JCU Goes Global With Direct Exchange Program

John Cabot University partners with 26 different universities worldwide to offer our students the opportunity to study outside of Italy for one semester as part of a direct exchange program. Students pay JCU tuition and fees, but are responsible for their own transportation, housing, and living expenses while abroad. Students must be nominated for the program and are then selected based on academic criteria.

Students can choose from 17 schools from around the U.S., 1 in Puerto Rico, 5 in Europe, 1 in Africa, and 2 in Asia. The most popular destinations in the U.S. are New York and California. Students choosing other countries tend to opt for Sweden or South Korea.

During the Fall 2014 semester, 21 JCU students left Rome to explore a new country and are now back and eager to share their experiences.

This semester, 21 more JCU students have headed off, with 11 of them going to San Diego State and the remaining to Brooklyn College, Cal State, Eugene Lang, University of Miami, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Tilberg in the Netherlands, and Sookmyung in South Korea.

Read what our direct exchange participants from last semester have to say about their experiences:

Alessandro Gregori, Italy
“This kind of opportunity comes along very few times in a lifetime. I will have the best time exploring new ways of life and making new friends without slowing down my academic progress. As an International Affairs major, my wish to create bridges among societies and the need to improve my communication skills are perfectly combined in this experience.”

Anna Koltcova, Russia
“I am an Art History student, and being in the center of Silicon Valley allowed me to see an incredible junction of art and technology through my classes, seminars, and different activities provided by the school and outside of it. This unique experience was very specific to the location, and has broadened my knowledge and understanding of contemporary art.”

Arianna Russano, Italy
“Studying abroad in Korea was a fascinating and instructive experience. It allowed me to acknowledge the values a population so different from mine has, and also strengthened the way I relate to other cultures, besides giving me a more integrated understanding of the International Affairs studies I am pursuing.”

Silvia Calarco, Italy

“Last year, I studied hard in order to achieve good results and an excellent GPA that would allow me to get accepted into the direct exchange program. I succeeded, and now I’m about to leave and make the most out of this experience. I’m going there to build something with the people I’ll meet, in a reciprocal exchange of culture and knowledge.”

Margarita Biryukova, Ukraine
“Studying abroad in California for a semester was like living in another world. It was one of the brightest periods in my life! Studying in another country, meeting new people from around the world, and being part of a huge university community gave me a priceless experience and introduced me to new opportunities in my professional life.”

Edoardo Soglia, Italy
“Everybody say that an exchange semester in another country is an enlightening experience. This is totally true, but you cannot understand its importance until you try it. Studying abroad for one semester did not only permit me to grow academically, but it has also expanded my horizons, and it gave me the possibility to know and appreciate different cultures.”