Florida State University’s First Year Abroad (FYA) and First Semester Abroad (FSA) programs welcomed 314 students this fall, marking the biggest class in the program’s history and highlighting FSU’s commitment to international education as the No. 1 ranked U.S. public institution for long-term study abroad.
For nearly 20 years, International Programs at FSU has given incoming first-year students the opportunity to spend either their first semester or first year of college abroad at FSU’s study centers in Florence, London and Valencia and its branch campus in Panama City, Republic of Panama. Admitted students can participate in the FYA and FSA programs after receiving a regular admissions decision or a Seminole Pathways Offer.
“A sustained study abroad experience has a truly transformative impact on first year college students,” said Louisa Blenman, interim director of International Programs. “Not only do students reap all the usual benefits of studying abroad — like increased self-confidence, adaptability and cultural awareness — but they benefit even further from the opportunity to build on that early growth throughout the rest of their college career.”
When the programs were established in 2005, 34 students participated at the FSU study centers in London and Valencia and the branch campus in Panama City, with Florence hosting its first cohort the next year. From that small number, the programs have grown over nine times the size as more students participate in an international formative experience at the start of their college careers.
For almost two decades, participants have enjoyed the unique benefits of an immersive multicultural experience balanced by an academically flexible year taking FSU courses from on-site expert faculty.
Students take advantage of small class sizes to complete general education requirements and major prerequisites while using the city as their classroom to incorporate local histories and cultural resources into their learning experience. The program is designed to help students develop a global perspective by becoming immersed in the culture, history and day-to-day interactions of another country.
In turn, each study center provides unique courses and experiential learning opportunities for students to choose from, such as Introduction to London Theatre at FSU London, History of Dress at FSU Florence, Writing Spanish for Business at FSU Valencia and Cross-cultural History of Latin America at FSU Panama.
“It was really interesting to sit in the classroom during the first half of a lecture and then venture around the city to experience what we had just learned,” said Bisma Ahmed, a junior majoring in communication science and disorders who participated in the FYA program at FSU London in 2022. “Taking public speaking abroad meant giving speeches in different settings across the city including public transport, museums and parks.”
In addition to academics, the FYA/FSA programs provide an opportunity for personal development and independence, particularly for incoming first-year students who haven’t experienced diverse environments and life outside of the United States. FSU’s centrally located study centers in Europe provide a gateway to nearby European territories for students wanting to pursue independent travel. Similarly, FSU Panama places students in a prime location to explore other parts of Central and South America.
Students participating in the program can use almost every kind of financial aid to cover academic and personal expenses. In addition, successful completion of the FYA program awards an out-of-state tuition waiver to non-Florida residents for the remainder of their undergraduate degree and a $1,000 scholarship to Florida residents.
“I was really interested in Spain and wanted to have experience studying there,” said Jackson Riesen, a master’s student pursuing a degree in social science education who participated in the FYA program at FSU Valencia in 2021 as an undergraduate. “The FYA out-of-state tuition waiver really made a difference to me compared to other programs. That was the main factor allowing me to go abroad and financially afford it.”
Students capitalize on the growth they experienced abroad even after they return to FSU’s main campus. Many will seek global engagement opportunities and/or study/intern abroad again before they graduate.
“Nobody likes to talk about studying abroad more than the people who did it,” said Daniel De Santiago, the FYA/FSA program coordinator at International Programs. He participated in the program at FSU London in 2019 as a student. “When students come back from those experiences, they use the skills acquired to engage in conversations with people from different backgrounds, to enhance their resume and to further develop their academic careers. These factors have a positive impact on Florida State’s campus and eventually within their chosen workforce.”
For more information about first-year programs through International Programs, visit international.fsu.edu/Freshmen.
With 2,736 program alumni since the start of the program in 2005, the FYA and FSA programs will celebrate their 20th anniversary in the fall of 2025. Are you an FYA or FSA alumni? We would love to get in touch with you to highlight and celebrate the legacy of the program. If interested, please contact IP-Alumni@fsu.edu.
