Continue Your Education at One of Our College Partners
Looking For a New Home After Your First Year Abroad?
Our College Partners are accredited higher education institutions that can provide you with an easy transition from your first year or semester of college abroad back to campus in the U.S.
These institutions value your experience abroad and the global perspective you can bring to their campuses. They have already evaluated our FYA courses for potential credit transfers.
By transferring to one of our College Partners, you will:
- Know how courses completed abroad will transfer.
- Receive extended support from CIEE in the U.S. and abroad.
- Potentially save on college application costs and fees.
Applying for college after so many incredible experiences abroad can be challenging. Our College Partners work closely with us to ease the stress and help put you on the right academic path!
Plus, transferring with international experience under your belt can be an advantage in college admissions. Colleges seek students who demonstrate both academic excellence and a clear purpose. Studying abroad showcases both qualities – you've successfully completed college-level coursework while pursuing an experience abroad that broadens your perspective.
How It Works
- Apply to one of our College Partners through their web portal by their college application deadline. Choose the semester when you’d like to start following your completion of your FYA program.
- Submit required application documents on your own. These may include documents like a high school transcript, letter of recommendation, mid-semester grades, etc. After you complete your FYA program, you must order your official transcript from Dean College and they will send it to the College Partner.
- Continue your college career at your new college!
Note: You may complete the College Partner’s college application even before starting your FYA program. However, you must be a confirmed CIEE FYA participant before submitting that application.
College Partners
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ | Public | 114,000 undergraduate students
Belmont University
Nashville, TN | Private | 7,300 undergraduate students
Dean College
Franklin, MA | Private | 1,200 undergraduate students
George Washington University
Washington, DC | Private | 11,500 undergraduate students
Goucher College
Baltimore, MD | Private | 1,000 undergraduate students
Kentucky Wesleyan College
Owensboro, KY | Private | 800 undergraduate students
Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans, LA | Private | 3,200 undergraduate students
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA | Public | 21,500 undergraduate students
Siena College
Loudonville, NY | Private | 3,400 undergraduate
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, PA | Private | 2,200 undergraduate students
University of Utah Asia Campus
Incheon, South Korea | Public | 700 undergraduate students
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Frequently Asked Questions
CIEE First Year Abroad (FYA) is an opportunity for you to start your college experience in one of 7 global destinations. Taking general education courses abroad, you can earn 12-13 college credits per semester. These credits are provided by Dean College, the academic home institution and school of record for FYA.
Our college partners want you to bring your global mindset to their institution to finish your undergraduate degree!
These institutions have already evaluated our FYA courses for potential credit transfers. This means that before applying, you can already know how your courses completed abroad will transfer to your new institution.
College partners may provide you with an application fee waiver so you can apply to your new institution with no out-of-pocket expense.
Every college or university has its own transfer credit policy. It’s important to become familiar with your prospective transfer institution’s transfer credit policy. This policy is generally listed on the institution’s admissions or registrar website.
College partners have decided how the FYA courses will transfer to their institution already. This means that if you pick the right courses, you can already know that they will transfer to your new institution.
College partners are colleges and universities that have a strong commitment to international and global education. When comparing students applying for college, they value the unique experience that FYA students have in starting their academic journey abroad.
Research shows that students who study abroad have higher GPAs, higher graduation rates, and higher job placement rates than their peers who don’t study abroad.
After your FYA, you can attend any college or university, even if they are not listed as a College Partner.
You would have to research that institution’s process for applying as a transfer student and provide them with your official transcript from Dean College, the academic home institution and school of record for FYA.
Becoming a College Partner
If you’re a higher-ed institution interested in becoming a CIEE FYA College Partner, please contact Lisa Chetney Leeke, Director of First Year Abroad Partnerships, at lleeke@ciee.org or sign up for a college partner webinar.