Pre-Departure Checklist

Public Health and Safety Concerns

• Check the official travel advisory and review country information
• Enroll in the STEP Program 
• Check CDC guidelines and recommendations for travel

Personal Health Needs

• All students traveling for study abroad are required to purchase CISI insurance. In addition, some countries require you to purchase health insurance specific to that country. You cannot use personal insurance, or in-country insurance, to waive the CISI insurance requirement. However, you may be able to waive SHIP health insurance for the semester you are abroad. More information can be found in your study abroad application.
• Get a check up before you leave and arrange to get necessary vaccinations if applicable.
• Fill any prescriptions you will need abroad and bring an extra month’s supply. Be sure to keep these prescriptions in their original packaging.
• Bring copies of essential medical records (prescriptions, allergies, vaccinations, etc.)
• Consider both your mental and physical health needs, and research what services will be available in your host country. Discuss with your mental health professional if remote counseling services can be made available while you’re abroad.

Transportation

• Book your Plane Tickets – When booking your tickets, be sure to ask the following questions and get the answers in writing:
  • How much will it cost to change the return ticket?
  • Who do I call to change the ticket? The travel agent or the airlines
  • In case of an emergency what are my options for getting a ticket back to the US?
  • Visit BYOjet or SkyScanner for good deals on plane tickets
• Book additional ground transportation from the airport to where you will be living (if necessary).

Money

• Inform your banks of the dates and locations that you will be traveling and request authorization to use your debit/credit cards in those locations during those dates.
• Make a copy of your credit card and write a letter which you will give to your close relatives in the event of an emergency – The letter should be addressed to the credit card company, giving your parents or someone you trust authorization to cancel your credit card. This is good insurance in case your credit card is lost or stolen.
• Consider bringing a bit of your host country’s local currency to get you started when you first arrive. We recommend using Travelex
• Make arrangements for filing your taxes if you will be abroad during tax season or register for an automatic extension. More information about this process can be found on the IRS website.

Voting

• Apply for an absentee ballot – If elections are scheduled while you are away, you can still vote in your locality by absentee ballot. Check with your local election officials for details on how to do this.

Identity and Belonging

Mines Education Abroad is committed to providing support to students from all backgrounds. Do not hesitate to contact one of our professional staff or peer advisors if you have concerns about how someone from your particular background will be received abroad or about any difficulties you may encounter during your experience. We can also connect you with study abroad alumni who share similar backgrounds and can provide their advice.

Below are some recommended resources that may be valuable to students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

• IES: Navigating Identity and Belonging Abroad
  • Country Specific Resources
  • Dietary Resources
  • Disability, Mental Health, & Self-Care
  • First Generation Students 
  • LGBTQ+ Students
  • Race, Ethnicity, & Nationality
  • Religion & Spirituality
• BeGlobali by DA Global Resources
  • Article Database – Information, stories, and advice for study abroad students.
  • Destination Guides – Most guides provide tips for students

Host Country Culture, Language and travel

• If applicable, brush up on your language skills.
• Research the current events, customs, politics, history, etc. of your host country.
• Consider studying a bit of US history and current events, including historic and current relationships between the US and your host country.
• For travel inspiration, advice, and stories, check out these recommended sites:
  • Diversity Abroad: Destination Guides – These helpful guides provide insight into several aspects of many well-traveled countries. The rest of the site is also good for finding travel inspiration and tips. 
  • Lonely Planet Guides – These guides come highly recommended and offer much information on budget traveling. Lonely Planet offers some useful information on various areas of the world as well.
  • Go Abroad – This site provides the most comprehensive international education and alternative travel databases. Including extensive additional information within its dynamically constructed travel guides, currency converter, and embassy directories.
  • Hostel World – This site provides on-line confirmed bookings for hostels, budget accommodation centers and package tours, as well as comprehensive content such as city and country guides.

Carry-On Checklist: Essential Items

Just in case your larger luggage is lost or stolen, it is good practice to pack essential items in your carry-on bag. These items can include:

• Two days worth of clothes/personal items
• Passport, Visa, Plane Ticket
• Local currrency/cash
• ATM or credit/debit cards
• Health Insurance Card
• Student ID or other photo ID
• Copies of important travel documents (passport, visa, etc.)
• Contact information (phone numbers, emails, physical addresses, emergency contact info)
• Medical Information/documents (allergies, prescriptions, vaccinations, etc.)
• Electronics (phone, computer, tablet, camera, etc.) and their chargers. Consider bringing charger converters that match your host country’s outlets
• Prescriptions in their original packaging (and, if applicable, extra contacts/eyeglasses)
• Empty reusable water bottle

Other Advice

• Carefully check your airline’s baggage restrictions and requirements (including luggage size and weight). This can save you time and money at the airport.
• Don’t pack more than you can carry on your own. By minimizing what you bring with you, you can more easily maneuver in airports, trains, etc.
• Leave some extra space in your luggage for souvenirs (or bring items that you won’t mind donating/leaving behind when you return home)
• Consider your host country’s climate/weather and cultural norms when choosing what clothing to bring.
• Bring a journal to record your experience
• Bring something that reminds you of home
• If you will be living in a home-stay, bring a small gift for your hosts.
• Don’t pack sheets, linens, or towels if you know they will be easy to find in your host country

“Pack less! You will definitely need less than you think you will. If you do need something, your host country will most likely have it.”

