Common Study Abroad FAQs

When will students have time to visit home?
For First Year Abroad(FYA) students, the best time to visit home would be in December, during winter break. Visit our FYA page to see exact program dates and breaks.

 

How can I contact my student during his/her time abroad?
Michelle Futo, a Student Recruiter, wrote a great article on this earlier this summer so check out her post at this link (nolereservations.blogspot.com/2015/06/how-to-alleviate-your-parents-worries.html). When I was abroad I chose to FaceTime from my sister’s iPod with my whole family in the room. Check out your options and consider whichever is best for your situation before you go abroad.

 

What about money?
In our three Europe locations, students will need to take out local currency (Euro for Valencia and Florence and the British pound for London). Paying in cash is highly recommended since many banks and credit card companies will charge a fee for using a credit card outside of the U.S. Speaking from personal experience, I would say to go to your local bank and buy $300-400 worth of currency before you go abroad. It’s good to have some money when you arrive, so you’re not scrambling around looking for an ATM the first couple of hours in your new home.

Throughout your trip you will want to make withdrawals of currency. Make sure you do this in larger increments to make it worth the convenience fee. Keep money you won’t be using in your safe in the residence hall room and be sure not to carry more than $50 worth of money with you around town.  

I would also recommend making a budget before you go and to discuss this with your parents about money before you leave so no one is taken by surprise. Use Google Docs to write your budget written down and share it with your parents.This organization will help you keep track of spending.

Contact your bank as well so you don’t have to worry about any denied transactions while you’re abroad.

 

How many hours will I have to take abroad?
Program fees cover up to 16 hours in the Fall and Spring and 3 to 16 hours in the Summer semesters. In order to receive Bright Futures or Florida Pre Paid, you will need to enroll in a minimum of 12 hours for Fall and Spring and 6 hours for Summer. FYA student's program fees cover up to 49 credit hours. FYA students must complete minimum of 36 FSU credit hours and maintain a 3.0 GPA in those classes in order to receive in-state tuition upon return to FSU. Please note, credit hours vary based on programs and length of stay. Please refer to our website for the specific amount of credits included.

Closer to your program date, you will receive an email telling you to register for classes as well as specific instructions on how to find the classes offered in your abroad location on the my.fsu.edu page.

 

Is English spoken in the program locations?
All classes (except language classes) will be taught in English. Although, there is no guarantee that the citizens around you will be proficient in English. Make sure you buy a phrasebook or download an app like Duolingo to help learn some of the language. I can’t stress how important it is to learn some basic phrases (and possible responses to those phrases) in case you get lost. Most taxi drivers will not speak English so be sure you know how to get to your destination and back in the local language (including cities you visit outside of your study location); also have the address written down in case you can’t pronounce the address. Knowing those key phrases goes a long way to making a good impression on the people of your host country.

 

What can I expect in my classes when I study abroad?
When you study abroad, many of your classes will be taught by FSU professors or local faculty. These people are experts in their particular course subject . Therefore, you can expect classes to be very similar to the ones you are taking at the Tallahassee campus. Classes abroad, however, are much smaller than in Tallahassee. So small, that your absence or tardiness will be noticed and may negatively impact your grade. Textbooks are also very important when you go abroad. The best idea is to purchase them before you leave and bring your textbooks overseas. Shipping textbooks from the US is not advisable since the package will have to go through customs where you may be charged more than you paid for the textbook. Also, the book may not arrive until several weeks after your program starts (for this same reason we recommend that parents do not send their students care packages while abroad).

Since class sizes are very small and you are most likely in a city full of things to do, you will be walking around the city for a lot of your classes. Professors like take advantage of the opportunity to show students city highlights and how they apply to the course content. Bring clothes and shoes that are comfortable for walking!

 

Will I be picked up and dropped off at the airport at the beginning and end of my program?
Your program fees will include airport pickup for most locations. If, for some reason, your flight will not arrive in time for pickup, you will need to find transportation to the study center on your own. A few months before you leave, you will be emailed a pre departure information packet. In this packet there will be specific airport pickup times. The packet will also include instructions on how to get to the airport pickup location and how to get to the study center. The FSU International Programs department suggests printing out this packet and keeping it in your carry-on in case something happens to your luggage.

