This Switzerland program, based between Geneva and Brig at the foot of the Zermatt, will offer students the opportunity to document and report on climate change through journalism and strategic communication approaches. Students will engage with key actors of local associations and worldwide organizations. Guest speakers may represent journalists as well as organizations such as the World Meteorological Association, the United Nations, the Swiss National Center for Climate Services, and more. Throughout the program students will experience the natural beauty of the region first-hand through mountain hikes, excursions to glaciers, and residing in the Alpine town of Brig to fully comprehend the scope of the climate crisis.
Do not purchase airline tickets until advised to do so by International Programs.
This program is open to all interested undergaduate and graduate students. Students will be required to complete online coursework before and after the program.
Participants will be housed in shared double hotel accommodations with ensuite bathroom while in Geneva. In Brig, participants reside at the Culinary Arts Academy in shared accommodations with an ensuite bathroom. Overnight guests are not allowed in program housing.
Plans may change due to events and/or new opportunities. Cultural immersion and social events planned for this program may include:
To speak with the International Programs Academic Advisor about study abroad courses, contact our advisor directly at IP-AcademicAdvising@fsu.edu to make an appointment.
IP provides CoreFSU requirement areas to help students make informed decisions. Although every attempt is made to be accurate & current, these designations can be fluid and it is the student’s responsibility to confirm all CoreFSU requirement areas through the CoreFSU Course Search Tool and your major advisor.
Session GE99 | Summer 2025 | ||
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Course | Title | Satisfies | Credits |
COM3930 | Special Topics in Communication: Documenting Climate Change* In this course students will engage with key actors (journalists, public officials, and members of international organizations such as the World Meteorological Association) directly onsite in Geneva and the Swiss countryside to understand how climate change affects the country. Students will report through writing, photography, video, and/or audio on societal, political, economical, and environmental issues associated with climate change in this country and its international consequences. They will produce content to feature their editorial work. | 3 | |
COM5906 | Directed Individual Study* Duplicate registration allowed. Departmental approval required. In this course students will engage with key actors (journalists, public officials, and members of international organizations such as the World Meteorological Association) directly onsite in Geneva and the Swiss countryside to understand how climate change affects the country. Students will report through writing, photography, video, and/or audio on societal, political, economical, and environmental issues associated with climate change in this country and its international consequences. They will produce content to feature their editorial work. Graduate students will be able to develop research ideas and/or pursue individual studies as part of their theses/dissertations or with the objective to submit a paper to a conference. | 3 |
*/**/***/****/^ Courses followed by these symbols denote cross listing. Students may take one or the other, but not both.
We understand financial considerations heavily influence study abroad decisions. The International Programs Financial Team hosts financial aid workshops and can answer financial aid questions during in-person advising appointments or via email: IP-FinancialAid@fsu.edu.
Program Fees
Instead of main campus tuition, participants pay an International Program (IP) fee that typically includes instructional costs for a set number of credit hours, housing abroad during the program dates, international health insurance coverage, plus excursions & group activities. Each program fee is listed on the garnet Description tab of the program page, along with the specific expenses that are/are not included.
Payments
The program fee is split into two payments: a non-refundable ‘commitment fee’ followed by a second ‘full payment’ to pay the remaining balance of the program fee. Check the garnet Dates & Docs tab of the program page for specific payment due dates. To make a payment, click here. Always review the cancellation & fee liability policy for your program before making a payment or deferment.
Financial Aid
Almost all sources of Financial aid (Florida Prepaid, Bright Futures, Loans, Grants, VA funding, Scholarships) can be used toward program fees. Click the boxes below and review the IP Financial Aid Handbook to learn more about financial aid for studying abroad, including the fee deferment process that allows those receiving financial aid to delay paying a portion of their program fee until the beginning of their program term, when most financial aid will have disbursed. A deferment does not reduce your balance owed, it only changes the due date.
For information about the 1098-T form, click here.
Florida Bright Futures scholarship funds may be used to help pay the program fee for every semester a student is abroad.
The Florida Department of Education website contains additional information concerning eligibility, renewal criteria, appeal processes and legislative updates.
