FAQs

UM Study Abroad offers programs as short as one week and as long as an academic year. You may study abroad on a program led by a faculty member, on a UM Semester-on-Location program, or on a UM Partner Program or affiliated university program.

We encourage you to explore what makes each program different by reading about our program types.

There are many opportunities to study abroad in English! Most countries offer a full program of study in English, even in non-English speaking countries.

The earlier the better! Planning for a study abroad takes time. It is not too early for entering freshman to go over their study abroad options with an advisor. Try to plan at least one year in advance for a semester program, and 3-6 months in advance for a shorter term program.

Our office has created a worksheet you can help use to plan out your academic goals during your time on campus.

The answer is different for every student. It depends on many factors, such as major and minor requirements, proficiency of a foreign language (for programs taught in a foreign language), academic progress and student maturity. Talk to both your Cane Navigator (academic advisor) and a study abroad advisor to determine what is best for you.

Students can initiate applications to their program of interest the semester before they intend to study abroad.  Applications open on January 5th for Fall programs and late May for Spring term programs.  Applications for January intersession, spring break, and summer faculty-led programs open in early Fall semester.

Application deadlines vary across programs and we encourage you to check the program's brochure page for the most up-to-date application deadline, which is located in within the Fact Sheet section of the page.

You are not able to initiate more than one application for a program during the same term.  Within your application, you are able to identify a second choice program.

You can submit your official university transcript(s) showing all work completed and coursework underway by requesting your transcript be sent electronically to studyabroad@miami.edu via CaneLink.  You can find a step-by-step guide on how to order your official transcript electronically here.  

Students just starting to consider studying abroad are encouraged to view the Information Sessions we have posted online. You can also view our drop-in hours on the website and/or schedule an appointment with a study abroad advisor in Navigate. 

While acknowledging that all study abroad programs and overseas institutions have their own criteria for admissions, University of Miami students are held to an institutional standard before being allowed to study abroad for credit. Students must have completed at least two semesters in college/university and must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 at the time of application. Some programs have higher GPA requirements and would be noted on the program brochures. 

You may study on non-UM sponsored programs by completing the proper paperwork and filing a petition, available at this link. The program petition must be approved by the Study Abroad Office and you must secure permission from your school or college.

You may be financially responsible for the program; this depends on the type of program, and how far in advance of the program start date you withdraw. You can see the full withdrawal policy, timeline and fees here.

Students must confirm their participation in their program within the time frame provided in their conditional acceptance. After that point, the withdrawal policy will be enforced. Students receiving financial aid who withdraw from a program should discuss potential aid implications of withdrawal with the UM Office of Financial Assistance and Student Employment before withdrawing.  

In the event of program cancellation by UM or the host institution/program, students will not be subject to the UM Study Abroad withdrawal policy.  

You can see the full withdrawal policy, timeline, and fees here: https://studyabroad.miami.edu/students/withdrawal-policy/index.html 

Click here for more information about credits.  The grades that you earn abroad will count toward your UM GPA. Click here for more information about academics.

The answer depends on what kind of program you participate in. You can study abroad for a semester at a host university where you may participate in the courses available to regular university students. Shorter programs, such as UM faculty-led programs, will offer specific courses for the participants.

Students on Study Abroad programs should utilize the MATES (Miami Academic Transfer Evaluation System). 

While the courses taken on a UM study abroad program are technically not transfer credits, this is still the centralized process for the University. 

This answer depends on your program. Do not make any flight arrangements until you have been fully accepted into the program. For semester and year programs, your study abroad advisor or the overseas university will provide the arrival dates so that you can book your flight accordingly.

All students studying abroad must have a passport, which should be valid for at least six months beyond the last day of their program. Before departing the US, you may need to obtain a student visa from your host country’s consulate. Visa procedures and immigration regulations are different for each country, and processing times vary greatly. Your study abroad advisor will be able to provide additional guidance once you are accepted. 

Living arrangements vary greatly between programs. Housing options may include dormitories, homestays or apartments. Housing is your responsibility unless going abroad on a UProgram.

