CU Boulder’s Global Start allows incoming first-year students to spend their fall semester studying abroad while earning credits and completing general education requirements for their degree. This first-of-its-kind program at CU Boulder will start in London this fall.
CU Boulder students participating in an Education Abroad program in London, England, 2016
“Through study abroad, students build independence, self-confidence, resiliency, adaptability and problem-solving skills, all of which play a significant role in both academic and professional success,” said Sylvie Burnet-Jones, director of CU Boulder’s Education Abroad. “Studying abroad your first semester gives you a jump-start on building these skills.”
Participants will live in a residence hall, take classes and go on excursions throughout London and the surrounding area with other first-semester CU students. By the time students arrive back on campus for spring semester, they will have built a community and developed the skills necessary to be successful for the rest of their college careers and beyond.
“Peer institutions that have been running first-semester programs abroad observe that, once they are back on campus, students usually show high retention rates, continued academic success and overall increased engagement and sense of belonging within their home university. The bonds they form with their cohort while studying abroad continue to benefit them at home,” added Daryl Maeda, a professor and the dean and vice provost for undergraduate education at CU Boulder.
Eligible students have confirmed acceptance for CU Boulder for fall 2024 and plan to pursue majors in the College of Arts and Sciences; Exploratory Studies; or the College of Media, Communication and Information. Visit Global Start: First Semester in London to learn about how to apply, and leverage financial aid and scholarships, read about pre-departure support and more.
Education Abroad served more than 2,000 CU Boulder students in 2022–23, its highest-ever enrollment. Established in 1960, Education Abroad administers 425 study abroad programs—including faculty-led, internships, research and field study programs—in more than 64 countries around the world.
