CIS Abroad Response to COVID-19. Updates here.

Advisor Resource Center

Welcome! Here you’ll find handy information and links that make working with us easy.

NAFSA Denver Recap

Read about emerging themes and see fun Amazing Places Race pics!

Read Blog Post

Consulting Services

Our consulting services can help your institution meet its goals.

Explore

Course Syllabus Library

This self serve tool allows you to search for courses and request syllabi. Log into the Advisor Portal to access.

Advisor Portal

Program Finder

Identify programs to meet your students’ needs.

Filter Programs

Advisor Portal

Check the status of your applicants here. Email Kent at kmoore@cisabroad.com for access.

Advisor Portal

Affiliate Program

Join our family of 300+ affiliates across the US or rediscover the benefits of your existing agreement.

Benefits of affiliation

Who We Are

At CIS Abroad, we provide U.S. university students with the best value in education abroad, considering affordability, academic relevance, cultural immersion, and support. We are boldly committed to providing the highest quality service to students, their families, and their home institutions as a trusted partner in education abroad.

We meet you, our U.S. university partners, with integrity and a commitment to our mission, vision, and values. Get to know us by reading more about our approach and focus on affordable, engaged learning and our core strengths.

To learn more about CIS Abroad and our team you can view our most recent affiliate webinar here.

Program dates, deadlines, and fee breakdowns

Do you need a list of application deadlines, the start and end date of one or more programs, a breakdown of program fees, or lists of estimated additional expenses? Look no further!

Academics at CIS Abroad

The programming created and implemented by CIS Abroad reflects high quality academics and co-curricula, with a focus on innovation, distinction, and creativity. Our approach to academics is guided by five principles: Accessibility, Academic Quality, High Impact Practices, our Local Life Co-Curriculum, and Innovation. Read more here, watch the above video, and also see the ‘Academics at CIS Abroad’ section below for more detailed information about accreditation, schools of record, programs by major, micro-credentials, virtual campus internationalization solutions, and more.

Intern & Experiential Learning Abroad programs

CIS Abroad offers a full suite of experiential learning abroad programs, including Intern Abroad programs in over a dozen countries, with placements available in 21 career fields. Under the general category of “internships,” CIS Abroad offers traditional, work-based internships as well as community-based service opportunities and hands-on research placements that will help students apply their knowledge and gain skills that will set them apart. Academic credit is available through our School of Record. Plymouth State University.

In addition to Intern Abroad programs, we are also proud to offer innovative TEFL programs (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), Service-Learning programs, and Micro-internship programs.

For an in-depth overview of experiential learning opportunities at CIS Abroad, view the a recording of our recent webinar Internships Abroad: Considering Standards & Learning Outcomes.

Scholarships, Grants, and Promotions

Did you know that 70% of all CIS Abroad students receive scholarships, grants, or discounts to study or intern abroad? Our scholarships and grants are available spring, summer, and fall, and have been developed to align with our core values and designed to help break down barriers to education abroad for underrepresented student populations. That’s why we offer First-Generation Student Scholarships, TRIO Student Grants, and Student of Color Scholarships, in addition to many others. Please see the above link for more information.

In addition to these fixed funding opportunities, we also offer promotions that vary throughout the year and from term to term. Sometimes they are early-bird promos, sometimes they’re location-based, and then there are student favorites like BRINGAFRIEND and GOAGAIN. Please encourage your students to check this webpage before applying.

While we’re talking financials you can find our Refund Policies here.

Custom Programming at CIS Abroad

Our Custom Programs team is ready to design the program that best meets your institutional goals. Whether it’s a faculty-led program, an internship experience, a semester-long cohort program, or a hybrid model, our team can design the program that best suits your needs. Within every model, CIS Abroad guarantees consistency in communication, logistical expertise, 24/7 onsite support, diligent planning and professional execution. Explore what we offer, learn about or process, and view examples here.

To request a proposal from our team for a custom program, access our questionnaire here.

