About SAW
The Semester at WHOI program has been suspended; it will not run in Fall 2023.
Semester at WHOI (SAW) is an undergraduate residential “study-away” opportunity at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA, on Cape Cod. The program features a for-credit, semester-long research experience directly advised by a WHOI scientist or engineer as well as the opportunity to take graduate-level courses modified for undergraduate credit. The combination of research project and coursework constitute a full semester of credit that is transferable to the student's home institution. SAW is particularly well suited for students who are considering an advanced degree in ocean science or engineering and related fields in the earth sciences.
Application and admission
Second or third-year undergraduate students majoring in science, engineering, or mathematics are eligible to apply for SAW beginning in the fall for admission to the program in the following fall semester. Applications are considered on a rolling basis and a decision is generally given within three weeks after submission.
Research
The cornerstone of the SAW program is a semester-long, for-credit, independent research project conducted under the guidance of a WHOI scientist or engineer. All WHOI researchers who are prospective SAW advisors have prior experience hosting REU students in their laboratories and understand the needs of a student working to define and complete a project in a specific period of time.
» SAW research projects
» WHOI Areas of Research
» Departments, Centers, and Labs
Coursework
SAW students have the opportunity to take one or two ocean science courses designed specifically for the program and can also choose from a small number of graduate courses that are modified so they can be offered for undergraduate credit.
» Course Offerings
» MIT-WHOI Joint Program
Tuition & Financial Aid
Semester at WHOI tuition is $20,000 and must be paid prior to enrollment. Upon acceptance, a $500 deposit is required to hold a position in the program and must be paid within three weeks of acceptance.
Tuition assistance is available. Past awards have ranged from $5,000 to $10,000. Please contact education@whoi.edu with questions.
WHOI cannot accept federal financial aid transfers from your home institution, but it may be possible for FAFSA, Stafford, Pell and/or other scholarships to be given to you from your home institution, and then you would pay the "study-away" program (e.g., SAW Program). Please check with your home institution. Many home institutions will also require completion of a Contractual Agreement. Please discuss your interest in participating in the Semester at WHOI with your school’s Financial Aid Office, and contact education@whoi.edu for additional information.
Housing
WHOI housing units are located on both the Quissett and Village campuses. These units are furnished and equipped with kitchen appliances and utensils. Currently, housing costs are $860 per person per month for a shared bedroom with two beds per room, which includes all utilities, cable TV, and internet access.
Students are expected to provide their own meals. Breakfast and lunch are available for purchase in the Quissett Campus cafeteria on weekdays (excluding Institution holidays), and the village of Woods Hole also has many coffee shops and restaurants, as well as a large cafeteria at the nearby Marine Biological Laboratory.
Transportation
WHOI is situated on two campuses known as the Quissett and Village campuses two miles apart in Woods Hole, Mass. Access to a car and/or a bicycle is helpful. There is a bike path connecting the campuses and WHOI provides regular shuttle service during work hours on weekdays. Public bus service to local shopping centers in Falmouth and the rest of Cape Cod is available, as is regular bus service to and from Boston and Boston’s Logan International Airport from both Woods Hole and Falmouth. Taxi services, both local and regional, are available upon request. WHOI provides a weekly grocery shuttle to local supermarkets for students.
» Shining Sea Bikeway
» Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority
» Peter Pan Bus Lines
Program Management and Oversight
WHOI has hosted undergraduates for summer research experiences every year since 1958 and has managed a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, currently exceeding 30 students each summer, since 1989 with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other sources.
WHOI’s Academic Programs Office includes a Dean, an Associate Dean, a registrar, and a housing coordinator, as well as a coordinator dedicated to the SAW program. The program coordinator has training and experience in ocean science, and with operation of education and research programs at the undergraduate level, including WHOI’s summer REU program.
» Academic Programs Office
» Accreditation
Important Dates
**SAW is suspended for Fall 2022**
2020
April 30: Application deadline
September 8: Registration and orientation
September 9: First day of classes
October 12: Columbus Day, no classes
November 11: Veterans Day, no classes
November 26-27: Thanksgiving break
December 10: Last day of classes
December 14-18: Final exams
Questions can be directed to: education@whoi.edu
SAW Tuition Refund Policy
Prorated Tuition Schedule
If you plan to withdraw from the Institution, make sure to notify the Registrar. Refunds of paid tuition are pro-rated based on the effective date of the withdrawal. Tuition is charged until you officially withdraw with the Registrar. The refund schedule below is for undergraduate students:
| Registration day and first day of classes: | 100% refund |
| Day 2 of classes through second week: | 80% |
| During third week: | 60% |
| During fourth week: | 40% |
| During fifth week: | 20% |
| After fifth week: | No refund |