Study-Abroad Programs

We are a premier provider of high-quality study-abroad programs. In keeping with our mission to foster global opportunities for the exchange of ideas in business and culture, we offer programs for you, as undergraduate students, to experience and conduct research overseas.

In the last five years, we have expanded these opportunities for you dramatically to include visits to Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, France, England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Vatican City, Trinidad/Tobago, Morocco, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Japan, Hong Kong, and China. As a result, nearly 500 of our undergraduate students have witnessed, in person, extremely diverse business and cultural practices around the world. Many of our alumni have taken advantage of these opportunities as well, particularly those who wish to broaden their exposure to the beliefs, expectations, and values of people in countries outside the United States.

All of our programs are conducted by experienced professors who have traveled widely, both personally and under the auspices of the college, the Department of Management and International Business, the Center for International Business, Education and Research (CIBER), and the Office of International Studies.

Our primary goals are safety, education, and international awareness. We provide complete logistical support, including hotel accommodations, transportation, cultural orientation, and advice about financial aid opportunities. We also offer recommendations on course selection and you can receive individual advice from professors about class requirements and special tutoring.

Our programs are tailored to take the greatest advantage of ongoing changes in global political, economic, cultural, sociological and technological environments around the globe. We believe, along with the Lincoln Commission, that “Study abroad should be a realistic opportunity for every student, regardless of race, gender, financial wherewithal or academic interests.”

Some important issues to consider in a study-abroad program include:

• whether or not international study will add value to your academic progress.  How will it enhance your educational goals?

• the region of the world you would like to study.  What culture would you like to learn more about?  Once again, how will this choice add value to your education?

• the type of program that will best suit your needs

Our study-abroad programs are based on college courses, rely on our faculty, and provide educational credit that will count towards your degree. Typically, they last several weeks but sometimes can extend to an entire semester.  Please examine carefully the website for each type of program as you assess your options.

The International Student Exchange is a full foreign immersion.  In these exchanges, you take classes in the language of the country you are visiting.  You pay Florida International University tuition but receive grades from the partner institution.  These grades will not be calculated in your college GPA, but the courses will transfer and count towards graduation if they were approved prior to your departure.  If it's this kind of program you’d like to pursue, you must begin by applying to OIS.  You should begin the application process at least four months before your intended departure date.  Please note that applying to this program does not guarantee acceptance.

Once you have applied to the program, you should meet with an OIS advisor to get assistance in determining which institution would best fit your field of study.  Most overseas partner institutions have curricula compatible with the college’s, but not all of them do.  Also, you should meet with the college’s academic advisors to get a grasp of what courses you should take while abroad.   

After you have selected an institution and advisors have given you direction about your future coursework, OIS will help you choose equivalent overseas courses along with syllabi from the partner institution. 

Once syllabi are obtained from the partner institution, the you must apply for course equivalency. The college’s advisors have developed a list of course equivalencies from some partner institutions.

As equivalency issues are resolved, you should start preparing for departure (or should have started, depending on your anticipated departure date).  This includes securing passports, visas, inoculations, airline tickets, and other required documentation.

You should consult with OIS to make living arrangements.  Some universities have dormitories; other universities have agreements with families or local hotels. You will have to check with the Office of International Studies to find out the specific room and board arrangements for the university you have chosen.

Typically, you will register for courses after you arrive at the partner institution.

• If it is study abroad that you’d like to investigate, follow the instructions associated with the individual study-abroad site (Spain - CBA CIBER, for example) for course eligibility requirements and registration instructions.  

When preparing for international study, it is extremely important for you to ensure that you maintain progress toward your degree.  If you are an international business honor (IBH) student, for example, you need to meet with the Honors College as well as the IBH’s faculty director to establish whether or not there are equivalent honors courses in the host institution during the semester you plan to go abroad.  Before meeting with the Honors College or the IBH faculty advisor, you should research the courses offered in the host institution you are considering.  Be sure to refer to the course catalog before meeting with the IBH faculty advisor to determine whether or not the study-abroad section you’ve chosen meets your degree program’s requirements.

Note: FIU faculty and staff are not responsible for delays, changes in itinerary, changes in the content and cost of program, or other matters which are beyond their control.