The School for International Training grew out of the Experiment in International Living, an exchange organisation founded in Vermont in 1932, and it is still based in Brattleboro. SIT is best known for two things: undergraduate study-abroad semesters in dozens of countries, and graduate programmes in international education, climate, humanitarian work and diplomacy. Many graduate programmes move students between countries rather than keeping them in Vermont.
Brattleboro, Vermont, United States
Official website: sit.edu
1964
The Experiment in International Living, founded 1932
World Learning
Brattleboro, Vermont
$32,000 – $45,000
International students, graduate programmes, tuition only
$14,000 – $18,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on sit.edu before you apply.
MA International Education
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MA Climate Change and Global Sustainability
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MA Humanitarian Assistance and Crisis Management
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MA Diplomacy and International Relations
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Graduate programmes taught across several countries.
A long history in international exchange.
Field-based learning with NGOs and communities.
Graduates work for NGOs, international schools, universities, UN agencies and development organisations.
Many alumni run study-abroad and exchange offices at US colleges.
Visa status varies because many programmes run outside the US; check before enrolling.
Undergrad
Study abroad only
Postgrad
Rolling
The Vermont campus sits on a hill above Brattleboro, a small town on the Connecticut River near the New Hampshire and Massachusetts borders.
Brattleboro has a food co-op, independent bookshops and an arty, outdoorsy feel. Winters are snowy. Boston is about two hours away by car.
Form I-20 issued by SIT
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
SIT reviews graduate applications on a rolling basis, with priority deadlines in the winter and spring before an autumn start. Apply early if you need a US visa for any part of the programme.
Most graduate programmes start once a year, in late summer or early autumn. Study-abroad semesters run in autumn, spring and summer.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from SIT after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
International education, climate change and sustainability, humanitarian assistance and diplomacy are the main master's programmes. Entry needs a bachelor's degree, relevant experience helps, and English at about IELTS 6.5. Many programmes are taught partly or wholly outside the US.
SIT offers partial scholarships and fellowships for graduate students, including some for applicants from outside the US. Ask admissions about current awards.
