Eliminating Cost and Curriculum Barriers to Studying Abroad

One year ago, we offered students studying abroad with CIEE the opportunity to take online courses for free through our global host institution, Arizona State University. Our goal was to increase access to study abroad by eliminating cost and curriculum barriers.

Beginning in Spring 2025, students in all 470 CIEE Study Abroad programs across all CIEE international locations had the option to enroll in one or more of the 3,000+ ASU courses offered online. ASU became our global host institution, joining CIEE’s 100 international university partners in providing high-quality, accredited courses to your students while they study abroad.

First year results show two powerful outcomes directly related to our goal of overcoming curriculum and cost barriers:

1. More students from STEM and business majors are leveraging online learning to take the courses they need to stay on track for graduation while studying abroad on the program of their choice.
2. A higher percentage of Pell-eligible and first-generation students are leveraging online learning in study abroad compared to their non-Pell and non-first-generation peers. (wow!)

In the video below, students across three CIEE locations share how they experienced the power of online learning: 
 

The CIEE - ASU partnership provides students with:

• A global, accredited host institution (including AACSB and ABET) so students can stay on track to on-time graduation, regardless of where they want to study abroad with CIEE
• Access to 3,000+ asynchronous, online courses supporting all academic majors, including those with intensive course requirements such as science labs, taught by the same faculty that teach on ASU’s campus in Tempe, Arizona
• An ASU transcript that transfers credit back to students’ home institutions

The momentum is growing. In Spring 2026, hundreds of students from over 100 US colleges will overcome curriculum barriers to studying abroad by taking ASU courses. These students come from public and private institutions and represent over 60 academic majors, including Accounting, Biology, Business, Engineering, Nursing, and Public Health.

While some colleges continue to prevent their students from enrolling in online courses while abroad (a restriction that some might consider a self-inflicted example of one of the most rigid “culture barriers” to study abroad), we applaud those university leaders who recognize the importance of breaking down any and all barriers to study abroad for their students so they are equipped to thrive in today’s interconnected, multicultural, and online world.

To learn more about our partnership with ASU, visit our website, or reach out to your Manager of Institutional Relations to learn how you can help your students overcome barriers to study abroad.