Risk Management, Emergency Response, & Insurance

Risk Management & Emergency Response

The safety of our participants (your students) is our No. 1 priority at CIS Abroad. Many of us are parents of study abroad alumni, and we know our greatest responsibility is to develop and operate programs with the health and safety of our participants at the forefront of our decisions. We also know, from our own international experiences, that studying or working abroad involves a certain amount of risk. Our job is to mitigate these risks while providing the wonderful opportunities that only life abroad can offer.

In addition to staffing our front-line emergency phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, CIS Abroad’s Emergency Response Team supports the larger work of the Risk Management Team (RMT). The RMT meets monthly to review incidents and examine our responses, ensuring that we adhere to guidelines from the Forum and NAFSA for best practices in risk management and emergency response. Read more about our approach to risk management here.

Emergency Communication

CIS Abroad’s Emergency Communication Plan has been developed to protect the safety and well-being of all program participants, protect CIS Abroad and its partners, and to inform all relevant stakeholders – home universities and families of participants. Read more here about our process for crisis and emergency communications.

Health & Accident Insurance

Our insurance coverage was designed in conjunction with Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI), a brokerage firm that is a leader in the education abroad industry. All participants in onsite programs are automatically enrolled in the CISI Accident and Health Insurance plan as part of their program and are covered for the duration of the program.

Resources available upon request (please email Kent Moore at kmoore@cisabroad.com):

Current Accident and Health Insurance Policy Brochure
Reportable Incident Guidelines for CIS Abroad Working with U.S. institutions
COVID-19 Related Program-specific Risk Mitigation Information (available in our Advisor Portal; contact Kent Moore [kmoore@cisabroad.com] if you need access)

For more information about risk management in relation to COVID-19, please see the ‘Coronavirus Resources’ section below.

The Local Life - Our Approach to Cultural Learning

At CIS Abroad we are committed to helping your students “live the local life.” Built into each of our programs is our Local Life culture series. Facilitated by the CIS Abroad Site Director, the activities combine high energy group challenges with more focused cultural encounters and reflections in order to encourage students to:

create dialogue about issues in the local environment
share cultural experiences and observations with fellow students
engage with the local community
compare culture(s) at home and abroad

For more on the purpose and objectives of our Cultural Curriculum, as well as activity examples and what LVL looks like on different program models, visit this webpage.

Top Programs by Major

The CIS Abroad Program Finder is helpful for viewing all of the programs that might work for a specific major, but we know sometimes you need the top choices from our portfolio, and so we have written a series of blogs recommending semester, summer, and intern programs by academic field. Below are some of the most popular, and you can find all of them here.

3 Minute Program Overview videos

Learn about our program offerings using these quick 3 minute program overviews. Designed for study abroad advisors, these brief videos touch on the most salient point of each program and are an excellent tool for new staff. View the full playlist here or begin watching below.

Fair and Recruitment Resources

We have compiled useful tools and resources to help our US partner universities plan for virtual study abroad recruitment on our Virtual Fair webpage. Check this page for anything you need or send students straight to it. If there is anything else we can do to help, contact Kent Moore, Director of University Relations at kmoore@cisabroad.com

Consulting Services

Our four Pillars of Institutional Support are designed to help you:

Motivate and keep your people
Develop or refine your strategy
Create capacity to do more with less funding
Offer adaptable and accessible programs

Visit our Services landing page to learn more.

Who to Go to for What

Can’t find the information you need here? Reach out to a member of our team!

COVID-19 Updates

We are closely monitoring the COVID situation around the world and doing everything we can to ensure you have a safe and healthy study or intern abroad experience.

COVID-19 Updates >>

Open Programs

We have carefully selected a portfolio of programs for 2023 and beyond.

January 2023

Spring 2023

Explore Open Spring Programs

Refund Policies

During the COVID-19 Pandemic we are making every effort to maintain refund policies that are as flexible as possible.

Refund Policy

Return to Travel Plan

We have made the careful decision to only open programs that we believe will meet our Guidelines for Restarting International Programming: it must be possible for US citizens to travel abroad, and return safely; there must be confidence that the host country is managing the COVID-19 pandemic in a way that would enable students to successfully complete their program; and, the program design, delivery, and advising strategy must be reviewed and potentially altered to mitigate risk to students, faculty, the host community, and onsite staff.

