Why study abroad?
Although there are plenty of educational opportunities that will enhance your life, very few of them will truly transform the way that you live it. Studying abroad is one such experience. It is a rare person who travels abroad and returns home unchanged. Even on a vacation, just experiencing other cultures directly will make you reconsider your own lifestyle and perceptions. Studying abroad broadens and deepens your foreign experience by helping you to understand more fully the citizens and culture of other nations.

 

What will I do during a study abroad experience?
We offer three types of study abroad experiences. First, you can take classes at a foreign university. Second, you can travel with a group of UNF students, led by UNF faculty, to tour businesses and meet with civic and business leaders in a country. Third, you can get an internship abroad with a U.S. subsidiary or a foreign company.

 

Where can I go?
Coggin College of Business offers a wide variety of programs in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Specific countries may vary from year to year, but you will always have options. Our website always lists current opportunities.

 

Who can go?
Graduate and undergraduate business students at UNF have the first chance to sign up. If there is space available, you can invite your friends attending other universities to come along. Occasionally, local business people participate in these courses, too, because the learning experience is so valuable.

 

Can I use the study abroad course in my program of study?
Of course. Studying abroad really is an educational experience, and you get credit for what you learn. The way that you can use the credits varies by major, but your advisor can help you decide what works best for you.

 

Will employers value my study abroad experience?
Absolutely. As the American economy becomes increasingly integrated into the global economy, American businesses need employees who not only understand the issues covered in international business courses, but who also have a deep understanding of the foreign culture. The international departments in many firms will not even consider hiring employees who have not lived abroad.

 

Will I have to learn a foreign language first?
No. Of course, your international experience will be enriched considerably if you do speak the language, and we offer several programs for those who want to work on their language skills while they are abroad. However, we recognize that many students don’t have room in their schedules for learning another language. For those students, we offer study abroad programs that are conducted entirely in English.

How much will studying abroad cost?
Since we believe that studying abroad is such an important educational experience, we offer our study abroad courses at or below their full cost. On average, this means a total cost of between $1,500 and $3,000, plus your normal UNF tuition. Program costs for semester programs are listed on the individual program pages.

 

Can I use financial aid?
Yes. Most types of financial aid can be applied to a study abroad. You might even be able to increase the amount of financial aid you receive, based on the extra cost of studying abroad. In addition, the Coggin College of Business Administration is continuously raising funds from the international business community to provide even more financial aid to students.

 

What if I can’t afford a semester away from my family or my job?
We recognize that many UNF students have important commitments here. Therefore, we offer both traditional semester- or year-long exchange programs, as well as short-term study abroad programs. Typically, there is at least one program in which travel occurs over Spring Break and there are usually two or more two- or three-week study abroad programs each summer.