San Diego State offers a wide variety of programs for students who are looking to or are required to study abroad.
SDSU Exchange
The SDSU Exchange program is a popular study abroad option for students.
A reason many students choose this program is because students still pay SDSU tuition instead of an international tuition at their university abroad.
This often makes the SDSU Exchange program more affordable in comparison to other programs.
The exchange program is offered for both short term and long term programs over the summer or for an entire academic year. A requirement to apply for SDSU Exchange is 2.5 GPA.
“I did the SDSU exchange program in Heidelberg, Germany for a semester and it absolutely changed my life,” study abroad peer advisor and business marketing senior Jaynie Lee said. “I made international friends from all over the world that I’ll be able to visit in the future.”
The California State University International Program
The California State University International Program is another study abroad program that offers 62 programs offered across 18 different countries.
Sydney Gebroe, senior classics major and CSU-IP global ambassador for SDSU, participated in a program in Florence, Italy.
“This program was great because by the second semester, you’re no longer making mistakes and you no longer feel like a tourist,” Gebroe said. “You really feel like you’re a part of the culture and the city. It meant so much to be able to do this for my major and my own experience.”
The international program is only offered for the academic year. Students are able to pay CSU tuition and pay their room and board fees to the institution they choose to attend.
Depending on the study abroad program within CSU, students may also be required to take a language course pertaining to the country they will be studying in. Students are required to have at least a 2.7 GPA in order to partake.
International Student Exchange Program
The International Student Exchange Program, also known as ISEP, has programs offered during the summer, for a semester or for a full academic year.
The International Student Center said this program really allows students to become a part of the mainstream university life in their host country.
Students enroll in classes with both local and international students. If a student chooses to study abroad through ISEP, they will have over 100 international universities to choose from.
Faculty-led programs
SDSU offers faculty-led programs, which tend to be shorter. They are offered during summer, winter, spring break and for full semesters.
Students can also study abroad through independent programs, although they tend to be more expensive than programs offered through the university.
For those students looking to gain hands on experience in their major, there are also opportunities to work or intern abroad.
“I want to intern abroad because I think it would provide me with really valuable experience for my future career and it would also look great on a resume,” Chelsea Guevara sophomore social work major, said. “I want to have experience working and dealing with a wide range of diverse people and I think interning abroad would be the perfect opportunity for that.”
SDSU offers a wide range of financial aid and scholarships to assist students while studying abroad.
The International Student Center can also help students find study abroad programs that work for them financially.
The first step to studying abroad is attending a mandatory information session. These are offered various times during the week in the International Student Center.
After students attend the informational meeting, they can meet with a study abroad advisor to discuss their options.
The International Student Center during offers walk-in advising hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Appointments can also be made Monday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm or Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m
