ACADEMIC YEAR 2009-2010
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.
So, while your exploring a new culture, you’ll still be on your path to a degree and have scholarships available to you just like you were taking classes on the UM campus.
Read more about the program and see if you can become a member of inaugural Freshman Year Abroad class at the University of Mississippi.
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.
Maury Breazeale
Study Abroad Office
359 Martindale
PO Box 187
University of Mississippi
University, MS 38677
Phone: 662-915-1508
Fax: 662-915-6798
E-mail: maury@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 took 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 details and re–emphasized.
To be considered for the Freshman Year Abroad program you must meet the following requirments and complete and/or submit the following materials:
The application for admission also requires:
These materials should be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions,
PO Box 1848, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677.
The application also requires:
The Freshman Year Abroad Applications, and all required supporting
materials, must be submitted to the Study Abroad Office, 359 Martindale,
PO Box 187, University, MS 38677.
Once accepted to the program by The University of Mississippi, students will be required to complete a special application packet to the University of Edinburgh. The Study Abroad Office will distribute application packets directly to selected students. The University of Edinburgh makes a final decision on the student's acceptance in the Freshman Year Abroad program.
Applications must be postmarked by March 1 to be considered.
In order for a student to be considered for the Freshman Year Abroad program they 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.
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.
This cost will be billed through your UM Bursar Account each semester and should be paid to The University of Mississippi. Fees/inclusions for UE/ACT are approximations and vary
according to the exchange rate at the time of billing.
General cost estimates for other needs while abroad are as follows:
| University of Edinburgh | Approx. USD |
| Tuition | $10,000 - $12,000 /semester |
| Room and Board | $3,500 - $4,500 /semester |
| Additional Meals | $12 - $20 /day |
| Airfare | $1,200 - $1,500 |
| Personal Expenses | $200 /week |
| Textbooks | $250 - $500 /semester |
| Visa Fees | $212 |
| American College of Thessaloniki | Approx. USD |
| Tuition | $4,380 /semester |
| Room and Board | $2,970 /semester |
| Additional Meals | $30 /day |
| Airfare | $1,200 - $1,500 |
| Personal Expenses | $2,000 /semester |
| Textbooks | $200 /semester |
Most scholarships granted by The University of Mississippi can be applied to these costs. Additional financial aid may also be available. Contact the Study Abroad Office for more details at abroad@olemiss.edu or 662-915-1508.
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.
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.
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.
At the University of Edinburgh, it is easy to get involved in a wide variety of sports, music, drama, or other extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations.
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.
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.
Outside the classroom, ACT offers student organizations and clubs as well as excursions around the country. Thessaloniki has given Greece some of its greatest musicians, artists, poets and thinkers. It has some of the most beautiful beaches and has some of the finest hotels and best restaurants in northern Greece. Stops at Mt. Olympus and the beaches of Halkidiki are on the semester travel list, as well as time at theaters and live music venues in the city.
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.
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.