Please also see our February 2022 update.

Program-specific Risk Mitigation Information

Our International Operations Management team has developed site-specific risk mitigation plans for each program that we intend to run in 2021. These are frequently updated to reflect the situation on the ground in each location as it relates to COVID-19.

This information is available via the CIS Abroad Advisor Portal and upon request. Please contact Kent Moore (kmoore@cisabroad.com) to request or to gain Portal access.

Trip Protection Information: CFAR & IFAR

Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) and Interrupt for Any Reason (IFAR) insurance plans are the most flexible travel insurance policies available. CIS Abroad is partnering with CISI, Cultural Insurance Services International (the same organization that provides our medical and accident insurance plan) to offer an additional level of protection to your students for academic travel in 2021. Find more information about CFAR & IFAR here.

Parent Webinars

At CIS Abroad we have always acknowledged the important role that students’ parents or guardians play in the decision and planning processes of education abroad. During COVID-19, this is even more important. We regularly host events for families to come and learn about how students are supported on CIS Abroad programs and to ask questions, whether COVID-related or not. You can access recordings of our most recent webinars below:

Welcome to CIS Abroad: A Guide for Parents and Guardians (for parents of applicants who are 3-9 months out from going abroad)

CIS Abroad Parents and Guardians: Preparing to Travel (for parents of applicants who are 3 or less months out from going abroad)

Virtual Programming

Higher education, and international higher education in particular, has been undergoing rapid change – changes accelerated by the recent events surrounding COVID-19. CIS Abroad has been transforming, too. We’re creating new opportunities to support students in their efforts to internationalize their college experience, both at home and abroad.

Through our Virtual Global Internship programs, students work on projects for an international organization from their home base in the U.S. – while adding a global perspective to their professional work experience. They apply their in-class knowledge to real-world meaningful work, gain hands-on experience, expand their skill base, and learn what it is like to work remotely across time zones and cultures. VGIs are project-based, with students working remotely on tasks and assignments that meet the needs of their internship organization. VGIs can easily be adapted as a 3-credit course that accompanies a semester or summer curriculum.

For educators, CIS Abroad’s Campus Internationalization Solutions are customized program offerings designed to assist global education offices and faculty members internationalize their campus and curricula efficiently and effectively.

Affordable, Engaged Learning

Learn about our approach to academics.

Watch the video >>

Programs for Every Major

Identify programs that fit your students’ academic needs.

Programs by major

Top Programs by Major

Easily digestible blog posts that recommend the best of the best programs for Business, Engineering, Social Sciences, etc.

Good fit options

How to Locate Best-Fit Programs and Access Course Information

Transcript Information & Academic Credit Transfer

CIS Abroad programs are fully accredited and at some of the best institutions in the world. CIS Abroad programs either carry a transcript from the host institution, accredited in that country, or carry a fully accredited U.S. institution transcript. Determining how credit will transfer is a crucial part of the study abroad application process for students, parents, and advisors. We have compiled some guidelines to help facilitate credit transfer process from our host institutions abroad.

We also offer options for academic credit for our Intern Abroad and Virtual Global Internship programs through our School of Record, Plymouth State University. Please see Intern Abroad credit information here and Virtual Global Internship credit information here.

Host Institution Accreditation Guide

Sorting out which universities abroad have which accreditations can be a chore. Use our handy accreditation guide to get a quick list of our study abroad university partners who have AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, NEASC, MSCHE, or QUIP accreditations.

School of Record Relationships

CIS Abroad has two School of Record (SOR) relationships: one with Jacksonville University (study programs) and one with Plymouth State University (intern programs). Each provides us with the flexibility to meet participants and US university partner needs when a US transcript is required for transfer of credit. Find more information here.

