UCEAP Global Start Program For First-Year Admits

• Pre-departure and on-site orientations to answer all your questions
• Tailored summer orientation experience at UCLA to welcome you to the UC community
• Students can apply their UCLA financial aid to this program
• Group travel from California to your program location
• Small UC classes with supportive and engaging instructors
• Weekly extracurricular activities and excursions like market tours, museum visits, performances, walking tours, and sporting events to learn more about the host culture
• Volunteer and service opportunities in your host community
• 24/7 health and safety support
• Student health and travel insurance
• Support from UCLA, UCEAP, and on-site staff throughout the program
• Re-entry prep and advising to ensure a smooth transition back to your campus in the winter
• Campus housing guaranteed for when you return to UCLA

• Enjoy a liberal arts experience with small classes and personalized attention
• Satisfy general education requirements
• Learn a foreign language
• Hone academic skills needed to succeed at UCLA while gaining a sense of community and belonging
• Make connections and build a strong network of peers
• Build confidence, independence, and life skills
• Increase your intercultural understanding and adaptability

Summer through Fall quarter

• Summer Orientation in person at UCLA (Session 108, August 25th-August 26th)
• Fall quarter abroad (September 26 –December 13, 2025)

Open to incoming first year students who meet the following criteria:

• Recently admitted to the UCLA College of Letters & Science; students can apply anytime during the application window as long as they submit the Statement of Intent to Register to UCLA by May 1, 2025.
• Be 18 years old by September 26, 2025
• Have a US or EU passport by September 26, 2025 that is valid at least three months beyond date of departure (other nationalities may require a visa)
• Must attend the mandatory summer orientation in person at UCLA taking place from August 25-26
• Students who anticipate needing to take Math 1, Math 31AL, and/or Chem 17 Fall Quarter 2025 are not eligible. Please reach out to our office if you are unsure of what this means.

Syracuse, Italy
In the bustling city of Syracuse, students will find the ideal setting to immerse themselves in the local culture, a unique combination of Italian and Mediterranean, marked by distinctive traditions and some of the best food in Europe. Sicily’s long history as a crossroad of civilizations makes it a perfect place for a cross-cultural learning experience. Syracuse offers a rich and colorful tapestry of street markets, delightful cafés, and the majestic Greek temples of Apollo and Athena, used over the centuries as a place of worship by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Christians.

Eligible applicants will be admitted on a first-come-first-served basis. Financial aid recipients are encouraged to apply while waiting for provisional award letters.

Financial aid eligible students will receive aid to cover all expenses.

Estimates will be updated soon to reflect 2025 numbers.

UCLA contact: Kelly Zuniga (kzuniga@ieo.ucla.edu) and Robert Rodriguez (rrodriguez@ieo.ucla.edu)

UCEAP contacts found on this page: https://uceap.universityofcalifornia.edu/student-resources/uceap-global-start

• How will students make progress towards their degree while abroad?
  • All courses have been approved by the College to satisfy a general education requirement, or to replace a class on campus (i.e. Italian 1 or Psychology 10)
• Is the program open to all majors?
  • The program is open to all majors within the College of Letters and Science.
• Do students need to pay UCLA tuition in addition to UCEAP Global Start fees?
  • No, students will only pay UCEAP Global Start program tuition and fees for Fall 2025. Students are still considered UCLA registered students while participating in Global Start.
• What happens after being admitted to Global Start?
  • Once admitted, you will be invited to a UCLA summer orientation. The Global Start orientation will offer programming to prepare you to go abroad and return for a successful start to your winter quarter at UCLA.
• At what point will financial aid begin to process?
  • Once you submit your FAFSA, your eFan (electronic Financial Aid Notification) will begin to be processed. Before departure, you will have access to view and accept your eFan offer.  The aid will be disbursed approximately 10 days before the start of the program.
• Where are students going to study? Class to housing, etc.
  • Courses are held at the Sicily UC Study Center. The study center includes a library, Wi-Fi in the study lounges, and a computer lab for printing.
  • The Study Center is near various restaurants and shops you can visit before or after class.
  • It will take approximately 15-20 minutes to walk to class from your housing facility.
• How long can students stay in the Schengen Area ?
  • Be Advised: U.S. citizens are not required, or able, to obtain a visa for this program because it is under 90 days. Travel within the Schengen Area for more than a week outside of the program dates is not allowed unless you hold a valid passport from an EU country or Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, or Switzerland. The law allows travelers to be in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days out of the previous 180 days. Your program lasts about 80 days and your 90 day travel period will need to be reserved for your time in the program. If you travel in the Schengen Area for more than a week outside of your program dates, you face fines, deportation, and travel bans, in addition to being withdrawn from the program. It is not possible to get a visa to travel during the summer or stay longer.
• Are early or late departures allowed?
  • Participants must arrive by the date, time, and at the place designated by UCEAP/UCLA. It is also mandatory to stay with the program until it’s official end date.  Students must return back to UCLA to attend winter quarter.
• What kind of pre-departure information and orientation do students receive?
  • During orientation you will receive information regarding financial aid, course registration, housing arrangements, and you will have the opportunity to meet fellow participants.
• What kind of advising do students receive while on this program?
  • Participants will have ongoing support from UCLA and Staff Abroad. A detailed orientation will be provided prior to departure.  On arrival, you will receive an on-site orientation and staff introductions.
• Do students receive help enrolling in Winter 2026 courses?
  • Yes, we host an enrollment workshop in October.
• How do students stay connected to UCLA while abroad?
  • The UCLA cohort will be in frequent communication with the UCLA study abroad office. It is also encouraged to stay connected with family and friends for support while abroad, while being present in their study abroad location.
• What is the re-entry process like in the winter quarter?
  • Our office will host a re-entry meeting with students at the beginning of winter quarter, which is both a social mixer and an informational session informing students of campus resources. The event is designed to help students acclimate to life on campus. We also offer career planning workshops, research info sessions, and other social activities for students to connect with academic departments and other UCLA study abroad returnees.