Madrid, Spain & Lisbon, Portugal
Marketing Study Abroad Program
Spring Break 2025

The program participants will travel from February 22 - March 1, 2025 to Madrid, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal.

• $2,675 program fee
• $616.71 Instructional Fee (per course)
• $195 Study Abroad Fee (includes international medical insurance)

All students (international/out-of-state and in-state) pay the same course fees.

Please note that an initial non-refundable registration fee of $500 is due when enrolling.  Students who are not preliminarily approved to participate by academic advising will receive a full refund. The registration fee can be paid with any major credit card. We cannot accept checks or money orders. Additionally, the initial registration fee cannot be added to a student's Panthersoft (my.fiu.edu) account. The registration fee will be deducted from the program fee.

The program fee includes International airfare, hotel lodging (double occupancy), daily breakfast, some additional meals, flamenco show, guided tours in each city, and ground transportation to day trip to Toledo, business events and cultural visits.

Students will be responsible for any and all personal and/or additional expenses including (but not exclusive to), travel visas, passport fees, currency exchange fees, internet fees, faxes, phone, lodging incidentals (i.e. room service) or extensions, meals not covered in the program, appropriate tips, vaccinations/inoculations, and any other voluntary tours or excursions not covered in the program. 

It is recommended for students to speak with their assigned academic advisor to predetermine course approval before enrolling in a study abroad program. This is important to ensure courses meet student's individual academic needs.

1. Students must be FIU degree-seeking students.
2. Non-business FIU students may participate.
3. Students must be in good academic standing and meet the minimum 2.50 GPA.
4. Students must have a health evaluation by a licensed physician to determine suitability to travel (FIU reserves the right to determine suitability to travel).
5. Students must not have any current student conduct violations.

Course offerings:

• MAR 4156: International Marketing
• MAR 4503: Consumer Behavior
• MAR 4804: Marketing Strategy
• MAR 4955: Study Abroad in Marketing (mandatory)

Corresponding classes will begin the first week of Spring 2025

This program will include numerous cultural activities as well as business visits to multinational corporations and domestic businesses.

A tentative itinerary will be sent to students upon acceptance to the program.

Financial aid may be used for this study abroad program. Students who wish to use financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, etc.) to help cover the cost of this program must speak with Financial Aid (305) 348-7272 to discuss their individual needs.

While we do our utmost to accommodate students with financial aid, please be aware that it is the student’s responsibility for paying the balance of this program by the due dates. In the event the disbursement date of the financial aid funds occurs after our due date, students will be responsible for paying the balance out of their own pocket by such time.

For any questions regarding academics of this program, please contact the program directors for this program:

Professor Elisabeth Beristain
Department of Marketing & Logistics
ACII 120C
Phone: (305) 348-2571
Email: beristae@fiu.edu

Professor Vivian Chen
Department of Marketing & Logistics
RB 325A
Phone: (305) 348-2571
Email: yijchen@fiu.edu

Students must be mindful of the due dates listed below. Failure to submit the requested documents by the due date may result in removal from the program and forfeiture of all monies paid. Students must adhere to these dates in order to successfully participate in this program.

Refunds for Students Not Approved

Students who are not preliminarily approved to participate by academic advising will receive a full refund.

Non-business majors must submit the advisor approval form within 1 week of application submission. If advisor rejection has not been provided within 2 weeks of submitting the application, registration fee refunds will not be possible, and students will be liable to any late cancellation penalties incurred by the travel agency.

Student requested withdrawal/cancellation

Registration fees are nonrefundable.

By requesting enrollment to study abroad, students are fully committing to the program and are liable for the total program costs. After October 1, students are fully committed to the total program cost and therefore cancellations from the program will not be accommodated

Students enrolled in this program will be required to attend two on-campus meetings prior to the departure of the trip. The meetings will be held by the faculty directors (faculty director predeparture meetings are typically held on a Saturday 1:00 p.m. - 5 p.m.). Attendance to the two meetings is mandatory. Students who cannot attend must e-mail the professor and the Office of Global Initiatives in advance and will be required to obtain any missed information. Parents and spouses are always welcome to attend the faculty director meetings, but please know these meetings will mainly discuss the course curriculum.

Scholarship Resources

• FIU's Office of Study Abroad (OSA) offers scholarship opportunities.
• Students can also check the FIU Scholarships page at academicworks.com.

Passport

All students traveling on an FIU sponsored study abroad program must be in possession of a valid passport. Must have passport valid for at least six months as of program travel date. Many countries will not allow entry if the passport expires within six months of the date of return. Students should speak with the individual Embassy or Consulate to determine exact requirements for entry. Students are responsible for ensuring that they are in possession of a valid passport and that it meets entry requirements while traveling internationally. Additionally, students should ensure that they have at least three blank visa pages in their passport.

Travel Visas

All students are responsible for verifying if they require a visa for travel. Students are responsible for applying for travel visas and paying all necessary fees. When applying for a visa, please apply for a tourist visa. Upon request, our office will be able to provide the student with any necessary documentation needed when applying, such as a letter of enrollment verification, an official itinerary, or a copy of airfare/hotel reservation.

These documents should be requested one week in advance from our office. These documents can only be processed once the student has provided us with a copy of their valid passport, and a copy of their student visa/green card (if applicable). Students are urged not to wait until the last moment to apply for their visa.