The UM Freshman Year Abroad Program is an international program for the global-thinking, adventurous student. The University of Mississippi’s new Freshman Year Abroad Program allows first-year students to complete the first nine months of their UM tenure studying at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland or American College of Thessaloniki in Greece.
These opportunities await students in our FYA groups.
Remember, while you’re exploring a new culture, you’ll still be on your path to a degree and have scholarships available to you just like you would if you were taking classes on the UM campus.
Read more about the program and see if Freshman Year Abroad at The University of Mississippi is right for you.
Unparalleled Advantages |
Earn UM Credit | First Year Excitement
Students’ Security
How to Apply | Eligibility Requirements | Dates & Deadlines
Tuition & Financial Aid | Fees & Inclusions | UM Overseas FYA Sites | FAQ
If you’d like more information, please contact the Study Abroad Office. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Vanessa Cook
Study Abroad Advisor
Division of Outreach and Continuing Education
University of Mississippi
University, MS 38677
Phone: 662-915-5850
E-mail: vanessa@olemiss.edu
Ask anyone who has studied abroad: the experience is living learning. No classroom on a U.S. campus conveys the exciting reality of another culture. The Internet is amazing, but always a substitute. Textbooks and lectures are essential, but never equal to immersion in another country.
Each location’s resources–historical sites, art, libraries, museums, government, and professionals–are fully integrated into courses.
Faculty members have a passion not only for their subjects but for the cities, for the cultures, and for undergraduate teaching. International programs faculty are by nature intellectually curious, globally conscious, energetic, inspired, and inspiring.
Small classes and personal attention create an intimate, liberal arts college atmosphere: no huge lecture classes, much one–on–one instruction–a chance to grow and mature. Our students always find that confidence, independence, and self–knowledge are chief rewards of FYA.
You will take course work at The University of Edinburgh or The American College of Thessaloniki that will later appear on your Ole Miss transcript as UM resident credit. While you’re abroad, you will be registered on the UM campus in 12 hours of US 111. This will keep your registration status as full time and allow you to receive financial aid to help defray some of your semester costs.
At the end of your term abroad, UE/ACT will send your transcript to the Study Abroad Office. At that time your US 111 course work will be reconciled with your UM degree program requirements to reflect the exact courses that you completed while abroad.
Setting off for the world of college is exciting and momentous – anywhere. The UM Freshman Year Abroad may be "off campus," but it couldn’t be more stimulating. Your host city will be your campus: new sights and sounds, ancient history and traditions, rich adventures, and interesting people.
Because students’ welfare is our highest priority, host university staffs maintain constant contact with the UM campus as well as United States officials, both at home and abroad, including the local U.S. Embassies and Consulates. Our security and emergency plans include regular meetings of students and staff in which the safety procedures and precautions – for the host city and for travel – are detailed and re–emphasized.
In order for a student to be considered for the Freshman Year Abroad program at the University of Mississippi, he or she must meet the following requirements:
Once a student has been accepted to UM and submitted his or her program application, the Study Abroad Office will review all materials and contact the student by e-mail regarding his or her placement in the program.
Submit your application for undergraduate admission to The University of Mississippi. The UM application also requires that the following materials be submitted:
Theses materials should be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions, P.O. Box 1848, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677.
Submit your Freshman Year Abroad Application. The FYA application also requires that the following materials be submitted:
The Freshman Year Abroad application and supporting documents should be submitted to International Outreach, 2 E. F. Yerby Conference Center, P.O. Box 9, Corner of University Avenue and Grove Loop, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677.
Note: Additional applications and documentation will be required for students to be admitted to universities abroad and receive the proper visa documentation, as well as complete their registration at UM. These materials will be sent to students selected for the program via e-mail or post as requirements are met.
Applications must be postmarked by March 1 to be considered.
Because participants are coordinating with a university abroad, it is important to start the application process early. Students must apply to and be accepted by The University of Mississippi before their Freshman Year Abroad application will be considered.
In general, it is best to apply to UM during the fall semester and have your Freshman Year Abroad materials to the Study Abroad Office by Christmas. No application can be considered after March 1.
All students selected for the program will be expected to attend an orientation session during the summer prior to their program’s start. The day and time will be announced after participants are selected.
You remain enrolled at The University of Mississippi while in your host country and receive credit for UM classes. This means much of the state and federal aid you would receive on campus – as well as your University scholarships – will apply toward your expenses. You’ll also be billed for tuition and fees through the University of Mississippi as any other Ole Miss student would be.
While enrolled in the Freshman Year Abroad program students will be charged certain fees by the institution abroad. These charges will be billed to the University of Mississippi. The Study Abroad Office will then upload these charges to the student’s UM Bursar Account.
