By Shay Lelonek / News Director

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — St. Cloud State University students will no longer have the opportunity to study at the famously known Alnwick Castle in England after the fall 2026 semester.

The Alnwick study abroad program will be discontinued effective December 2026, according to an email the President’s Office sent to SCSU students and staff.

“We do not take lightly what this program has meant to our students, to our alumni, and to the identity of this institution,” SCSU President Gregory Tomso wrote in the email.

SCSU students have had the opportunity to study at and live in Alnwick Castle since the program started in 1976. The castle is well-known for being featured in two Harry Potter films as the location for Hogwarts.

According to an article on SCSU Today, the decision to conclude the program follows careful review of enrollment trends and student preferences.

Each year, fewer students have participated in the Alnwick program due to study abroad options being expanded, offering students more flexible and diverse opportunities.

The cost of operating a residential international campus has also continued to rise, and the current participation levels are no longer sufficient to sustain the program, according to the email from President Tomso.

Students will still have the opportunity to experience the Alnwick study abroad program through Fall 2026 as the final semester of the program. According to the SCSU Today article, the final semester will “celebrate the program’s rich traditions,” and a special Thanksgiving at Alnwick event will be held to welcome alumni back “to honor the program’s lasting impact.”

“Alnwick has been a transformative experience for generations of Huskies,” said SCSU President Gregory Tomso. “Its legacy is deeply woven into our university’s story and the lives of our alumni around the world.”