Course Syllabus Library

Our Course Syllabus Library is a self-serve tool designed to provide education abroad staff with quick access to syllabi for courses offered on CIS Abroad programs. Our hope is that this will make your life easier and save time while working on curriculum mapping projects and completing course approvals for students applying to CIS Abroad programs.

The Library is accessible from within the CIS Abroad Advisor Portal. If you need Portal access or have trouble logging in, please contact Kent Moore (kmoore@cisabroad.com).

Intern Abroad Program Overview: Standards and Outcomes

Campus Internationalization Solutions

We’ve designed new programs that support your institution’s in your efforts to internationalize campus and curricula efficiently and effectively. Visit the Campus Internationalization Solutions page to learn more about how we can develop customized programming to support your global education office or faculty through initiatives such as:

Global Impact Projects (think group-based, community-focused consulting projects or internships. See examples here)
Working Across Cultures Master Class (an online module series plus supplemental lectures and cultural engagement activities designed to expose students to the concept of culture)
Global Career Skills Series (series of online modules focused on key competencies for global career readiness)
And more!

Please find our Campus Internationalization Solutions brochure here.

Micro-Credentials

CIS Abroad micro-credentials are competency-based, digital forms of certification indicating that students have demonstrated competency in a specific skill or set of skills through participation in our programs. Each credential documents specific key competencies that the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has designated as being essential for new college graduates. They allow educators and employers to more easily recognize the skills a student has developed through experiences such as virtual or on-site internships.

Discover the credentials that are available to your students here and learn more about the requirements and competencies represented by each.

Learning Outcomes

At CIS Abroad, we’ve established a set of learning outcomes that guide the curricular and co-curricular elements of all our programming – and that focus on students’ cultural, professional, academic, and personal development.

Learn more about the specific learning outcomes in each of our various program models here.

Program Overview Videos

Learn a surprising amount about our programs in these bite-sized 3 minute program overview videos.

View the playlist >>

Virtual Global Internships

Learn more about our high quality and highly accessible remote internship programs.

Explore Virtual Global Internships

The CIS Abroad Blog

Explore

Where to Find Program Details

While the best place to look for details on our programs, including host university, course availability, housing, excursions, dates and prices, etc. will always be the program page, there are a number of other great sources of program knowledge as well:

The CIS Abroad YouTube Channel is a great place to start. Here are some recommended playlists:
Check out our lively Instagram account not just for pretty photos but also for informative student takeover content
Visit our blog, where you can select tags that interest you. Here are a few good ones: The Study in Study Abroad, Thailand, First time travel, Top Academic Programs
See what students have to say about our programs: Go Overseas, GoAbroad, Study Abroad 101

Intern Abroad Programs

Our work-based Intern Abroad programs, available in over a dozen countries around the world, are focused on career readiness. We also offer community-based service opportunities and hands-on research placements designed to help students apply their knowledge and gain skills that set them apart.

Academic credit is available for an additional fee through our School of Record, Plymouth State University. All of the details can be found here.

Did you know we have over 400 sample internship placements on our website? See placement examples by career field here.

Quarter/Trimester Programs

We’re often asked if CIS Abroad offers programs that work for institutions/students on a Quarter or Trimester academic calendar, and the answer is yes, though potential participants should pay close attention to program dates and perhaps be open to combining programs to make the most of their time abroad. See our Quarter/Trimester landing page for more details.

Info/Advising Session Recordings

Looking to deep dive into a specific program or topic? We compile recorded advising sessions and informational presentations into a YouTube playlist. See the full playlist here or begin watching below (and check back for more content!).

Veterinary Science Programs in Partnership with Loop Abroad

CIS Abroad has begun a partnership with Loop Abroad to offer outstanding veterinary and animal science programming designed to help undergraduates gain admission to vet school, and gain academic credit as well as career readiness skills.

Our first collaboration, a Veterinary Science Semester in Thailand program available from Fall 2021 onwards. We are also thrilled to launch Pre-Vet Virtual Internships and Applied Science Virtual Research Internships.

Learn more about each of these programs in this informative recent webinar hosted by CIS Abroad President Kris Holloway and Loop Abroad Managing Director Jane Stine.