Visit the First-Year and Transfer Programs Required Tasks webpage for a complete list and instructions.
By beginning your first semester abroad, you’ll:
- Expand your perspective on culture, education, business, politics, international relations, and more.
- Experience greater cultural immersion and improved foreign language skills by living with a host family.
- Set yourself apart with potential employers, and develop/strengthen your entrepreneurial skills and aspirations.
For more information, interested students can check out:
Your Health and Well-Being
Our highest priority is the health and welfare of our students, faculty and staff. Syracuse University is vigorously monitoring COVID-19 in the United States and abroad in close coordination with state and local agencies. The University also continues to review public health and travel advisory guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. State Department. We will update you accordingly over the next several months. In the meantime, stay informed about Syracuse University's preparedness, coordination and planning.
Preparing to Go
Getting your Passports
If you are even remotely considering studying abroad, apply for your passport immediately! The passport agency is experiencing long delays with passport processing, so it is important that you apply early. If possible, please use the expedited service. For full information on passports and how to apply, please visit the National Passport Agency web site.
Where to Start
You probably have a million questions about how to prepare, what to bring, and how you’ll handle daily activities in another country. Once admitted to the program, you will receive a “Preparing to Go” guide that is bursting with great tips to help you prepare for daily life in Madrid, Florence or Strasbourg.
Safety & Security
The safety and well-being of our students is our utmost priority. Visit the Health & Safety pages to learn about our safety policies and procedures. This comprehensive resource contains an overview of practices, along with a 24-hour emergency number, and a link to the Student Handbook, which contains very detailed information on how to prepare for life within another culture.
Parent/Guardian Resources
Please visit the Study Abroad Parent pages, which have been designed to address your specific concerns regarding topics such as acculturation (culture shock and reverse culture shock), Who to Contact When (a list of helpful phone numbers), and Responsibility Guidelines (including Study Abroad, student, and guardians).
Hear from a Discovery Program parent.
Learn About the Discovery Programs
- Review the details of your academic program
- Should you wish to begin on main campus in the fall instead of participating in the Discovery Program, please email lmraney@syr.edu as soon as possible and no later than May 1. Your request will be considered on a space available basis after May 1.
Strasbourg
Recommended Reading
- The Art of Travel by Alain deBotton
- Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
- Dreaming in French: The Paris Years of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Susan Sontag, and Angela Davis by Alice Kaplan