Resources

Before scheduling an appointment with a study abroad advisor, students must first review FGCU's Education Abroad 101.  By reviewing the information provided on the Study Abroad Canvas page you will help make the most of your Study Abroad Advising appointment. For CANVAS access to Education Abroad 101 you must send an invite request to studyabroad@fgcu.edu

You can schedule an appointment with FGCU study abroad staff if you have met at least one of the criteria listed below.

• You have spent time reviewing the Educational Abroad 101.
• You Know which program and term you intend to study abroad.
• Or you already met with an advisor and need another appointment.

Make an appointment

Study Abroad Approval Form (NOT required for FGCU Faculty-Led Course Programs)

FGCU Waiver Form for Faculty Led Study Abroad Programs 

Students who plan to complete a study abroad experience and are taking courses through an outside Education Abroad Provider Program, Exchange or any other program, must meet with a financial aid advisor before completing any of the forms below. Students should meet with a financial aid advisor to discuss how their financial aid needs can be met and or discuss how current financial aid awards, scholarships, financial aid packages, or pre paid college plans can be utilized.

• Documentation Required for Study Abroad- -If Needed, this form must be turned in to Financial Aid, along with your course pre-approval form, BEFORE your program starts
• Study Abroad Consortium (This form is completed AFTER you know what courses you will be taking and you have completed a Course Pre Approval Form)
• Course Pre Approval Form (CPAF)- Not applicable for FGCU Faculty Led Programs
• FGCU Florida Prepaid College Plan - Request Form Study Abroad
  • If using a Florida Pre-Paid College Plan : Students who want to use their Florida Pre-Paid College plan (if applicable to your program) will need to submit a Florida Prepaid College Plan Request Form for Study Abroad to the Cashier’s Office (cashiers@fgcu.edu).  
  • Students are responsible for confirming what their specific plan covers. For questions regarding your Florida prepaid account contact Florida Prepaid College Plan Customer Services 1-800-552-4723.

• FGCU Assumption of Risk Waiver for Study Abroad
• Course Pre Approval Form (CPAF)- Not applicable for FGCU Faculty Led Programs
  • To complete this form, you need to research the courses you would like to take that are being offered with your study abroad program, meet with your academic advisor, who will verify that the course credits meet your degree requirements and the number of such credits that will be transferred. Your academic advisor will need to sign this form. The CPAF is turned in as close to your scheduled departure as possible to accommodate for schedule and course changes. Students should be meeting with their academic advisor as soon as they have been provided course details by their provider program.
• Study Abroad Consortium (If Needed, this form is completed AFTER you know what courses you will be taking and you have completed a Course Pre Approval Form) 
  • If receiving financial aid, scholarship or awards: Students may need to complete and sign a Financial Aid Consortium Agreement Form. Complete this form with your academic advisor, alongside your CPAF. These two forms, once signed, must be provided via email to Barbara Font bfont@fgcu.edu in the FGCU Financial Aid Office and copied to Carey Fells cfells@fgcu.edu in Study Abroad.  **Financial aid is dispersed AFTER your program begins and you have provided proof of your enrollment to the FGCU financial aid office.

1.  Students meet with a study abroad office advisor (Make appointment)
2.  Student researches their options and chooses a study abroad program.
3.  Student meets with their academic advisor to confirm Study Abroad credit options for their degree program.
4.  Student applies to provider program.
5.  Students should meet with financial aid to discuss any implications of their study abroad and financial options.
6.  Student meets with Study Abroad Assistant Director for Course Pre-Approval Form signature and to determine transcript source.
7.  Student schedules appointment with their Academic Advisor for FGCU equivalency / general elective determination and signature.
8.  Student turns in completed Course Pre-Approval Form to the Study Abroad Office at least 4 weeks prior to their intended departure date.
9.  Student attends pre-departure session with Study Abroad (Mandatory for all students participating in Study Abroad)
10.  Student studies abroad. If the student arrives in country and finds that they must alter their courses due to course unavailability, a new Course Pre-Approval Form must be filled out and approved by the academic advisor.  This may be done over the Internet and may take the form of email correspondence that is attached as an addendum to the original form.
11.  Student returns to campus. The transcripts are articulated by the Admissions Office as indicated on the Course Pre-Approval Form. If the transcript is issued from a foreign university, the student needs to have that transcript evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation service. FGCU Study Abroad office can guide the student through this process.