Students participating in a UM Study Abroad Program are eligible to be released from their university housing contract for the semester they are away provided they meet all deadlines set by Housing & Residential Life.

Students participating in a UM study abroad program will be able to use their financial aid abroad.  You will be charged full tuition on your tuition bill for the semester during which you will be abroad, so your aid package will not be affected; however, studying abroad will incur additional expenses for which you may wish to apply for additional aid. While overseas, if you have specific questions, you should contact Undergraduate Financial Assistance directly at canescentral@miami.edu.

You can review important information regarding finances and potential scholarships here.

You may submit your deposit payment in person with cash, money order, or cashier’s check. A cashier’s check can be requested directly from your bank, made out to ‘University of Miami’. A money order can be purchased from a variety of places such as certain post offices, UPS stores, CVS stores or Publix customer service.  You can submit payment at the Cashier’s window within the Canes Central office, which is located in the Student Services Building (1st Floor).

More information on how you can submit your deposit can be found by following this link.

Your Study Abroad advisor will be working with Student Accounts on issuing a refund for your deposit. They will be in touch directly to provide updates to the timeline for this process. 

Any student who currently has a balance on CaneLink may not see a full refund. Due to the structure of the system, any balance must be resolved before a refund is issued. Log into CaneLink now to verify if you have a balance. Students in this situation with questions about their charges should reach out to ‘Canes Central with any questions at 305-284-IBIS or by visiting their website to submit an assistance form or schedule a virtual appointment.

Students pay their regular UM tuition for all UM Study Abroad Programs. UPrograms and Seville include a program fee that will cover housing costs.

All students will pay a $150 study abroad fee that will replace traditional on-campus fees during their term abroad.

Numerous scholarships are available to students applying to go abroad. Additional information is available on our scholarships page.

Any current scholarships will apply toward UM Study Abroad Programs and appear on your bill as they normally would. If you receive private scholarships from another organization, please check with that organization directly about applicability of those funds.

Yes, all travelers must have a passport. The passport is the official identification of your citizenship. Students should make sure that their passports are valid until at least six months after your planned date of return from their study abroad programs. If you are a U.S. citizen, visit the U.S. Department of State passport website. International students and non-U.S. citizens should check with the embassy of their country of citizenship in the United States if they need to renew their passport.

It is your responsibility to follow visa requirements, including those for countries you plan to visit before or after your study abroad programs. It can take several weeks to gather all of the documents needed for a visa application. Consult with your study abroad advisor about obtaining a visa.

International students may need to have a U.S. visa valid beyond the period of their study abroad program before they may apply for a student visa for study abroad. Students on a non-immigrant F-1 Visa should consult with ISSS to make sure that all their U.S. immigration paperwork is in place for their re-entry to the United States.

No. Student visa requirements for the same country can vary significantly from one consulate to another. Be sure to use only the visa requirements for the consulate under whose jurisdiction you fall. The Study Abroad Office may be able to provide some guidance, but only for US passport holders and the consulates serving the Miami area.

All students who study abroad must show proof of health insurance that provides adequate medical and accident coverage for the entire duration that they are abroad. University of Miami students are covered for emergency evacuation and repatriation.

Students will be advised if additional coverage is needed and/or included with their program. 

Students participating in UM study abroad programs are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19 at least two weeks prior to program departure to safeguard their health, the health of all members of the local community and to be in compliance with vaccination requirements that may be imposed by the host countries. In the current global environment, it is likely that many host countries will require proof of vaccination as a condition of entry.  Each country will set its own policies for entry regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and it is your responsibility to know entry requirements prior to travel. Be advised that countries that do not require vaccinations may still require unvaccinated students to enter a mandatory quarantine for a minimum of 10 days, which may be at a government-designated facility or hotel, and could add to your program cost. Additionally, understand that, while in government quarantine, your academic experience may be challenged as dependable Wi-Fi cannot be guaranteed at the quarantine facilities. As such, if you are unvaccinated, consider arriving early to avoid academic or program disruption. During quarantine, there will be no refunds for time missed on the study abroad program.