Study Abroad & Funding
Global Engagement Center - Study Abroad Programs
Congratulations on making one of the best decisions of your life - the decision to study abroad! No matter where you go or how long you study abroad, it will change you forever.
Finding your study abroad program is one of the hardest parts of choosing to study abroad. We are here to help you! At SHSU, we have hundreds of approved programs across the globe through our exchange, affiliated, and faculty-led programs. All SHSU approved programs can be found in our Bearkats Abroad Portal, powered by Via TRM. You can start by taking the portals program matching quiz and then browse the portal for additional programs.
Search for Study Abroad Programs
After you find a program (or five!) that interests you, make an appointment with a Study Abroad Advisor to gain additional information and start the application process.
- Faculty-Led Programs
Travel and study abroad with an SHSU faculty member and 10-30 students enrolled in the same SHSU course(s). You enroll in an SHSU course designated for study abroad and earn regular SHSU credits. You pay your normal SHSU tuition and fees plus a program fee to SHSU. It’s important to understand what is included in the program fee and what additional expense you need to budget for, make sure you check out the Estimated Program Cost sheet for each program. Scholarships & financial aid can apply. Courses and destinations vary each year.
All 2024 faculty-led programs will be added in the portal as soon as they are available to apply to, all should be added by mid-October.
**All 2024 faculty-led programs are subject change due to changing travel restrictions in the US and Abroad.
- Exchange Programs
An Exchange Program is where SHSU has a direct bilateral agreement with a university abroad. You pay your normal tuition and fees to SHSU, and attend classes at the partner institution. The courses you take abroad will transfer back to SHSU as in-residence credits and you will receive grades "CR" (Credit) if passed or "NC" (No Credit) if not successfully completed. The credits will count towards hours earned but will not affect your SHSU or overall GPA. You must take at least 12 credits at the partner university if attending a full semester program. Financial Aid can apply & scholarships are available.
University Location Semester École d'ingénieurs de Purpan Toulouse, France Fall, Spring, Summer, Year Fontys University of Applied Science Eindhoven/Tilburg/Venlo, Netherlands Fall, Spring, Year Kobe College Nishinomiya, Japan Fall, Spring, Year Kyonggi University Suwon, South Korea Fall, Spring, Year RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany Fall, Spring, Summer, Year Soonchunhyang University Asan-Si, South Korea Fall, Spring, Year University of Bern Bern, Switzerland Fall, Spring, Year University of Ljubljana Ljubljana, Slovenia Fall, Spring, Year University of Turku Turku, Finland Fall, Spring, Year Université du Québec à Chicoutimi Chicoutimi, Canada Summer - Affiliated Programs
Affiliated program providers are 3rd party companies that provide Study Abroad services that SHSU has chosen to partner with. For these programs you DO NOT pay tuition & fees to SHSU. You pay a program fee directly to the provider that covers your tuition abroad, excursions, housing, and much more. You will receive transfer credit from the university you attend abroad. This means that your grades will only affect your overall GPA, NOT your SHSU GPA. Financial Aid can apply with a few exceptions & scholarships are available. All affiliated programs are listed in our Bearkats Abroad Portal.
Provider Notes 
Automatic $400 grant (semester) or $200 (summer) for SHSU students who attend an AIFS study abroad program, since SHSU is affiliated with AIFS. Other study abroad scholarships & grants are available. AIFS Study Abroad Scholarships, Grants & Financial Support page https://www.aifsabroad.com/financial-aid/
Students may apply for multiple API scholarships (though may only be awarded one) and are encouraged to refer to the list of additional scholarship and funding resources included on their website. Additionally, API gives SHSU a $1,000 award to one or more students participating in their programs as part of the affiliation agreement. API Financial Information https://apiabroad.com/other-resources/financial-information/
API offers internships in almost all its locations. If you are interested in an international internship check out https://members.apiabroad.com/shsu-internships-api/.
Programs in Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico and Spain.
SHSU students attending an Arcos Learning Abroad program receives an automatic $100 scholarship towards the program fee. More information about funding an Arcos program can be found here.
SHSU's Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures has partnered directly with the University of Leipzig in Germany to offer a language and cultural immersion program to SHSU students during the summer term. Students may study at the interDaF institute for 4 or 8-weeks on this high-impact experience that will exponentially increase both your cultural competency and language abilities.
As affiliate partners, SHSU students will get an automatic $200 discount on all ISA programs and are eligible to apply for the Carlos Casteneda semester scholarship of $2,000, which is only available to students from affiliated universities. There are additional ISA scholarships. ISA Funding Your Program page https://www.studiesabroad.com/admissions/funding-your-program/scholarships-and-grants
Visit ISA's Reginal Director Zoe Crowe-Barnes' Virtual Office to learn more, book an advising appointment and find ISA's upcoming events.
TEAN is a sister company of ISA, and students will receive an automatic $200 discount on all TEAN programs as well. You can find TEAN's Financing your Study Abroad Program page at https://teanabroad.org/how-it-works/financing-your-study-abroad-program/.
Book an advising appointment with ISA/TEAN's Reginal Director Zoe Crowe-Barnes to find out more information about their programs.
USAC, a nonprofit organization since 1982, has provided students with life-changing opportunities to live and learn in countries around the globe. They have many affordable, authentic study abroad programs in 26 countries, and strive to provide students with ample opportunities to become engaged, global citizens. USAC awards scholarships and discounts twice a year to assist students with their study abroad expenses.
To transfer courses to SHSU taken on an affiliated program courses must be pre-approved before you leave. Access the below Study Abroad and NSE Course Database to see if your preferred courses have already been approved. If they have not you will need to submit the Study Abroad and NSE Course Approval Request Form. We recommend reviewing courses as soon as you have identified the program you want to participate in.
- Virtual Programs
Office of International Programs offers a wide range of flexible international educational experiences. Sam Houston students can participate in a virtual Internship and/or Study Abroad programs through our Affiliated Programs and International Exchange Programs. Virtual programs vary in length, from two weeks to semester long. Students can choose from credit and non-credit internships, as well as regular academic programs. For more information about programs and benefits of virtual programs visit our Virtual Programs Page