Since everyone will have different travel plans, there is no group drop-off at the airport at the end of the program. However, when you check out of the study center, the program assistants will call you a taxi to get you safely to the airport.  

 

What travel documents will I need to travel Europe?
To enter the country for your program, you will need a passport. When traveling outside of your host country, you will need to bring your passport as a form of identification. Before you leave, make a photocopy of your passport for your parents or guardians to keep in case of an emergency. When you get to the study center, they will also make a copy of your passport for their record. When traveling, keep your passport in a carry-on bag but not in a front pocket for maximum accident protection.

 

What do I pack?
The main thing you need to pack for your time abroad is a rain jacket (or umbrella) and a couple pairs of comfortable walking shoes (you will be walking A LOT). Do some research on what type of converter you need for electronics and bring the appropriate one. If you’re traveling in the summer, you may want to bring sunscreen and/or bug spray. You will also want to bring a laptop, many assignments need to be done online; our study centers all have wifi available for students.

Electric appliances like hair dryers, straighteners, etc. should not be brought over.

Written by: Kevin Smith, 2015-2016 Student Recruiter

FSU International Programs Valencia 2005

 

 

The style in 2005 might be different, but Valencia, Spain is the same now as it was then- incredible! Check out this video to learn about some of the excursions from 2005 that this program continues today. This is a great blast-from-the-past video that shows so much of what Valencia has to offer. For more information about the Valencia program visit http://fla.st/1G0h54Z.

Packing for a Spring Semester Abroad in Europe

By Femke Lang

What to wear, what to wear... that is the crucial question that all students struggle with when it comes time to pack for a semester abroad. Don't fret quite yet; I am here to deliver some sound advice to help ease your packing stress.




Pack Light
First things first, whether you're a fashionista and your outfit will determine the quality of your pictures, or you're the kind of person that believes a shirt is a shirt and you could care less, the rule applies to all: pack light, pack light, pack light. I cannot stress that enough!

Dress for the Climate
The main goal when it comes to getting the most bang for your buck is to bring clothes you can layer (and unlayer) to cater to the changing climates. When you first arrive at your destination you’re going to be in the midst of that country’s winter. Whether you will be in sunny Spain near the beach or in chilly England, don't discredit the time of year you will arrive and the potentially colder climates you may end up visiting. You have to pack for the changing of seasons. During the colder months, layer clothes to keep you warm. The cold days tent to outnumber the warm ones so you will still need to dress warm when the sun isn't out. As your study abroad experience comes to an end (unfortunately, it does not last forever) you will be able to head to the beach and dress a bit lighter. Just layer up and you will be able to conquer whatever weather is thrown at you!  

Keep it Simple
Another important thing to remember is to pack as many plain and solid pieces as you can. I am the first to pick out a fun and upbeat patterned shirt, but I promise, something plain will go a long way. Cheap flight companies are VERY strict and only allow one TINY bag. They will try to nickel and dime you if you go even the slightest bit over the allowance, so you want to avoid this at all costs. There will also be days (hopefully not weeks) that you will have to wear the same pants, shirts, outfits in a row. Fortunately, no one will be able to notice if you wear the same solid prints day in and day out (they may start to smell you though).  To be the most cost effective travelers, you will want to stick with the bare basics and pack the minimal amount. After all, the places you will be visiting are much cooler than any patterned Tee, so you won't even care!

Leave Valuables at Home
One last key note, make sure to leave all your nice and treasured pieces at home. A word of advice to you girls, I picked up some cheap clothes at my local Forever21 and packed items that I would not mind ripping, smelling, or having to leave behind if they didn't fit. Not only will it leave more room in your suitcase to bring things back home (wink, wink), but you will never have to worry about things getting damaged or dirtied. In general, you should leave anything valuable at home to lessen your anxiety of loss, damage, or theft from pick-pocketers. You really will adapt and be okay without these items and there are plenty of cheap and affordable places to buy any necessary clothing or other items that you may need!

Taken from SodaHead.com

I found this great website, here, to help give you some guidelines to follow and give you an idea on what to bring and not to bring to some countries you may visit!
MOST OF ALL, ENJOY AND CHERISH YOUR TIME ABROAD; IT GOES BY FASTER THAN YOU CAN BLINK!

** P.S. If you find that you have some extra room in your suitcase, feel free to pack me!**