Going abroad is an opportunity many college students hope to have at some point in their college career. And, many who have experienced learning abroad will say that it can teach you in ways that traditional classes and learning methods cannot. But did you know CSU offers several opportunities to go abroad before even starting college classes? Getting a chance to connect with other CSU students and see the world might be just what you need to get you in the college groove. Plus, attending one of these programs will get you college credits.
Here are some ways incoming first-year CSU Rams can go abroad before school starts in the fall. Note: Programs are open to all incoming undergraduates admitted as full-time students to CSU. Some programs will give preference to certain majors.
#1. Ireland
Get your green on in a whole new way with this 10-day adventure in Limerick, Ireland. Throughout the trip, you’ll live and learn with a cohort of other first-year CSU students, exploring the country, meeting locals, and being fully immersed in the culture, history, and stunning countryside. Upon returning home, you’ll meet with your group throughout the first eight weeks of the fall semester to reflect upon your experiences.
#2. Japan
This 14-day program has two tracks depending on your interests. No matter which you pick, you’ll travel to Japan to explore Japanese culture, history, and environment, You and your group will learn about the history of Japan in Kyoto by visiting tea houses, castles, shrines, and bamboo groves, then visit the modern city of Tokyo to explore the culture and experience museums. When you return, you will meet for the first eight weeks of the fall semester to continue learning and reflecting together.
#3. Costa Rica
This 11-day experience takes you and your group to the capitol of Costa Rica, San José, where you’ll learn about sustainability and intercultural communication first hand. You will stay overnight at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, learn about sustainable farm practices with Suelos Vivos, visit a wildlife rescue center, go on a Mangrove tour at the Manuel Antonio National Park, and much more! After returning to CSU, your group will continue meeting for the first eight weeks of the semester to reflect on and continue learning about what you experienced in Ecuador.
#4. Denmark
What does it mean to be happy? Why do people in Denmark report that they are happier than people in the United States? If you like to think about questions like these, then this 10-day program, Happiness in Denmark, is the perfect program for you. You and your group will travel to the exciting city of Copenhagen, where you’ll learn to evaluate subjective meanings of happiness, develop self-awareness on perspectives on happiness and self-worth, and more.
#5. Italy
Live out your Italian dreams with this one-of-a-kind, 10-day experience. You will have the opportunity to live and learn about apparel, merchandising, and interior design among Italian families, students, and local communities while taking guided excursions through Florence, fashion tours in Milan, and a visit to Lake Como. Upon your return to CSU, you and your group will meet for weekly courses throughout the fall semester to reflect and expand on your experiences.
This program is open to all incoming undergraduate students admitted as a full-time first-time student to CSU. Preference will be given to Apparel and Merchandising and Interior Architecture and Design majors.
#6. Australia
If you are more interested in observing wallabies and penguins or going on a rainforest walk than visiting a museum, this 14-day program is for you. You and your group will travel to Australia to explore biology. You will learn how to perform statistical analysis of data, take measurements, and learn foundational biology concepts. You will see a large variety of Australian wildlife in Melbourne, and even take a trip to Cairns to experience the Great Barrier Reef. You’ll meet with your group for eight weeks in the fall semester at CSU to reflect and learn more.
This program is open to all incoming undergraduate students admitted as a full-time first-time student to CSU. Preference will be given to Biology and Zoology majors.
#7: Engineering Seminars: Germany, Denmark & Sweden or London (for all incoming Engineering and other STEM majors)
Want to get a jump-start on your engineering or STEM major at CSU before classes start? If you’re an incoming first-year or transfer STEM major, you have an opportunity to gather in a small cohort for an engineering-themed 10-day program in Denmark, Germany, or London. Prior to your travels, you and your group will meet on campus in Fort Collins for an intensive week of learning before traveling abroad. Then, you’ll travel to your destination to explore the culture and get a feel for the unique engineering accomplishments of the area. You’ll finish your session when you return to Fort Collins with on-campus courses and meetings. All students will fulfill an intro engineering course by participating on one of these unique Engineering Seminar programs.
These three programs are open to all incoming undergraduate students admitted as a full-time first-time or transfer student as a major in the College of Engineering or any other CSU STEM major.
#8: Global Semester Abroad: Wildlife, Sustainability, & Spanish in Costa Rica and Mexico (Fall)
This 14-week international experience is designed for students interested in immersing themselves in two of the most-biodiverse regions on our planet for an entire semester. You’ll earn 12 credits throughout your experience, and satisfy a required course for all CSU students. The coursework includes Intro to Fieldwork in Biology, Sustainability and the Circular Economy, Spanish, and a Create Your Story class, which uses personal narratives as a tool to reflect on your goals, values, and identity. You and your group will attend new-student Ram Orientation together over the summer, then the program starts in Costa Rica and culminates at CSU’s Todos Santos Center Field Campus in Mexico.
This program is open to all incoming undergraduate first-year and second-year students at CSU.
#9: Global Semester Abroad: Business, Sustainability, & Society in Germany (Fall)
This 16-week international experience is designed for students interested in global affairs, politics, ethics, and sustainability. The coursework works particularly well for business students in the International Business Concentration. You’ll earn 12 credits throughout your experience and satisfy a required course for all CSU students. In addition to your courses, you will also connect with industry experts during course-specific field visits. You will take field trips to Leizig and Dresden, Prague, and Dachua (a WWII Nazi concentration camp). You’ll even take a course in German language and directly apply what you learn in the classroom in your day-to-day life in Munich! You and your group will attend new-student Ram Orientation together over the summer before beginning your fall semester abroad.
This program is open to all incoming undergraduate first-year and second-year students at CSU.
