Discovery Program FAQ

If your scores don’t arrive before our office registers Discovery students, we will register you for the required course even if you expect to be exempt. We will adjust your registration accordingly upon receipt of your qualifying score.

Absolutely! Each year Honors students can enjoy beginning their SU career on a Discovery Program. Honors advisors will reach out to you during the summer to explain how the Discovery Program works with your Honors requirements.

All students are charged the same tuition as students on main campus. Each program also carries an additional program fee that covers housing, meals, program-sponsored trips, and onsite support.

Students should also expect some out-of-pocket personal expenses that are not covered by the program fee, such as airfare, passport and visa fees, and personal travel. These additional personal expenses are factored into your Discovery grant.

You can review each respective program’s budget sheet on our Discovery Cost & Aid page. The budget sheets can be found under Program Requirements on the main page for each program.

The Discovery Grant factors into account both SU Main Campus Cost of Attendance (COA) and the SU Abroad estimated Cost of Attendance (COA). The difference between the two amounts is the grant amount.

The Discovery Grant will be applied by the Financial Aid Office and distributed through the student’s SU Bursar account. The application of the grant will make the overall cost of going abroad equal to SU Main Campus Cost of Attendance. Discovery Grant amounts vary depending on the location of the abroad program.

Yes, all students must have a valid passport for the entire duration of the program plus six months beyond the end date (i.e., if the program ends mid-December, your passport must not expire until after June of the following year).

If your passport is expired or expires before June of the following year, you must apply for a new passport ASAP and use the expedited service. You can follow the steps on our website here to apply for an expedited passport.

Note to U.S. citizens applying to study abroad:  Both the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Postal Service are experiencing delays in the processing/mailing of passports.  Syracuse Abroad encourages you to consider applying for an expedited passport which will cost an additional $60 but will reduce the processing time. Check the U.S. State Department website for more information. Depending on your timeframe and because mailing times can be lengthy, you may also want to have your passport application express delivered to the U.S. passport processing agency and have your new passport express delivered to your home.

A student visa is a sticker affixed in your passport that allows non-EU citizens to legally reside and study in Europe for longer than 90 days. Our International Program Advisors will work with students directly to apply for their visa over the course of the summer. A Group Visa Application may be an option depending on your Center.

All students (apart from EU citizens traveling on a valid EU passport, as well as nationals of Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein) participating in the Discovery program must get a student visa prior to departure. Obtaining a student visa is a multi-step process, so it is important that you read through the steps carefully and follow the instructions that your International Program Advisor sends you.

We highly advise against traveling internationally between June 1 and your departure date as it can interfere with your ability to obtain a student visa. If you have international travel already booked, please contact your International Program Advisor immediately.

No, you fly directly from your home to your Discovery destination.  Syracuse Abroad will give you guidelines about when and where you must arrive in-country.

Discovery students may choose to participate in the optional SummerStart program (approximately from beginning of July to mid-August).  You will receive an invitation directly from the Office of Retention and Student Success at Syracuse University. If you participate in the SummerStart program, you will return home after the program and depart for your program from your local airport.

Contact Dr. Kal Srinivas (ksrini01@syr.edu) for more information or if you have questions.

We often have group flights for the Madrid and Florence Centers departing from the New York City area (JFK International Airport or Newark International Airport). Due to French airline regulations, Strasbourg does not offer a group flight; however, Syracuse Abroad will relay all travel information in the months prior to departure for all Centers.

All students will live with a carefully vetted homestay family with another Discovery roommate. Discovery homestays are within a short commute to the Syracuse Abroad Centers and are on a public transportation line. Before your arrival, Discovery students will complete a comprehensive Housing form to notify our onsite Housing team about living habits, dietary restrictions and allergies, and personal information to aid in your placement. All homestays provide breakfast every day and most dinners, plus Wi-fi, linens, laundry, and cleaning. Homestays are the best way to immerse yourself in the culture and learn about your new city!

Host families are vetted by our on-site Housing Coordinators who have years of experience working with both local families and study abroad students. The vetting process includes interviews with the family, onsite inspections, and an application and registration process. Many of our host families have worked with Syracuse Abroad for many years and have hosted Discovery students many times – some families have hosted students for over a decade!

All Discovery students have guaranteed on-campus housing when they arrive in Syracuse in the spring. Through the Discovery program, you will learn more about registering for main campus housing, meal plans, and selecting a roommate. Students will complete their housing application around mid-October. The Housing office typically sends information regarding their housing placement in the beginning of January.

Students can certainly indicate a roommate request (Discovery or non-Discovery) directly on their application, but our ability to accommodate will be based on the space we have available. If the main campus Housing office is unable to accommodate the roommate preference made, the Housing office will be in contact directly with the students to discuss an alternative.

We understand it can be nerve-wracking and we’re here to help! There will be organized events during your first week on campus, including a Discovery Welcome Lunch hosted by Syracuse Abroad. We will also connect you with other Discovery students, as well as Discovery alumni (Global Ambassadors) to help you create community here in Syracuse.

Both Syracuse University and Syracuse Abroad are here to make your transition from living abroad to living in Syracuse as seamless as possible.

If it fits into your schedule and your academic goals, you may study abroad as many times as you like! We recommend you meet with your academic advisor and an International Program Advisor to discuss your long-term study abroad goals.