– April Lyndon | Mechanical Engineering | Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Nanyang Technological University | Fall 2018 – Spring 2019

” I MAJORLY over-packed. When you pack, keep in mind that you’re going to gain even more stuff while you’re abroad. If you realize you don’t have something you need, you’ll probably be able to find it there, and then you’ll have it as a souvenir from your trip!

– Sammie Inks | Chemical Engineering | University of Aberdeen | Fall 2018

“I decided to join a social media group for international students after being accepted into my university. Before I even set foot in New Zealand, I had already connected with several students online, was given recommendations on the best classes to take, and enrolled in a cultural immersion experience, which turned out to be one of the highlights of my entire semester! If your university offers a program like this, I highly recommend engaging with your host community or other international students online before your arrival.”

– Jocelyn Johnson | Civil Engineering | University of Auckland | Fall 2019

“Start a blog or journal. Recording my experiences in a blog was part of my McBride practicum, but I think this is a good way for any student to keep track of all your amazing adventures. It also helped me reflect on how I was spending my time so I could make the most of my semester.”

– Jocelyn Johnson | Civil Engineering | University of Auckland | Fall 2019

“One of the best decisions I made was to fly out to my host city a few days early, stay in an Airbnb, and explore by myself before orientation. It gave me the opportunity to make a few memories, find my way around, and have some independence before moving in and meeting the people who would become my best friends and adventure buddies!”

– Sammie Inks | Chemical Engineering | University of Aberdeen | Fall 2018

Academics

Your time in France is an approved Mines program, so your semester schedule will be similar, but not identical, to that of a semester at Mines. The courses offered will be taught at SKEMA. Your approved courses and grades from SKEMA will count towards degree completion and will appear on your Mines transcript but will not count towards your Mines GPA. The only exception would be Mines course(s) taught by Mines faculty.

Classes offered are the required core classes for first year Mines students planning to pursue any major.

After they are accepted to the program, a CASA advisor will help students determine their course plan. If a student plans to transfer in more than 12 credits of AP/IB/Community College credits, or intends to graduate from Mines in less than four years, it is suggested they meet with an advisor well in advance to discuss their academic plans, as this program is designed for students to graduate in four years/eight semesters.

Add/Drop Period: Students will receive their class schedule during on-site orientation. Changes may be made during the first week. All changes must be approved by your Mines First-Year Advisor and CEA CAPA staff.

Language: All courses offered through this program will be taught in English. Fluency in French is not required.

Tutoring Support:  Tutoring support is provided by the SKEMA faculty and an alumni advisor will be available on-site for three months of the program to help the students plan for academic success. Tutoring support will also be given directly by the professors of each course. Professors can provide extra materials, exercises, training and support. Students will be able to make appointments with professors in their on-campus offices to discuss class and review the materials, as needed. The average class size at SKEMA is between 5 and 35 students.

Thorson First Year Honors Program: Students are able to participate in the Thorson First-Year Honors Program at Mines while abroad. They will be able to engage with the program through a fully supported hybrid version of the fall semester class and then integrate with the rest of the Thorson cohort in the spring. Please visit the Mines First-Year Honors webpage for more information and the application process. Students in Thorson will only be able to participate in the Fall FYSAE semester.

Grandey First Year Honors Program: Students are able to participate in the Grandey First-Year Honors Program at Mines while abroad. They will be able to engage with the program through a fully supported hybrid version of the spring semester class. Please visit the Mines First-Year Honors webpage for more information and the application process. Students in Grandey will only be able to participate in the Spring FYSAE semester.

Study Groups: There are a variety of study rooms and study spaces available to students for group work at SKEMA, local cafés, and the local Médiathèque. Students are also invited to study and spend time at the CEA CAPA center near their housing in Antibes.

Courses available in the FYSAE program FA26/SP27:

Please note: FYSAE students can take 2 courses listed in blue taught at SKEMA and 2-3 courses in orange taught at the CEA CAPA study center.

