A good first place to start might be length of study. At USF Education Abroad, we offer many different kinds of programs, but our three most popular types are:

Semester Study--Fall and spring full semester programs allow students to truly integrate into their host culture and attend institutes, colleges, and universities overseas with other foreign and local students. Your living options and program prices range from program to program as does the field of study available. In most cases, you may take courses from a range of majors as varied as the USF catalog. A semester abroad is an enriching experience allowing you to truly acculturate to your host country. It allows you the opportunity to get to know the people and culture as well as see and experience your discipline from a different perspective--one that can not only compliment your own understanding, but one you can bring back with you and use to supplement your home campus USF education.

Summer Programs--USF summer programs range in length from 2 to 10 weeks during the May to August period. Program dates vary, but each are designed to maximize student exposure to their host cultures while providing an intensive academic study. In most cases, some lectures will be conducted on campus before and after the trip, as well as exams and projects with the faculty director on-site in their host country. In addition to USF faculty led programs, Education Abroad is partnered with many international partner institutes and universities that host our students for focused study. There is also the potential for experiential learning through service, teaching, and internships.

Short-Term Programs--The Education Abroad Office has previously arranged spring break and intersession short programs designed for students with limited travel time but intense interest. These programs are highly intensive in nature and rely on a good deal of course work to be completed on campus prior to departure. This work is then brought to life through on-site research and firsthand experiences. 

Not all schools and programs have terms dates that line up exactly with USF's dates. You are encouraged to research your program on the web or speak to an Education Abroad Advisor for more details on particular programs.

Each program length has its own advantages, and you should consider first and foremost the kind of experience you want to have. Semester study is often considered to be the most enriching as students are often integrated with local students in their host country, take courses at a host university or institution, and have the opportunity to integrate into a society by participating in local customs and truly living abroad; they are also the most cost effective programs when total cost is compared to time spent in country. Summer programs offer students a taste of the culture but are shorter and thus sometimes work more easily with their schedules and responsibilities at home. Please check out our available programs page for all of our program offerings: Available Programs

No matter the end result, it is always best to plan early. Everyone's schedule is different so this is something you really need to think about. It is always a good idea to go to your major's academic adviser and talk about your desire to go abroad so this person can help you make room in your schedule. The earlier you have this conversation, the easier it is to make sure you stay on track for graduation. This includes saving some of your electives for the semester or summer you want to go and researching the schools for ones that offer your major.

Students looking to go abroad for a semester must have at least sophomore standing the first semester they are away. Graduating seniors may not go abroad in their last semester as grades often take two or more months to properly transfer from overseas. Sophomore and junior year are the most popular times for students to study for a full semester.

Students interested in summer programs are welcomed at any stage or level of their education, so long as the student is at least 18 years old at the time of participation (certain exception can be made with parental consent for younger students enrolled at USF).

Graduate students are advised to check with their departments as required courses are often only taught on campus during certain parts of the year. Scheduling and logistics for alternative-calendar programs such as independent research, field work, medical rotations, special projects and internships should be a collaborative effort between the student, their department, and the Education Abroad Office.

The academic requirements you are looking to fulfill can greatly influence the program you select. Our summer programs have a variety of available courses, but they are limited by which faculty are going and the classes the institute overseas is willing to teach. Most summer programs will have a short-list of one to six classes offered (the average being two). Students should check the individual program pages and descriptions to see which classes are offered on these short programs. Students should always speak with the academic department from which they are looking to get credit to be certain they understand how these summer courses will transfer back to USF.

Semester programs offer students the greatest selection of courses as the entire course catalogue of the foreign school is normally open to students studying for a semester or a year. That being said, students may be limited in language of instruction in the case of countries where English is not the primary language; in most cases courses are available in English, but students should investigate their school of choice.

Applicants should check with the individual program website for program-specific deadlines.  Deadlines can be as much as 5-6 months prior to the program date.  Please note that non-USF providers of study abroad programming may have much earlier deadlines.  Generally, summer program applications are accepted on a rolling basis, however, there again students may find that certain programs have specific acceptance deadlines.  Students are urged to apply early!

Please note the following deadlines associated with Education Abroad Administered Scholarships and USF Semester Exchange programs:

Semester Exchange Deadlines:

• FALL Semester Exchange - February 15
• SPRING Semester Exchange - September 15

In order to begin the Education Abroad application process you will need to know your Net ID login and have access to your USF email account. You can verify the operation of both by logging in to http://my.usf.edu

1. Choose the program you wish to apply to from the Available Programs
2. Click 'Apply Now'
3. When asked if you are a student with activated NetID login credentials, answer 'Yes'
4. Login using your USF Net ID and continue the application process as instructed

Non-USF applicants who wish to participate in an Education Abroad outgoing program must first be accepted as a non-degree seeking student at USF.  To apply as a non-degree seeking student, please view the list below and select the appropriate application link:

My Home Institution IS on the above list

My Home Institution IS NOT on the above list

Choose a Term that you would like to study abroad

• Fall
• Spring
• Spring Break
• Summer
• Year Long

• USF Faculty-led Programs:  These are programs that are designed and facilitated by USF.  They offer direct USF credit (sometimes in combination with transfer credit) and are led by USF Faculty/Staff. Examples would be USF in London, USF Costa Rica and Paris Spring Break programs.
• USF Exchange Programs  These are programs where we have bilateral reciprocal exchange agreements with universities around the world.  Students pay their home tuition and are not charged foreign tuition from the hosting institution. Credit is brought back as direct USF credit. These are the most economical type of programs available, and allow for USF students to take classes alongside the host institution students. There are often limited slots dependent upon the number of incoming exchange students from our partner institutions. They are usually semester long programs, although there are a handful of summer programs that are also operated under exchange agreements.  USF Exchange partners include University of Exeter (UK), Deakin University (Australia) and Yonsei University (Korea), among many others.
• Affiliate Programs:  These are programs that are organized by recognized study abroad provider institutions with which USF has an agreement. Students will receive Transfer Credit. These programs significantly expand the number of opportunities available to USF students, both in terms of destinations, as well as subject matter. They are operated by recognized and reliable study abroad providers, such as Florence University of the Arts (FUA), Sea|mester, ACT, AIFS, Barcelona SAE, SIT(School for International Training), CIEE, CIS, Green Program, ISA, ISEP and TEAN. Additional Affiliate Programs include the summer term of USF’s exchange partners such as Exeter, EWHA, and Kansai Gaidai.
• Non-Affiliate Programs: These are programs that may be offered by other US or foreign universities, study abroad organizations with which USF does not have an affiliation agreement.  Students should always discuss their interest with a member of the Education Abroad Office before depositing funds with an organization that is not affiliated with USF.