Credit Hours | Bright Futures Academic | Bright Futures Medallion |
---|---|---|
3 | $640.65 | $480.48 |
6 | $1281.30 | $960.96 |
7 | $1494.85 | $1121.12 |
8 | $1708.40 | $1281.28 |
9 | $1921.95 | $1441.44 |
10 | $2135.50 | $1601.60 |
11 | $2349.05 | $1761.76 |
12 | $2562.60 | $1921.92 |
13 | $2776.15 | $2082.08 |
14 | $2989.70 | $2242.24 |
15 | $3203.25 | $2402.40 |
16 | $3416.80 | $2562.56 |
17 | $3630.35 | $2722.72 |
18 | $3843.90 | $2882.88 |
Note: Eligibility for Bright Futures in the summer requires enrollment in at least six credit hours.
Florida Prepaid (FPP) tuition and local fees and/or dorm benefits may be used to pay International Programs fees.
To use a Florida Prepaid dorm account during the summer term, the purchaser of the Prepaid account must contact Florida Prepaid and complete the steps required to authorize use of the summer dorm plan for studying abroad. All other plans will be billed by FSU without additional authorization.
Contact Florida Prepaid directly at 1-800-552-4723.
# of Credits Enrolled | FPP Tuition | FPP Local Fees* | Dorm Rate |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $115.08 | $34.73 | $4050.00 |
2 | $230.16 | $69.46 | Per Term** |
3 | $345.24 | $104.19 | |
4 | $460.32 | $138.92 | |
5 | $575.40 | $173.65 | |
6 | $690.48 | $208.38 | |
7 | $805.56 | $243.11 | |
8 | $920.64 | $277.84 | |
9 | $1035.72 | $312.57 | |
10 | $1150.80 | $347.30 | |
11 | $1265.88 | $382.03 | |
12 | $1380.96 | $416.76 | |
13 | $1496.04 | $451.49 | |
14 | $1611.12 | $486.22 | |
15 | $1726.20 | $520.95 | |
16 | $1841.28 | $555.68 | |
17 | $1956.36 | $590.41 |
International Programs strives to award an average of $200,000 in scholarships annually to about 100 students.
Current FSU students who have applied to an international program can apply to the International Programs scholarship opportunity through the FS4U portal (link below). Before applying, students should review the list of available awards that are made from this opportunity as well as the application process instructions.
Program Start Date | Scholarship Open Date | Scholarship Application Deadline | Scholarship Award Decisions Communicated to Applicants |
---|---|---|---|
Spring 2025 | April 29, 2024 | September 4, 2024 | Prior to September 18, 2024 |
Summer 2025 | November 1, 2024 | December 31, 2024 | Prior to January 15, 2025 |
Fall 2025 | January 5, 2025 | April 23, 2025 | Prior to May 1, 2025 |
Spring 2026 | April 28, 2025 | September 3, 2025 | Prior to September 17, 2025 |
Other departments at FSU also offer their own study abroad scholarship opportunities. You can review the list of scholarships administered by other FSU departments by following the link below.
Other departments at FSU also offer their own study abroad scholarship opportunities. You can review the list of scholarships administered by other FSU departments by following the link below.
Follow the link below for a general listing of scholarships that may be available for international study. These scholarships are available to both FSU students and non-FSU students.
Multi-Term Discount
Students who have completed 15 or more credit hours on programs administered by the International Programs office, earning at least a 3.0 average or above in their course work at an international location(s), are eligible for a discount for subsequent IP program. The discount is $500 for summer session or $1,000 for fall or spring semester. Note: This discount is built into the program fees for First Year Abroad program students.
FSU assesses a technology fee which is NOT included in the International Programs fee. The technology fee rate for 2024-2025 is assessed at $5.25 per credit hour for all students, regardless of location of study.
After registering for classes for the term abroad, the student will be charged the applicable technology fees; these fees are paid directly to Florida State University Office of Student Finance. Failure to pay these fees will result in a late payment charge being assessed to the student by Florida State University Office of Student Finance. International Programs has no control over these fees or any associated late payment penalty.
International Programs fees do NOT include Facilities and Equipment Fees, which are assessed each semester for some majors (Medicine, Motion Pictures Arts, Music, Nursing, Fine Arts, Dance, Digital Media Production, etc.) even though you are studying overseas. If you are in one of these colleges/majors, you will be assessed a fee. Details can be found on the Registration Guide, under 'Fees and Financial Information.'
The world is within your reach! Talk with a member of IP's Finances Team to learn how your financial aid can help you have a study abroad experience of a lifetime!