FALL term -

Selection of SKEMA Courses Offered (all courses are taught in English):

Chemistry 1 and 2 lecture (lab is taken on the Mines campus) (CHGN 121, 122) – 3 credits + 1 credit when lab is completed at Mines
Statistics for Business Decisions (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Physics I (4 credits, 60 contact hours)
Physics Laboratory (1 credit, 15 contact hours)

Course taught at the CEA CAPA Study Center in Antibes:

Calculus 1 (4 credits, 60 contact hours)
Caculus II (4 credits, 60 contact hours)
Calculus III (4 credits, 60 contact hours)
Introduction to Programming (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Elementary French I (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Food and Culture of France (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
French Civilization & Culture (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Principles of Marketing (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
International Business (3 credits, 45 contact hours)

Courses Taught at the CEA CAPA Study Center in Antibes for FYSAE students only:

Nature and Human Values (approved for substitution for transfer credit)
Thorson Honors IDEAS:HNRS105 is co-taught by a faculty at the Center

Spring term -

Selection of SKEMA Courses Offered (all courses are taught in English):

Chemistry 2 lecture (lab is taken on the Mines campus) (CHGN 121, 122) – 3 credits + 1 credit when lab is completed at Mines
Statistics for Business Decisions (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Physics I and II (4 credits, 60 contact hours)
Physics Laboratory (1 credit, 15 contact hours)
Deformable Solids (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Dynamics of Solids (3 credits, 45 contact hours)

Course taught at the CEA CAPA Study Center in Antibes:

Caculus II (4 credits, 60 contact hours)
Calculus III (4 credits, 60 contact hours)
Introduction to Programming (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Elementary French I (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Food and Culture of France (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
French Civilization & Culture (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
Principles of Marketing (3 credits, 45 contact hours)
International Business (3 credits, 45 contact hours)

Courses Taught at the CEA CAPA Study Center in Antibes for FYSAE students only:

Nature and Human Values (approved for substitution for transfer credit)
Grandey Honors- Leadership by Design:HNRS120 is co-taught by a faculty at the Center

Tutoring Support: Tutoring support will be given directly by the professors of each course. Professors can provide extra materials, exercises, training, and support. Students will be able to make appointments with professors in their on-campus offices to discuss class and review the materials as needed.

Study Groups: There are a variety of study rooms and study spaces available to students for group work at SKEMA. Students are also invited to study and spend time at the CEA location near their housing in Antibes.

Add/Drop Period: Students will receive their class schedule during on-site orientation. Changes may be made during the first two weeks. There is no withdrawal process after the add/drop period.

Both Thorson and Grandey Honors programs are for the full academic year, you take one term abroad only (Thorson abroad in the Fall and Grandey abroad in the Spring). The Honors course replaces two core requirements: HASS 100 and EDNS 151. You apply separately for the Honors program and must be accepted to take the course.

You do not need to be in an honors program to go abroad with FYSAE.

Housing and Meals

Students will be assigned housing in apartments vetted and secured through CEA CAPA. Apartments are fully furnished and house 2-5 students each. A housing information questionnaire will be sent to each student by CEA CAPA; students can request roommates. This information will be used to match students for housing. The apartments will be within a 5-10 minute walk from one another and close to the CEA CAPA office. It is a 20-40 minute bus ride to the campus. The bus to SKEMA is free to all students.

Students are responsible for their meals in France. The apartments have kitchens and students have easy access to an amazing farmers market, delicious cafés, a variety of restaurants, and fabulous meat, cheese, bread, and pastry shops. Meals can also be purchased on campus.

Fall students are guaranteed on-campus housing at Mines for the semester they are on campus. Housing selection is limited, students will not be able to choose a Resident Hall, they will be assigned a room based on availability.

Spring students will go through the normal housing process, but will need to cancel their contract before leaving. Since studying abroad is a Mines activity they will be released from their contract for the spring semester. 

Health and Safety

For questions related to health, safety, and ADA/Accessability matters, we encourage you to review our FYSAE Health and Safety Information. Mines Education Abroad and CEA CAPA are always willing to take specific questions related to these issues as well.

We encourage parents to visit our For Parents study abroad page, which addresses many of the questions that arise before, during, and after a family decides to support their student on a study abroad program.

Costs

A semester abroad does not need to be more expensive than a domestic semester. Here are the most recent costs*

FYSAE COA Budget_FA26

*Current year costs will be released when availible

Starting Fall 2026 additional charges may be added for the courses the student has chosen. These will be disclosed during course selection. 

