Program Choices

Understanding Program Types

There are several different types of semester and summer study abroad programs, as described below. Essentially, the differences between these program types have to do with billing and application processes. Regardless of which program type you pursue, the courses will transfer back towards your FSU degree program and you'll be able to apply your financial aid towards the cost of your studies abroad. 

University Exchange Programs

When you study abroad at one of FSU's University Exchange Partners, you will continue to pay your normal tuition and fees to FSU, just as if you were here on campus. These are among the most cost-effective and culturally-immersive study abroad opportunities available to you! At most sites, you will pay housing fees directly to your host institution (and those housing fees are usually somewhat less than our housing costs in Massachusetts). Every semester, various FSU students study abroad at one of our Exchange Partner schools. Likewise, Framingham State regularly welcomes international students who come from these overseas universities to complete their own studies abroad in the United States. 

FSU is pleased to offer study abroad opportunities through the following Exchange Programs. At each of these institutions, a wide range of academic courses are available so students from any major could go to any one of these exciting destinations! Students will apply for these schools through the FSU Office of International Programs, and the application deadlines are typically in mid-October for Spring semester, or mid-April for Fall semester. Some summer courses are available through these schools as well. 

• Study in England at the University of East Anglia
  • UEA is in the historic city of Norwich, a great student city that combines history, culture, and progressive thought. Located less than 2 hours' train ride northeast of London, UEA has easy access to public transportation so traveling around the UK is a breeze!
  • Students live on-campus in apartments with single-bedrooms and shared kitchens and bathrooms. You'll be able to cook your own meals and can choose to purchase meals at one of the various on-campus dining options. 
• Study in Hong Kong, China at Lingnan University 
  • Lingnan is an English language university in cosmopolitan Hong Kong which welcomes students from across China and around the world. This is a great location for any students interested in East Asia. The campus is in a safe residential area, close to extensive public transportation, leafy public parks, museums, Chinese and international restaurants, and nightlife. It’s also a few minutes’ drive away from sandy beaches on the South China Sea.
  • English is the language of instruction for most courses, and virtually all students and faculty at the university are proficient in English. It will be possible, however, to take Mandarin Chinese language courses at Lingnan and students with an interest in language learning will have ample opportunity to practice and develop their Chinese language skills. 
  • Students live in an on-campus residence hall with a local student roommate (who has typically volunteered to live with an international student like you as a way to befriend someone from another part of the world). Like FSU, there is a cafeteria on-campus where you can purchase regular meals. 
• Study in Ecuador at Universidad de Las Américas
   
  • Nestled among the Andes mountains in the Ecuadorian capital city of Quito, UdLA is a great option for any students with an interest in Latin America, especially those seeking to develop proficiency in the Spanish language. UdLA offers various courses that are taught in English for international students, and you'll have access to their full curriculum of courses delivered in Spanish alongside local students.
  • You could take all your classes in Spanish or a combination of classes taught in Spanish and English.
  • Students live alongside local and international students in residence halls near the campus. Homestays with local Ecuadorian families are also available. 

Partnership Programs

FSU's Partnership Programs encompass various overseas institutes and universities that are not covered by our University Exchanges noted above. When you study abroad through one of our Partnership Programs, you will apply for admission directly to them and pay them directly for all tuition, fees, and housing. It is still necessary, however, to meet with the FSU Office of International Programs before you begin the application process, as we will need to certify your application. Sometimes, these programs actually end up costing less than the price of tuition and housing on-campus in Framingham. You will not pay anything to FSU while you are away on a Partnership Program (though you continue to be enrolled as an FSU student and will continue to have access to FSU academic and personal support services). 

FSU maintains partnerships with various institutions located around the world. Be sure to review our Program Choices page for listing of different possibilities. The following are some examples of where FSU students frequently go:

• Edge Hill University - Lancashire, England
• Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh, Scotland
• Institute of Spanish Studies - Valencia, Spain
• Lorenzo de Medici Institute - Florence, Italy
• Maastricht University - Maastricht, Netherlands
• Queen Mary University - London, England
• Ulster University - Londonderry & Belfast, Northern Ireland 
• University of Wollongong - New South Wales, Australia

Study Abroad Provider Organizations

Many students choose to study abroad through a Provider Organization which manages your study abroad experience, usually in partnership with a university in your host country. Based here in the United States, your Study Abroad Provider will handle your application, meal plan, housing arrangements, course placement, and other logistical essentials of your international education experience. Most providers include in-country insurance and group excursions as well.

As with the aforementioned Partnership Programs, when you go abroad with a Study Abroad Provider you will apply for admission directly to that organization after having consulted with the FSU Office of International Programs. You will also pay the provider directly for all tuition and fees. You continue to be enrolled as an FSU student and will continue to have access to FSU academic and personal support services. 