Book an appointment with an IP Financial Aid representative, click here. For additional questions, contact us at IP-FinancialAid@fsu.edu. Be sure to follow us on social media @fsuip for updates.
If a student will be receiving any form of financial aid or payment assistance, including Bright Futures, Florida Prepaid, other scholarships, veteran’s benefits, or has a 529 savings plan and needs additional time to gather those resources, the fee deferment allows those receiving assistance to delay paying a portion of their program fee until the beginning of their program term, when most financial aid will have disbursed. A deferment does not reduce the balance owed, it only changes the due date of the portion deferred. All amounts deferred are due 10 days after the program term starts. Always review the cancellation & fee liability policy for your program before completing a deferment. The online fee deferment is located in the International Programs Student Portal under the Money Matters area. Login here to access the portal.
All cancellation requests must be sent directly by the applicant via email to IP-Cancel@fsu.edu.
When submitting your cancellation request, please ensure your email includes:
Subject Line: Include your last name and the program code.
Email Body: State the reason for cancellation, include the program code again, and provide your campus ID or EMPLID.
The date that FSU International Programs receives the written cancellation request will be considered the official date of cancellation/withdrawal. Participants admitted to an International Program who cancel after the payment due date has passed will still be responsible for the program fees as outlined below.
No refunds or releases from fee liability are possible after a program has begun or after the program or semester has ended. Full refunds, including the Commitment Fee, are granted only under specific conditions such as involuntary military duty, death of the student or immediate family member, prior to the program start, with appropriate documentation.
To request a partial refund or release of liability, please submit your appeal to the International Programs Refund Committee. Appeals should be emailed to IP-Cancel@fsu.edu with the following details:
If additional documents or further explanations are required, they will be requested by the committee to ensure a thorough review and to aid in making a fair decision.
Please note that submitting an appeal does not guarantee approval.
The Refund Committee will consider the timing of the cancellation in relation to the event necessitating withdrawal and the start date of the program. Approved appeals
based on medical withdrawal or exceptional circumstances may result in partial refunds or releases from fee liability, depending on the cancellation date.
When evaluating appeals, the Refund Committee considers the timeliness of the cancellation request in relation to the event causing the need for withdrawal and in relation to the program start date. Should the Refund Committee approve an appeal on the basis of medical withdrawal or exceptional unforeseen circumstances, participants may receive a partial refund / partial release of fee liability as determined by their cancellation date in the chart below:
If Cancellation Date is… |
Participant's Financial Liability if appeal is approved by IP Refund Committee |
Max amount of refund / release of financial liability if appeal is approved by IP Refund Committee |
60 days or more before program start date |
Commitment Fee + 25% of remaining program fee balance |
75% of program fee balance after the commitment fee |
59-31 days before program start date |
Commitment Fee + 50% of remaining program fee balance |
50% of program fee balance after the commitment fee |
30 days or less before program start date |
Commitment Fee + 75% of remaining program fee balance |
25% of program fee balance after the commitment fee |
On or after program start date |
Liable for full program fee | No refund/release of financial liability |
Refunds of program fees/release of liability for program fees will be granted when International Programs cancels a program prior to the beginning of the applicable term.
If FSU International Programs cancels an International Program after the program start date (or after the start of domestic or online coursework prior to the study abroad component of Spring Break/short-term programs) due to causes beyond the control of FSU International Programs, including, but not limited to, acts of God; natural disasters; riots; war; epidemics; terrorist activities; government restrictions; failure of suppliers, subcontractors, or carriers; or travel warnings or prohibitions issued by the World Health Organization or any U.S. federal government agency, including the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of State, no refunds of any kind will be issued. However, FSU International Programs, in its sole discretion, may issue refunds for unused program costs such as housing.
The $100 application fee is nonrefundable.
The $1500 confirmation deposit is refundable until the close of business on the deposit’s due date. If an applicant has paid the deposit or been granted a deferred payment plan for the deposit and has not withdrawn from a program as of the close of business on the deposit due date, the applicant becomes fully liable for the confirmation deposit. Students whose offer of admission to Florida State University is rescinded after the confirmation deposit is paid or deferred (in accordance with the due date) will not be able to participate but remain fee liable for the confirmation deposit.