Included in Antibes Semester Fee:

• Tuition
• Housing – fully furnished apartment
• Airport transportation – arrival and departure
• In-country orientation (includes welcome meal)
• Tutoring
• Excursions (day and weekend trips)
• Cultural Activities
• SKEMA Express Bus pass
• Comprehensive International Health Insurance
• 24/7 support from Resident Director
• Assistance from Mines Graduate Advisor

Not included:

• Tech Fee and Study Abroad Fee: $166
• Meals – Estimated cost $2,000
• Book and materials – $50
• Airfare – Estimated cost $1,600
• Visa – Estimated cost $200 (does not include travel to the French consulate in the US)
• Personal travel (varies based on spending habits of the student) – Estimated cost $1,120

Financial Aid and Scholarships:

• All Mines-awarded financial aid and scholarships are applied to the cost of tuition. Contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions about your Financial Aid amount or terms. 
• For Colorado Residents the College Opportunity Fund (COF) will not apply to the FYSAE cost.  
• Outside scholarships are applied unless the sponsor has specifically stipulated the funds cannot be used for study abroad. Please check with the sponsor.
• This program does not qualify for the use of VA benefits. Students may use VA benefits on other Study Abroad Programs.

Payments:

• After a student is accepted into the program, a non-refundable confirmation deposit of $1000 is due. The student will be provided with directions in their acceptance letter on how to make this deposit. The deposit will be applied to the program costs after Mines Census Day.
• Full payment for the program is non-refundable after June 15. Any cancelation after this date is subject to paying the full tuition for FYSAE AND Mines tuition if the student chooses to study on the Golden campus.
• If Mines cancels FYSAE, the deposit is applied to the traditional fall term or refunded upon request.

Student FAQs

What is the value of study abroad?

Studying Abroad at any point in your college career enhances your world view, develops your professionals skills, and makes you stand out to future employers. Studying abroad as a first-year student can shape the entire trajectory of your college experience, and help you develop skills that will last you a lifetime. Don’t believe us? Consider the following:

• Several studies have shown that study abroad improves retention rates, grade point averages, and language learning, even when controlling for other factors (view the summary on the NAFSA website).
• Only 10.1% of all study abroad students were Engineering, Math, or Computer Science majors in 2023-2024 academic year with only 5.7% being Engineers (view Open Doors Report).
• In 2023-2024, only 4.8% of study abroad students were first-year students (view Open Doors Report).
• More than half of study abroad alumni who participated in a Study Abroad Program between 1999 and 2017 believe that their experience abroad helped them land a job. 78% of alumni said they discussed their study abroad experience during a job interview (view article from Inside Higher Ed).
• A majority of study abroad alumni say that studying abroad significantly increased their development of professional skills, including intercultural skills, flexibility, confidence, interpersonal skills, and communication skills (view full report from IIE).

Why study abroad as a first year instead of an upperclassman?

A First Year Semester Abroad Experience offers students some unique advantages. The program is tailored specifically to the first year students and accepts only first year students, creating the same kind of cohort bonding that typically happens on Mines’ campus. FYSAE students also get the chance to take courses taught on the Mines Syllabus abroad, which typically doesn’t happen in more traditional study abroad programs available to upperclassmen. This ensures FYSAE students receive a truly Mines education in France, while also enjoying the benefits of life abroad. Beginning your college career with international education will give you an advantage over your peers who put off study abroad until junior or senior year (or who don’t study abroad at all). The lessons on cultural sensitivity and a global perspective will influence the rest of your education.

Will studying abroad as a First Year affect my projected graduation date?

Not at all! The Colorado School of Mines FYSAE program is an officially approved study abroad experience at Mines, and all credits earned in the program will count toward your degree as if you took the program’s courses on Mines' campus.

Won’t I miss out on student life at my home campus if I spend a semester abroad?

An FYSAE student’s transition into campus life will undoubtedly differ from students who take the traditional path of spending their first year on campus. However, the FYSAE program is exclusively for Mines first year students so any student who completes the program will return to Mines' campus with strong connections to fellow FYSAE students and to their campus in Golden. Think of this study abroad program as an extension of the Mines campus, rather than a totally separate academic experience. Additionally, all FYSAE students come to the Golden campus for Fall Kick Off and Oredigger Camp prior to departure for France. The FYSAE cohort participates in the traditional Kick Off activities including the M-Climb.

Passports & Visas

Any student interested in this program is advised to apply for or renew their passport as soon as possible. Passports should be valid at least six months AFTER the end of their program. Students will be responsible for obtaining the appropriate visa for the duration of their stay. This may include out-of-state travel to the appropriate consulate for their state of residency. CEA CAPA will provide assistance with visa applications and information.

To obtain the necessary study visa and participate in this program students studying abroad during the Fall Term must be 18 years of age by September 1. Students studying abroad during the Spring Term must be 18 years of age by January 1.

Application and Timeline