Research shows that studying abroad increases cultural literacy, retention rates, 4 year graduation rates, grade point averages, future employability, future salary and overall opportunities. In addition, it will paint your life in a more interesting light because it’s adventurous, creates lifelong bonds and allows students to gain enlightening new perspectives. FGCU International Services Office and FGCU Career Services to help students frame their international experiences for job searches.   

You can go almost anywhere. At FGCU, staff and faculty members lead study abroad short-term study abroad programs. These programs are courses that are taught here at FGCU and have a travel component as part of the course.  There is a program fee in addition to regular tuition for the Faculty Led Programs.  Availability of these courses change from year to year depending on where faculty decide to propose programs.  We also work with a host of education abroad program provider organizations and chances are that if you have a country in mind, we can help find a program for you there. We follow safety and security guidelines set forth by the U.S. State Department to determine regional risks around the world.

Your first step is to make an appointment with your academic advisor, find out if you have remaining electives or only courses for your major to complete. Your academic advisor will be able to help you determine when the best time is to complete your study abroad experience based on the course work you need to graduate and when it is offered.  After talking to an academic advisor please make an appointment with a Study Abroad Advisor.

See our FGCU Study Abroad Quick Start Guide to see step by step planning details.

Speaking the language of the country is not a requirement, but it is helpful. Most programs offer courses taught in English and also offer language courses to assist you in learning the local language. We believe it should be a goal of every FGCU student to learn a language at some point in their lives, and studying abroad is a great opportunity to do so. There are many opportunities for students who would like to study a language while abroad to do so but most programs do not have this requirement. 

With the appropriate approval signatures on your study abroad approval form, credits you receive while studying abroad may be transferred back to FGCU.  Transfer credit is dependent on the course content, equivalency to FGCU courses, and degree requirements in your particular major.  Please meet with our academic advisor to discuss when the best time will be to complete a study abroad experience.

You can study for just a week over the spring break, a few weeks in the summer, one semester, or one full academic or calendar year. Program lengths and designs vary.

The cost may vary depending on the type of program and program sponsor, location, length, services provided, and course tuition fees.  Some of the costs to consider are: course tuition, living expenses (room and board, personal expenditures, health care/insurance, local transportation, cultural tours, etc), airfare, application fees, passport, visas, etc. As you research different programs be sure to pay attention to what’s included in the programs fees.

Eligibility will vary from program to program. In general, programs will require a 2.0 or better cumulative average. A strong start in your freshman year will be very helpful, but there are programs of study or work abroad for all students. When in doubt, come in and talk to us about requirements for different programs.

Housing and meal arrangements vary among study abroad programs. Some offer a room in a residence hall, or with a host family. Others offer a shared apartment. Meals may be provided in a dining hall, or kitchen facilities may be provided so that you can prepare your own meals. Students are encouraged to start planning early as their preferred housing may fill up quickly.

Deadlines vary according to the program. Generally, for year-long programs, you should begin to prepare your application a year in advance. For semester programs, a semester ahead of time may be accommodated but many programs fill up early. The earlier you start planning your study abroad experience the more opportunities you will have to find funding and prepare for travel. For summer programs, you should begin the application procedure no later than January. Many programs also offer discounts for applying early. 

There are so many programs out there. FGCU’s International Services Office will help you sort through all of the options and help you find the right one. We tend to promote longer term programs that involve deeper cultural immersion, but we also know that studying abroad for a semester is not always possible. We recommend that if you plan on studying abroad at FGCU to try to save your general elective courses, this will give you more flexibility in choosing the right program. The process involves a series of tasks that vary for everyone, but after the work and planning are done, you will find yourself on a plane heading towards the adventure of a lifetime.

Schedule an appointment with our staff

Study Abroad offices are located in Modular Building 1 - Office #11, 6 and 30

(across from/ near parking garage #2)
Florida Gulf Coast University
10501 FGCU Blvd. S.
Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565

Main Phone: 239-745-4331