Frequently Asked Questions

Your Faculty Director will be your professor, educator, guide and expert all in one. They will teach you how to live like a local.

Every program is different! Some programs include a free breakfast each morning. Some programs include all meals. Some don’t include any meals. Make sure to check the What’s Included? Section of your program for more information.

When in doubt, check Google, ask your Faculty Director or consult tour guides working with our program. They are full of helpful recommendations.

Traveling for the programs is fast-paced. Generally, there will be a lot of walking outdoors.

Some programs are more intense in activity, including things like kayaking, hiking, climbing stairs and riding bicycles. Please review the program’s activity level and ask the Faculty Director any questions you may have before applying. Read below for a full list of possible activity levels.

• Very Easy: No walking or physical activities
• Easy: Limited walking and no physical activities
• Moderate: Fewer than 10,000 steps per day, few physical activities, few stairs, short-distance walking (10 to 15 minutes)
• Difficult: More than 10,000 steps per day, some physical activities, a lot of stairs, long-distance walking (15-20 minutes)
• Extreme: More than 15,000 steps per day, many physical activities, a lot of stairs, long-distance walking (20-30+ minutes)

Yes! Whether you sign up solo or register with your friends, everyone will have at least one travel partner.

Group sizes vary, but all programs involve up to 22 fellow travelers you meet in the pre-travel class included in every program.

Yes, there is free time! However, keep in mind that our Study Abroad programs are educational at their core and have itineraries that are subject to change.

Free time might also be used for quizzes, class meetings or lecture days. Always check with your Faculty Director before scheduling anything during your free time.

During any free time, you must notify your Faculty Director and/or Program Assistant of your location and who you will be traveling with. Your safety is our top priority!

It is up to the Faculty Director’s discretion whether you can leave the country during a free day. Please discuss any plans ahead of time with your Faculty Director and inform them of your whereabouts and any persons you will be traveling with.

Due to the nature of the programs, the itinerary is subject to change, meaning that free days may be utilized for quizzes, class meetings or class days.

You will stay in a mix of hotels, hostels, apartment-style hotels and home stays—all located in safe and convenient areas.

Your Faculty Director will share details of accommodations during your program’s pre-travel class.

It is highly recommended you sleep in your program accommodations, for both convenience and safety. Please note the Program Fee includes the cost of accommodation.

If you choose to spend the night outside program accommodations, you must notify your Faculty Director and/or Program Assistant of your whereabouts and the persons you are traveling with.

Rooming accommodations depend on the program and place of stay.

In most programs, you will share a room with other same-sex participants (typically four or more per room). Each participant will have their own bed.

Usually, you will select your roommates during the pre-travel course.

No. Housing accommodations are only for students, Faculty Directors and Program Assistants.

For the safety of all involved in the program, we strictly prohibit any individual outside of the program from entering or staying in Study Abroad housing accommodations.

Some accommodations will have laundry facilities available. If not, your Faculty Director can share nearby laundromat options.

We also recommend you bring some lightweight clothing that can be hand-washed, as well as extra detergent packs in case you need to wash something in a pinch.

Pro tip: Pack dryer sheets with your clothes to keep everything smelling fresh. And don’t forget a bag for dirty laundry!

Once you arrive in the starting city of your program, we handle almost all logistics for travel by plane, train, boat, metro or coach bus.

Within the cities themselves, your main mode of travel will be walking or public transit. Make sure to bring a good pair of walking shoes!

Please be aware that we do not typically provide transport to and from the airport before you arrive at the starting city. Your Faculty Director can provide some recommendations for getting to the meeting location.

Of course! One of the perks of taking the pre-travel course is meeting your fellow travelers. You can use this time to coordinate flights and any travel before or after the program.

We recommend waiting until all spots on the program are filled and the program is confirmed by the Office of Education Abroad. If the program is canceled, FIU will not refund expenses that are not paid directly to FIU.

Talk to your Faculty Director to find out the best time to purchase your flight tickets.

Only bring what you can comfortably carry, including up and down stairs as needed. You are responsible for carrying your own belongings. There may also be times when you have to carry your luggage through packed trains or other methods of transportation.

Reach out to your Faculty Director for more information. Some Faculty Directors will recommend only bringing a hiking backpack.

Yes! As long as you arrive at the meeting location on time, you can choose whatever mode of transportation you prefer.

Please remember to review the entry requirements of any country you may be passing through on the way to the program’s meeting location.

Entry requirements vary from country to country, so make sure to familiarize yourself with all the destinations you will be visiting. Make sure you review requirements for:

• Health forms
• Travel visas
• Vaccination policies
• Other important documents

Keep in mind that you are solely responsible for complying with all host country laws and entry requirements. Failure to comply may result in a denial of entry or other action and an inability to continue participation in the program.

You will need a passport to travel and enter another country, although you may still apply to study abroad if you do not have one. We recommend you start the passport and/or visa process as soon as possible. You may want to consider these important tips:

• Book flights with your first, middle and last names. Make sure your name and birthday appear exactly as they do on your passport.
• If you have a passport, make sure it’s valid for at least six months after your program ends.
• Check the passport, visa and document requirements for all countries, even those only visited in transit (ex. Flight layovers).

Depending upon where you are visiting and your country of citizenship, you may be required to apply for a visa. Please review visa processes before applying to the program. It is your responsibility to inquire whether you will need to request a visa to enter a host country.

