Frequently Asked Questions About Study Abroad

There are many reasons to study abroad! Regardless of why or where you go, we can guarantee it will be an experience you will never forget.

Some of the many benefits to study abroad are:

• Learn about Different Cultures and Perspectives
• See the World
• Develop Confidence
• Build Your Resume
• Impress Employers
• Gain Independence
• Challenge Yourself
• Learn Beyond the Classroom

Students who are in good academic standing, without any disciplinary or financial holds are eligible to study abroad.

There is no standard time when it is best to study abroad. The best time to study abroad depends on the individual and their degree program. You should let your academic advisor know if you are interested in studying abroad as well as visit our office. We can all work together to help you plan for an experience abroad.

Applications for study abroad are submitted and reviewed the semester prior to going abroad. The deadline for studying abroad in the Fall or Academic Year is April May 2nd. The deadline for Spring semester programs is October 26th. The deadline for summer programs is February 3rd.

There are a number of different options when it comes to picking a program. A student should consider their academic, profession and personal goals when selecting a program. Students will need to talk to their academic advisor to determine if a semester or short-term program is best suited to their academic program. Students can study through the Tuscany Campus, Exchange programs and our network of providers.

The first step in the process is to attend an information session or meet with an advisor in the Office of Study Abroad to discuss where you want to go and to learn more about the process. All students who wish to study abroad must apply through the University of New Haven’s study abroad website. If you are applying to a third-party provider you must wait for university approval first.

Most students who study abroad still graduate on time. If you’re planning to study abroad bring it up with your advisor and create an academic plan that will include your study abroad experience. Sticking to this plan will help to assure that you graduate on time.

All students who study abroad must complete a course approval form as part of the application process. You will work with your academic advisor to determine how the courses you take abroad will transfer back to the University of New Haven.

Courses in our study abroad programs are generally taught in English. Some programs require that you take the language as part of your semester in order to better engage with the host community. For students who wish to specifically pursue language studies there are definitely options for them as well! We recommend that students take language while abroad (and before they go if possible!) in order to make the most of your experience and to be able to really get to know individuals form the place you will be living.

If you can fit another program into your academic plan, you can easily go abroad more than once. Make sure to talk to your Academic Advisor and a Study Abroad Advisor to ensure another trip abroad will be beneficial.

Housing options vary by program. Residence hall and hotel/apartment living with meal plans are available when studying at the Prato campus. For other programs, students are housed either in hotels, shared apartment, dormitories or homestay families.

Yes! Students are REQUIRED to attend the Pre-Departure Orientation. It is held on campus during the semester prior to their semester abroad. Friends and family are welcome to join.

We recognize that safety is a matter of utmost concern for parents when their child expresses an interest in studying in a foreign country. As part of our pre-departure orientation, parents and student wills be given an overview of the university’s various safety precautions, and what they can do personally to ensure they have a safe, fun, and enjoyable study abroad experience. In addition, once our students arrive in the pre-approved country of their choosing, they will again go through an extensive on-site orientation where safety precautions will again be reinforced. For the Prato campus, we have an after-hours emergency phone number available for students and all students can call the University of New Haven Police Department to receive assistance in the event of an emergency. We also enroll all of our students in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which will send important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in their destination country.

The University does everything in our power to ensure all students are safe and healthy while abroad by providing comprehensive information before and during their experience. For Prato campus, we provide students with an Emergency Information Card before they depart containing a number of in-country personnel and other local emergency numbers for them to contact should they run into any difficulties. Non-Prato students can contact the University of New Haven Police Department for immediate assistance. Additionally, we have on-site staff to assist students as they adapt and acclimate to the host culture.

Although we do everything we can to prepare students and keep them informed of health and safety information, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to follow suggestions and guidelines, just as it is their responsibility at home campus.

There is a variety of ways to keep in touch with students. Most commonly families choose to use "WhatsApp" and "Viber," which are international communication applications that provide text messaging, video calling and audio calls through the use of Wi-Fi. Other options are email, and social media sites like Facebook or Instagram. In addition, the university will provide students with an Italian sim card, temporary cell phone, and cell phone plan so they can contact home and their new classmates in their host country.

The cost of each program varies depending on location and program structure. For the Tuscany Campus, students are billed standard tuition and fees as a residential student. For programs in other locations, the program price will vary.

On all semester programs, students have access to their federal financial aid, with the exception of work-study. For the Tuscany Campus and exchange programs, students will maintain access to their institutional aid such as scholarships and grants. For programs through our network of providers, students do not have access to their institutional aid for that semester.

For study abroad in Prato, group airfare is purchased and billed to your university account.