Hmm, shouldn't you ask the study abroad-department of your school? I know that at least in Sweden those programs are specific to the university, so your university has exchange deals with other universities.

I also think that it is entierly up to your school to transfer the credits to you or not, the host doesn't have anything to do with that.

As for summer programs, I know that at least AA has that, but it's expensive as hell. At least in my world. :)

Where are you from, btw?

And good luck! I really recommed the experience!

take a look at DIS-Copenhagen.

I know at the school I went to they admitted students from other schools if they had the space. The program I participated in had one student from another school. She heard about the program from a friend and called the prof. in charge of the program and was admitted for the trip. I attended VA Tech. They offer a summer travel program. I'm not sure if other schools will make similar accomodations.

They start the program at the destination so i doesn't matter where you are coming from. Might be somethign to look into.

I would definitely check with you're schools international studies department if they have one. Most universities do. My advice would be to pick a location you'd like to see / learn about the culture & not pick anything too rigorous as far as actual classwork goes. The last thing you want is to be holed up in the hotel doing work.

I did two study abroad programs but both were through the architecture school at my university. One was during the summer & one was during the spring. Summer ones tend to be more relaxed, but I got lucky with my spring professors understanding that even though we had a studio course we were still going to be traveling almost every weekend. I know others who weren't as fortunate & demanded work product equivalent to if you were back in the states, that wouldn't have worked out well.