To estimate the cost of FYA and better budget for your year abroad we are providing a list of general expenses related to each program site. The following costs are estimates and are subject to change:
| University of Edinburgh | Approx. USD |
| Tuition | $17,058 per year |
| Room and Board | $1,350 per month |
| Airfare | $1,200 per round-trip flight |
| Personal Expenses | $150 per week |
| Textbooks | $200 - $500 per semester |
| Visa Fees | $250 one-time fee |
| American College of Thessaloniki | Approx. USD |
| Tuition | $9,240 per year |
| Room and Board | $3,300 per semester |
| International Fees | $1,850 per year |
| Additional Meals | $150 per week |
| Airfare | $1,200 per round-trip flight |
| Personal Expenses | $150 per week |
| Textbooks | $200 per semester |
| Visa Fees | $350 one-time fee |
If the student would receive scholarship funds to cover their costs on campus at UM, these funds will be applied toward the cost of the FYA program. Federal and State loans, grants, and scholarships can also be applied toward the cost of the FYA program. Students are encouraged to discuss their intended study plans with the Financial Aid Office in order to be assured that all aid required will be processed appropriately.
Each FYA site offers academic resources that include classrooms, libraries, and computer labs; each is in an exquisite setting; yet each is a facility with unique features.
Scotland is located in the northernmost part of Great Britain and is represented internationally as part of the United Kingdom. Edinburgh is on the southeastern coast of Scotland and serves as the region’s capital. It is the second largest Scottish city, following Glasgow, and is often considered one of the most picturesque cities in Europe.
Not only is the University of Edinburgh one of the UK’s leading universities, but it is also located in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. With its stunning Georgian and Victorian architecture, and winding medieval streets, it’s easy to see why the City of Edinburgh has been listed as a World Heritage Site.
As Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh is steeped in centuries of history and tradition and is the home of the Scottish Parliament. Edinburgh Castle, located in the center of the city, preserves Scotland’s rich, historical past. Despite its well preserved history, though, Edinburgh is by no means medieval. It also enjoys a cosmopolitan and international profile, hosting a number of festivals and receiving more than two million visitors each year.
Home to some of the most popular festivals and golf courses in Europe, there’s little you can’t do in Scotland. Edinburgh is particularly popular for its golf courses Gullane, the Open Championship course at Muirfield, and the Open Qualifying course at Dunbar. It is also home to The Fringe Festival, International Festival, Jazz Festival, and Edinburgh Mela.
Read more about what Edinburgh has to offer at http://www.edinburgh.org/.
Academically, you will find the programs at the University of Edinburgh academically challenging and topically diverse–from the traditional, such as History or Literature, to the cutting edge, such as Artificial Intelligence or Musical Acoustics. Most students are based within the University’s College of Humanities and Social Science which includes archaeology, architecture, business studies, divinity, economics, history, languages, literature, law, music, philosophy, politics, psychology, and social anthropology, but you can also take courses from the College of Science and Engineering. See them all here.
There are also many activities at the University in which students can get involved. Through student associations and academic clubs students can participate in performance groups, campus media, sports teams, charity organizations, or just find the best place to hang out on a Friday night. Each fall the University sponsors Freshers’ Week to welcome students to campus and tell them about all the opportunities available to them during their time at The University of Edinburgh. See what students are doing on campus:
American College of Thessaloniki is a small, private university in Greece that is also a fully accredited American university. The small scale allows individualized attention to students and an average class size of 18. Every student is also assigned a curriculum advisor and has the opportunity to meet with faculty independently if extra classroom help is needed.
Thessaloniki is a lively, cosmopolitan city with nearly 1 million residents and more than 100,000 college students living in its boundaries. Located on the Aegean Sea, it was the Cultural Capital of Europe in 1997, an official site for the 2004 Olympic Games, and was a candidate city for EXPO 2008.
Because of its unique location and accreditation, ACT is home to a diverse student population including Greeks, Eastern Europeans, and Americans. Some students are seeking a degree from ACT, and others are visiting for a semester or year, similar to our Freshman Year Abroad group.
The ACT academic catalog is based on a US university system and therefore offers classes that are a perfect fit for our UM FYA students. The catalog includes all the introductory courses that UM students typically take, as well as electives that can’t be passed up. See all the courses available here.
Outside the classroom, ACT offers student organizations and clubs as well as excursions around the country. See more about what students are doing on campus here.
Thessaloniki is also known for its proximity to some of the best beaches in Europe, as well as Mt. Olympus. Halkidiki is a popular beach only an hour’s drive away and easily reached by bus. Exceptional archaeological sites dating to the times of Alexander the Great and the Roman and Byzantine empires give history, architecture, and art buffs an opportunity to explore inside the city as well. For the low-key weekend, there are a multitude of theaters and live music venues, world class restaurants, and thousands of small, exotic taverns.
Read more about Greece at http://www.visitgreece.gr/.
Don’t see your question here? Contact the Study Abroad Office at abroad@olemiss.edu or 662-915-1508 and we’ll be happy to answer any additional questions.