You must contact the consular offices or visit their websites for more information on your host country’s entry and exit requirements. Many of the countries we visit have consular offices in the South Florida area. However, other countries may have consular offices in other states, such as Texas. Please check online directories for more information.

Note: If you need a letter of support from the program to apply for your visa, you may request the letter by visiting the Office of Education Abroad in SASC 230, or by calling 305-348-1913. Please note that your request for a letter may take 2-3 business days to complete.

Current Honors students need a minimum FIU GPA of 3.4, not be in Excess Credits, and graduate on time to be eligible to participate in our programs.

Priority is given to current Honors College students, then newly admitted Transfer students/First-Year/Current FIU students with AA, and finally First-Year students in lower division Honors curriculum.

For newly admitted first-year, transfer and current FIU students:

• Students without FIU GPA: If space is available, you may apply to study abroad after your first semester’s grades post. You must have earned a minimum FIU GPA of 3.4 to apply
• Students with FIU GPA: You may apply to study abroad once your complete your Honors New Student Workshop

Applications begin between Summer and Fall of the year prior to the program. You must:

1. Review all available programs.
2. Decide your top 3 programs.
3. Complete the Honors Study Abroad application.
4. Receive an email with next steps (7-10 business days after application submission).
5. Attend a group interview with the Honors Study Abroad Manager and select your program of choice.
6. Pay the non-refundable, non-transferable deposit to Student Financials or MyFIU within one week of the group interview.

For more information, please consult the Study Abroad Starter Guide page.

For your next steps, you must:

• Complete the Education Abroad application.
• Make all program payments on time via Student Financials or MyFIU.
• Pay the Education Abroad fee.
• Remove any existing holds on your MyFIU account.
• Get registered in IDH 4007 and IDH 4008 by the Office of Education Abroad.
• Complete the online pre-departure orientation via abroad.fiu.edu.
• Attend the In-Person Pre-Departure Conference.

Once you are conditionally accepted into your Honors Study Abroad program, you will complete your abroad.fiu.edu application.

Your application takes you through all the FIU requirements for studying abroad. This is where you submit your documentation, assign emergency contacts, and complete your Pre-Departure Orientation.

It is very easy to use, composed of three key sections:

• Requirements: Where you will find all your pending and completed requirements. The section is split into Pre-Decision, Post-Decision and Post-Study requirements.
• Program Info and Itinerary: The day-by-day breakdown of the program
• Documents: Where you will upload all required documentation. It also shows you what you have already submitted.

Each Honors College student must submit their own individual application. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, as there is a limited amount of space available for each program.

We recommend that you and your friend register as soon as possible and attend the same group interview to increase your chances of being placed together.

Once registered and committed to a program, you cannot switch programs. If you want to change programs, you must withdraw from the first and start a new application for the second.

All payments are non-refundable and non-transferable, meaning you will have to pay the registration deposit again for the second program.

No. Honors students may only take one upper division Honors College course at a time, but you can participate in more than one program in different years. Only in certain circumstances can a student participate in more than one program in a single cycle.

FIU and the Honors College reserve the right to cancel Study Abroad programs if necessary (e.g. due to restrictions on international travel). We highly recommend purchasing trip cancellation insurance coverage.

The program’s fee and $500 deposit will be refunded, but all program-related late fees and expenses not covered by the program fee will not be refunded or removed. The $195 Office of Education Abroad fee will be refunded at their office’s discretion.'

We also recommend always having alternate plans for summer coursework in case the program is canceled.

If you’re thinking about withdrawing, please discuss the withdrawal with your Faculty Director and Honors Study Abroad Program Manager. We understand that things sometimes come up that can impact your participation.

Please note that all payments are non-refundable and non-transferable. Once a fee appears on your MyFIU account, it cannot be removed even if you decide to withdraw and no travel.

When booking big ticket items, like flights, we recommend purchasing Flight Insurance, which typically covers flight cancellations and unexpected flight delays.

We highly recommend letting your Faculty Director know about any dietary constraints or food allergies you have before applying to the program.

Your in-program hosts will do their best to accommodate special requests (like vegetarian meals on group outings), but you should not expect the same level of accommodation as you would at home. Our programs are focused on adapting to the cultures and customs of host countries as much as possible. Additionally, the inability to receive special accommodations does not entitle you to any refund of fees.

Pro tip: Create a food translation card in the local language, so you can communicate requests and requirements!

Your Faculty Director will share all the info you need about local currency, budgeting, and how much to tip.

Here are some helpful tips for any destination:

• Let your bank know you are going to be traveling so they don't lock your card.
• Order some of your destination's currency from your local bank before traveling.
• If you're using an ATM abroad, take out larger amounts of money to avoid paying international fees multiple times.
• Stash your money in a safe place, like the inside of your suitcase.
• Only bring what you need when you go out. Keep the money in a safe place.
• Speak to your Faculty Director about how much to budget per day for meals, tips, souvenirs, and the like. You can spend more or less money depending on what you want.

You'll need to stay connected to your classmates and Faculty Director while traveling, even without Wi-Fi. So, it's smart to get an international data plan through your cell service provider or look into SIM cards.

Regardless of what you choose, ensure that you have unlimited international data. This will make it easy for you to connect and map whenever you want. Call your cell phone provider to learn about your options and pick what works best for you.

It's important to know basic phrases and sayings in the local language, but it is not required for our programs. All instruction is in English. All Faculty Directors are familiar with the areas you will travel. Your Faculty Director can help you when it comes to language and communication.