The following are several high-quality Study Abroad Providers that have regularly welcomed students from Framingham State University on their programs overseas. All of these organizations deliver multiple programs in different places around the world. Besides just Fall or Spring semester, many of these organizations also administer shorter-term programs during the summer and winter sessions. You may find that the cost of their tuition and fees will vary greatly from location-to-location, but that they also may offer program-specific scholarships to help defer those varied prices. 

• Academic Programs International (API)
• Academic Studies Abroad (ASA) 
• Arcadia Abroad 
• Center for Academic Programs Abroad (CAPA)
• College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS)
• Council on Intercultural Educational Exchange (CIEE)
• The Education Abroad Network (TEAN)
• Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA)
• Institute for the International Education of Students (IES)
• School for Field Studies (SFS) - Various sites around the world 
• School for International Training (SIT) - Various sites around the world
• Sea Education Association (SEA Semester)
• University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC)

Yes, as you can see, nearly all study abroad providers go by their acronyms or initials. This is just an interesting reality of the field of education abroad! 

Join a faculty member on an academic experience abroad! Professors from FSU or other Massachusetts state universities combine experiential learning with academics to provide you and a small group of other college students with a fast-paced, unique course abroad. 

Faculty-led study tours are short-term study abroad opportunities that usually take place during Winter Break, Spring Break, or the Summer Term. They may last anywhere from 1-3 weeks. Some study tours award academic credit to student participants, which can be counted towards your general education requirements, major/minor requirements, and/or gen-eds. Other study tours are purely experiential learning opportunities.

FSU Faculty-led Study Tours

Previous tours led by FSU faculty members have gone to India, Ireland, China, and the Dominican Republic! Details on future trips will be posted and shared through the FSU Office of International Programs and FSU academic departments. 

Faculty-led Courses Abroad with the Massachusetts State System

Programs offered at the other Massachusetts state universities are open to FSU students, most of which are an opportunity to earn academic credit. Take a look at the links below to access further information, and feel free to reach out to the FSU Office of International Programs and/or the study abroad offices at our sister state schools for more details.

• Bridgewater State University
  Recent study tours have gone to Belize, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Hawaii, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, and Tanzania.
• Fitchburg State University
  Recent study tours have gone to Hangzhou, China; Grenoble, France; Verona, Italy; and Barcelona, Spain.
• Massachusetts College of Art & Design
  Recent travel courses have visited Japan, England, and Southeast Asia. 
• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
  Recent study tours have gone to Germany, Japan, Peru, and domestically within the U.S.
• Salem State University
  Spring Break courses in Greece, Lativia, Liberia, Puerto Rico, and Mexico;  Summer Programs in China, Indonesia, Poland, and Bermuda. Summer Language Programs in Spain, Italy, Canada, and France.
• UMass Amherst
  Various thematically-focused summer and spring break travel courses around Europe and Latin America. 
• UMass Boston 
  Various thematically-focused summer and spring break travel courses in places like Belize, Chile, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, and the Netherlands.
• UMass Lowell  
  Some recent travel courses have included Spanish language in Spain and Cuba, and Entrepreneurship in India.
• Westfield State University
  Recent study tours have gone to Belize, Kenya, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Greece and Israel.
• Worcester State University
  Recent study tours have visited the Caribbean or Eastern Europe during the January Term, Spring Break, and/or Summer. 

Employers today are looking for candidates who have:

• Relevant global experience
• Cross-cultural communication skills
• Flexibility, adaptability and confidence
• Work experience

So, having an internship on your resume is more important than ever! Various study abroad programs enable you to undertake an internship for credit as one of your courses during a semester abroad. There are also a variety of internship-focused, credit-bearing programs offered during the semesters and/or summer terms. In most locations, the study abroad program will collaborate with you to identify and place you into an internship that aligns with your academic interests and professional goals. These internship opportunities typically combine a work placement with a regular seminar course that synthesizes academic learning and professional experience. 

We encourage you to explore these organizations to investigate what's possible.

American Councils - Summer Overseas Internships - Eastern Europe & Asia

Amizade Global Service-Learning - Various locations globally 

Arcadia Abroad - Europe, Australia, New Zealand

Academic Programs International (API) - Latin America, Europe, New Zealand

Academic Studies Abroad - Latin America & Europe

CAPA International Education - Latin America, Europe, Australia

CIEE - Various locations globally 

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) - Australia, New Zealand, East Asia

Institute for Field Education (IFE) - Belgium & France

Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA) - Various locations globally 

IES Abroad - Various locations globally

School for International Training (SIT) - Various locations globally