as affiliations increase, our SAS alumni community may see benefits over time.

Why do SAS Affiliations matter for SAS Alumni?

Affiliations don’t just benefit current students – they can strengthen our SAS alumni community, too. On campuses that do have long-standing affiliations, SAS alumni communities tend to grow larger and more visible over time. As Jason shared, Semester at Sea is already “such a special, unique community,” and when that community clusters at particular institutions, you begin to see “communities within communities.”

That ripple effect matters because more alumni on campus usually means more student interest. More student interest leads to stronger recruitment. And, finally, stronger recruitment builds a deeper alumni network – which, as alumni, you then get to engage with at future events and through Alumni at Sea!

How can SAS Alumni and SAS Supporters help?

While it’s not possible to “ensure” your university becomes affiliated, you can help influence the conversations that may open up this pathway, should it not exist at your alma mater(s). First, check out the list of current Semester at Sea Affiliated Schools. If you see your alma mater(s) listed – great! Your school is already in a formal affiliation agreement with SAS/ISE.

If you don’t see your school(s) listed, Jason encourages you to reach out to your alma mater’s study abroad office or its representatives. To find this information, you can typically search online for your alma mater’s name plus “Study Abroad Office,” “Director of Study Abroad,” and/or “Chief International Officer.”

If you can find an email address or phone number, Jason encourages you not to explicitly ask for or demand that the school become SAS-affiliated; rather, he asks that you simply reach out with your SAS story, sharing how impactful Semester at Sea has been on you personally and/or professionally. Express your gratitude for being able to sail on SAS and explain the program’s impact on your life.

When institutions consistently hear from alumni and students about the value of SAS, it helps them understand the power of the program, and makes them more inclined to introduce students to SAS.

It’s appreciation for SAS that makes universities and colleges interested in partnerships, not pressure. Sharing “I’m so grateful I had this opportunity to sail while a student there, and here’s what SAS did for me,” is powerful, Jason said. If you’re willing, add an offer to reach out if they’d like to know more, which further reinforces your interest in supporting two institutions you treasure: your alma mater and SAS. Over time, these testimonies build goodwill and credibility with higher ed institutions, and, when enough alumni reach out to share, the schools eventually take notice.

Also of note is that an affiliation agreement is not a binding contract or financial arrangement: there are no required quotas, fees, or minimum student numbers. For universities, then, the risks involved with an affiliation are negligible or none.

What if my school doesn’t become affiliated right now?

If your alma mater – or the school you currently attend – does not have a formal SAS affiliation,, don’t fret. A university does not have to be formally affiliated with SAS for its students to sail, meaning a lack of a formal affiliation does not create a barrier for students interested in a SAS voyage (it can just make considerations and logistics easier if one is in place). “It’s not required for a school to be affiliated with us for students from that institution to sail. However, it makes it a lot easier for the student, the institution, and for us when there’s an affiliation in place,” Jason said.

SAS now works with more than 200 institutions for every voyage, many of which are not formally affiliated – so partnerships can still be strong without an official agreement. But when the goal is the best-case scenario – for students, institutions, alumni, and SAS – a formal affiliation continues to create long-term clarity, continuity, and strength.

Did You Know?

Your gratitude and testimony for Semester at Sea might be one of the strongest tools SAS has in building future partnerships and alumni networks.

And, for SAS alumni, checking to see if your alma mater(s) are SAS-affiliated (and reaching out to the school’s study abroad office with your SAS story and gratitude if it’s not) is a meaningful action you can take to help open up pathways for voyage access, support ISE, and grow our SAS alumni community As always, we are appreciative of your support – with it, we will continue to open up the world and global cultures for generations to come.