Program applicants who have demonstrated their intent to participate in the program by payment or by deferral of the confirmation deposit and who have not withdrawn from the program as of the full payment due date become fully liable for the full program fee as of the close of business on the full payment due date.
Refunds of program fees WILL BE granted in instances of withdrawal prior to the start of the program under the following circumstances:
Refunds of program fees will not be granted where a student becomes ineligible to participate in a program for failure to meet or maintain admission requirements.
Partial refunds of program fees MAY BE granted in instances of withdrawal prior to the start of the program under the following circumstances:
All withdrawals, requests for refunds, and requests for release from fee liability must be submitted in writing via email to International Programs. Applicants should include their last name and program code in the subject line of the email.
Alternatively, requests can be submitted in writing to International Programs at the following postal address:
Attention: Refund Committee
Office of FSU International Programs
A5500 University Center
282 Champions Way
P.O. Box 3062420
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2420
U.S. citizens are not required to obtain a visa to study abroad for this program and are permitted up to 90 days of travel within Switzerland and the Schengen Area, however, you may be required to register with the European Travel Information Authorization System (ETIAS). Relevant information regarding the ETIAS registration process and timeline will be provided to admitted participants through the International Program student portal. If you plan to travel before or after your program, please ensure that you will not be in the Schengen Area for longer than 90 days.
Summer 2025 | ||
---|---|---|
Applications Open* | Wednesday, October 09, 2024 | $100.00 |
Scholarship Applications Due | Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | |
Commitment Fee Due | Wednesday, January 15, 2025 | $1500.00 |
Full Payment Due | Wednesday, February 12, 2025 |
*Early application is advisable as program enrollment is limited and acceptances are offered on a rolling basis.
***
For 60 years, Florida State University International Programs has been committed to providing a rewarding academic and cultural experience that enriches the lives of our students. Our highest priority is and always has been the welfare and security of our students.
Program directors maintain contact with our Tallahassee office, local authorities, and United States officials, both at home and abroad. Each program holds meetings with students in which safety procedures and precautions are detailed and regularly re-emphasized. Each program has an Emergency Plan which includes details about local health care facilities, meeting points and procedures, and contingency plans and funds should it ever become necessary to evacuate our students.
Students are reminded to inform International Programs of the details of their independent travel details via our online travel form, heed US State Department travel advisories, and take relevant emergency and US Embassy/Consulate contact information with them.
Students venture abroad to experience other cultures, and to gain a deeper appreciation of their role as American citizens in the world. FSU International Programs is fully committed to helping students realize these aspirations in a safe and secure learning environment.
All International Programs fees include international medical and evacuation insurance coverage through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). A link to our policy is provided below. The coverage will be effective for participants from the day the program starts until the day the program ends. Please note: this policy is NOT intended to replace your domestic coverage. For more information, visit studentinsurance.fsu.edu.
FSU International Programs encourages program participants to consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance comes in many forms and can protect you in case you need to change your travel plans due to unforeseen circumstances. The coverage ranges from help with lost baggage to delay in flight plans to trip cancellation.
Travel insurance that covers fees associated with changing your airfare plans is especially helpful for those attending programs that require entry or student visas. Immigration approval can take months with regulations changing often that can cause the need to delay or cancel flight plans. Often airfare arrangements are non-refundable or cannot be changed without fee penalties. Certain types of trip cancellation insurance will reimburse you the cost of your airfare or penalty fees. Travel Insurance must cover failure to obtain visa.
You may wish to begin researching travel insurance and trip cancellation policies by using the Travel Insurance Review website. Their Travel Insurance 101: The Complete Guide to Travel Insurance section is particularly helpful for those just beginning their research. They also have a section that allows you to compare different policies.
Travel insurance is also offered through CISI and Travel Insured International. Please note that this plan must be purchased within 21 days of paying your first fee. For example, if looking to insure the cost of the program, the plan must be purchased within 21 days of paying the commitment fee to International Programs. If wishing to insure only the cost of the flight, the plan must be purchased within 21 days of purchasing airfare.
In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Florida State University study center safety guides include institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The report also contains statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off campus buildings or property owned or controlled by The Florida State University; and on public property within or immediately adjacent and accessible from the campus. A paper copy is available upon request to FSU International Programs at A5500 University Center, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2420, or by contacting FSU International Programs at (850) 644-3272 or (800) 374-8581.
Copies are also available from the study center administrative offices, or you may download from the links below: