Elon students study on campus and around the world for Winter Term 2026

Winter Term 2026 is underway at Elon University with more than 30 study away opportunities and, new this term, free HealthEU courses for students.

Elon University students are back in the classroom on campus and around the world for the university’s Winter Term.

In 1969, the late President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley announced the beginning of Elon’s new 4-1-4 calendar. It consisted of two, four-month semesters in the fall and spring, with a one-month term sandwiched between. The first day of classes on Jan. 14, 1969, marked the start of what would come to be known as Winter Term at Elon. The four-week term was immediately considered a positive change on campus.

Elon student Jackson Steiner during a Winter Term 2025 study abroad experience in Dubai.

During that first Winter Term, Professors James Elder and Gerald Priestley from the Department of History took 22 students to London for a three-week course on British history. The group visited landmarks such as Westminster Abbey and the House of Parliament and attended lectures at London University and the British Museum. The course later expanded to four weeks and became the foundation for Elon’s international studies program and the bedrock of the Elon tradition to study abroad during this time.

In Winter Term 2026, Elon is offering more than 30 Study Abroad and Study USA programs.

“These programs are more than travel—they are transformative educational experiences that allow students to apply their learning in real-world contexts,” said Nick Gozik, dean of global education. “We are excited to continue expanding access to global learning through these short-term, high-impact opportunities.”

As with the first Winter Term in 1969, it is also a time for enriching experiences on Elon’s main campus. In addition to their regular coursework, students are encouraged to take Burst the Bubble programs throughout the month. These free, noncredit sessions are created and led by students who have a talent, interest or skill they wish to share with their peers. Burst the Bubble programs are open to all students.

A group of young dancers practice in a studio, extending their arms in unison during a rehearsal. The instructor in the foreground, wearing a black top and gray pants, leads with focus and confidence, while the others follow attentively in the background. — Aniya Hogan ’26, instructs two fellow Elon students during her Winter Term 2025 Burst the Bubble series March To The Beat, The Essence of Majorette Dance. Burst the Bubble sessions are free, student-led, non-credit sessions during Elon University’s Winter Term where students who have a talent, interest, or skill share their knowledge with their peers.

For the first time in Winter Term, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education is offering HealthEU courses. The one-credit courses are designed to empower individuals to develop skills to aid their wellness journey. Students can enroll in courses from a variety of wellness dimensions (physical, emotional, social, financial, purpose, and community wellness). Courses will address one or more dimensions, while also reflecting on the holistic and interdependent nature of wellness and well-being. Thanks to a gift from donors, the courses are free for students during the Winter Term.

“We know, across the board, students recognize the opportunities they can get through HealthEU courses, but it provides them with a structured opportunity to engage with their peers,” said Evan Small, assistant teaching professor of wellness. “Classes enhance opportunities for collaborating with faculty and staff instructors as well as peers, and students say these courses provide a structured focus where they can engage in skill building.”

Winter Term 2026 study abroad and Study USA programs

Posted in: Student Experience

Tagged: Isabella Cannon Global Education Center Winter Term

People in this article: