International Engineering – FAQ

Budgets for each exchange program vary. A typical semester exchange costs around $8,000 excluding UCF Tuition. Consult each program’s budget page for a closer estimation as some range below and above the $8,000 average. UCF exchange programs typically allow students to use their full financial aid package.

The safety of our students is our foremost consideration. While no one can fully guarantee your safety while you are abroad, we make sure that the social and political climate in the area in which our students will be living and studying is conducive to doing so safely. Our procedure to ensure safety includes monitoring of the U.S. Department of State travel warnings and advisories, regular consultations with onsite resident program coordinators and through communication with responsible officials in host universities. Furthermore, the Office of International Studies holds orientation seminars for students just before they leave for overseas.

Medical insurance policies issued in the U.S. are not always valid outside the United States. Furthermore, doctors, clinics, and hospitals abroad often expect immediate payment upon any medical services. For these reasons, we highly recommend that all students traveling overseas have international insurance coverage.

The length of study abroad stays is either one or two semesters. This means that you will be away from approximately four to eight months. Oftentimes, our students choose to remain in the country of study after their study abroad experience to travel and experience the region. While we generally encourage this from a personal growth standpoint, it is not part of the official study abroad experience.

• Student housing: Most typical, host institutions will set aside space in their student dorms for international students
• Apartments: Similar to UCF, these may be affiliated or not with the host institution. Sometimes the host institution can provide assistance for you to find such living arrangements, but this is not common.
• Home stay: Families are carefully selected by our host institutions for our students to stay. This is not as common as other options.

Yes, grades issued at host institutions are converted to the ABCDF scale upon the student’s return to UCF.

It is the same as failing a course at UCF. The grade will be calculated into your GPA, and could affect any financial assistance you are receiving. If the course is required for your program, it will have to be repeated. This is why it is imperative that students take their academics seriously while abroad in order to avoid negative financial and academic consequences.

Tips for living abroad:

• Cultural Shock
  • When one goes abroad one will experience new cultures, people, food, music and probably a new language. All of the novelty combined with the lack of things and people with which one might be familiar might cause some anxiety and stress. This type of anxiety is called cultural shock. The vast majority of people quickly overcome cultural shock and gain from it. Not only will the cross-cultural adjustment help in his or her learning and development in a new country, it will make the experience more rewarding and interesting.
• Discrimination
  • Nowhere in the world is 100% free of racism and discrimination. Your son/daughter can face racism or discrimination abroad just like they can face racism or discrimination for whatever reason in their home country. However, many times students that go foreign countries find out that in some places people are more accepting of different races and cultures than in their communities at home. Don’t let the possibility of racism or discrimination stop your son/daughter from many benefits of studying abroad.

For more information on study abroad opportunities at UCF, please visit www.studyabroad.ucf.edu