International Education

International education programs are wonderful learning opportunities. Students can travel to almost any place in the world and study a variety of academic topics. Study abroad and exchange programs are offered for academic credit and are not merely a chance to travel.

To find the program that best suits you and your academic and career plans, consult with your academic advisor. Consider the type of credits you need for your course of study, along with requirements for your major, minor and General Education requirements.

Choosing a Program

CUNY offers many international programs administered or sponsored by one of its colleges. Most programs are open to students CUNY-wide, so a student who attends one college almost always may participate in an International Education opportunity offered by another campus.

Click here for a searchable database of programs using the CUNY study abroad program directory.

If you are interested in a non-CUNY program, contact your home college study abroad office or international education liaison about your interest. It is important that you know how many credits can be transferred from the program to your college.

For a list of campus study abroad offices, click here.

Financing Study Abroad

The price of study abroad programs is based on the tuition costs for the number of credits you are taking. Added to this are charges for airfare, accommodations, field trips, international travel insurance, and other fees. 

The federal government offers financial aid that would apply for study abroad.  Scholarships administered by CUNY as well as other external opportunities are available.   Be sure to consult your home college financial aid office to find out if you qualify for financial aid or scholarships for students at your home college.  Click here for more information.

Applying for the Programs

Go to the Study Abroad website of the college that administers the program to get more information about any possible prerequisites, application procedures, costs, and other specific details. If you have specific questions, contact the study abroad office at the college that administers the program. The program director is listed next to each program in the directory. After you are accepted into and commit to the program, your program director will be in close contact with you about preparing for the study abroad experience. For the program directory, click here.

Keeping Safe While Abroad

A pre-departure orientation is required for all students studying abroad. You will learn how to prepare to travel and study abroad. You will learn about local customs and currency and be given advice about what to pack for your trip and how to stay safe while you are abroad. Students may be asked to complete a medical exam prior to departure in order to verify they are healthy enough to travel abroad. If you have any special health concerns, it is recommended that you confidentially disclose this information to the program administrators so that they can assist you in case of emergency. All students on CUNY programs will be required to purchase international travel insurance prior to departure. Non-CUNY programs generally include insurance in their program costs, but make sure you follow up with the program director.

Before you travel abroad, be aware of the latest health or safety issues associated with international travel as well as any travel alerts or warnings posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. State Department.

Getting Back to Life in the U.S.

The timing of many programs is such that you will return to classes at your home college soon after your international study experience. Thus it’s a good idea to have everything prepared for your next semester before leaving the country. For instance, check that your registration for the following semester is complete and that you have no outstanding issues at your college. Once back, your study abroad office will help ensure that all your credits from the program are in order. They may also have good suggestions about the best way for you to share your experience and make the most of what you have learned. CUNY holds a “re-entry” conference every year, which you can attend even before you go! For more information about "re-entry," click here.