Third Party Program (TPP)

What is a TPP? 

TPPs are study abroad opportunities wherein a student utilizes a pre-approved third-party organization  to select the perfect study abroad program that matches their unique time restraints, academic needs, or other niche parameters.

 

What is the TPP Approval Process?

All students participating on a TPP program must receive approval from the FIU Office of Education Abroad. We have provided a list of pre-approved partners on this page. 

 

Why Choose A TPP?

They’re a great option if you:

🗣️ Don’t speak the language of the country you’d like to go to

🌍 Want to study in a destination not currently offered by the Office of Education Abroad

📚 Are looking to study a topic not offered at FIU/another education abroad program

🤝 Want to study and travel with a vetted and trusted partner

 

Approved TPP Providers

NOTE: Starting in the Spring 2027 cycle, all FIU TPP students must utilize an approved Provider (listed below). 

Direct-enrollment programs offered by our current Exchange partners are also eligible for TPP, for example: 

 

 

General Information

  • Dual Application Process: Students participating in a TPP must complete two applications; one in the FIU portal and another in the Provider's portal. 
  • Transfer Credits: The Office of Education Abroad will work alongside students to ensure that courses taken abroad on TPPs will transfer back to FIU. 

Financial Aid

Whether or not you can receive financial aid for a Third Party Program depends on the particular program that you’ve chosen. In order to determine if your program of choice is financial aid eligible, please contact the Office of Financial Aid directly. 

  • Phone: (305) 348-7272
  • Email: onestop@fiu.edu

Note: If you are receiving an FIU specific scholarship (Presidential Scholarship, Merit Scholarship, etc.) and you choose to participate in an Third Party Program, you may lose that scholarship.

Important Dates

Summer 2026 Cycle

  • Applications Closed

Fall 2026 Cycle 

Applications CloseJune 13, 2026, 5pm EST
Application Materials DueJuly 10, 2026, 5pm EST

Spring 2026 Cycle

Applications OpenJuly 31, 2026
Applications CloseTBA
Application Materials DueTBA

 

General Dates

Applications will be available to students by the following dates:

  • Summer, Fall, or Academic Year - Early January 
  • Spring - Early July

All application materials must be submitted by the following dates:

  • Summer: April 15*
  • Fall or Academic Year – June 13*
  • Spring – November 1*

*Deadline dates are subject to change

Eligibility 

Each Third-Party Program provider will have different requirements for their programs. The following are the minimum eligibility requirements for FIU: 

  1. GPA: Minimum 2.5 GPA (some programs may have higher GPA requirements; check the provider's website for specific details) 
  2. Timing: No student can participate in a TPP during their last semester (transcripts take at least 1 semester after the program is completed to process). For Spring/AY applicants, if you graduate during the summer term immediately following your time abroad, you do not qualify. 
  3. UCCs: All UCCs must be completed before departure. 
  4. Transfer Students: Must have completed at least one semester at FIU, have an established FIU GPA, and be assigned to an academic advisor prior to applying. 
  5. COB: The following apply only to students in the College of Business -- 
    1. Students may not participate in a TPP in their last two semesters. 
    2. COB Minor courses cannot be taken abroad. 
    3. All COB Pre-Core requirements must be completed. 

Fall/AY 26 TPP Application Checklist

  • Step 1 – Begin an TPP Advising Application

    To get started, you must first create an TPP Advising Application. You can do so by clicking the following link. This application will includes:

    1. TPP Introduction Prep Video
    2. TPP Video Quiz
    3. Student Academic Information Questionnaire
    4. Study Abroad Academic Pre-Approval Form (completed in consultation with your academic advisor)
    5. TPP Program Inquiry
    6. TPP OEA Interview (Discuss your program of interest)

    You can only be considered for the TPP program after completing the TPP Advising Application. 

  • Step 2 – Explore/Search Programs

    You can choose from enrolling in another university whether in the U.S. or abroad, going through a provider/company, or doing a partner-based program. 

    FL State Universities: Search the study abroad websites of other FL state schools and other US Universities (For example, try typing “USF Study Abroad” into Google). We send lots of students on programs through USF, FSU, FAU, and UF.

    • Third-Party Program Direct Enrollment/Providers
    • Third-Party Program Internships/Research
    • Third-Party Partner Based Program

    Remember to compare the prices for these programs with the prices for programs offered through FL state universities.

  • Step 3 – Check Eligibility

    If you find a program that interests you, look up their application requirements, deadlines, course offerings etc. You’ll also want to reach out to the appropriate office via phone or email to learn additional program details, such as housing, excursions, and where your transcript is issued. Keep in mind that you must check to see that they accept outside students to participate in their programs.

    Elgibibity Requirements for TPPA: 

    • Minimum 2.0 GPA
    • FIU Students are not eligible to participate in the ISE program during their last semester.
      • College of Business students must have at least two semesters left to graduate after they return from the ISE program. 
    • Students can take 3+ credits or more towards their major, minor, or general degree program while abroad
      • COB minors cannot be taken abroad
    • All University Core Curriculum (UCC) must be completed. 
      • COB students must complete all UCC and COB pre-core requirements.
  • Step 4 – Appointment with Academic Advisor

    Academic Advisor 

    You should then make an appointment with your Academic Advisor to discuss your interest in studying abroad and to see if you are academically eligible to participate in TPP program. Students should also explore what courses you can transfer in, what courses must be taken at FIU, and what courses you have yet to fulfill within your program. Remember, at this first appointment, your advisor won’t be officially approving courses, it’s just for you to get a better idea of what courses you need so you’ll know what to look for in a potential program. 

    Office of Education Abroad 

    Once you have met with your academic advisor, you can then schedule a one-on-one meeting our Outbound Exchange Program Coordinator to discuss your preferences, review academics, and answer any other questions. 

    OUTBOUNDISE@FIU.EDU

  • Step 5 - OEA Reviews Advising Application

    After you submit your TPP Advising Application, OEA will review for eligibility and will be able to grant you access to apply to the TPP application. The application process is rolling admissions and OEA collaborates with FIU departments to determine students eligibility. We kindly request and appreciate your patience. You will hear back via your FIU email with more information regarding your application and eligibility.

    You will then be able to access the Pre-Decision TPP Application. 

  • Step 6 – Apply to the Host Program

    Once you’ve been granted access to the Pre-decision TPP application, go ahead and complete the requirements for the program you’ve chosen. Again, you’ll need to communicate directly with your Third Party Program to find out their application eligibility, requirements, and deadlines. 

  • Step 7 – Pre-decision TPPA application

    After you’ve completed the Pre-decision application requirements for your Third Party Program, you’ll need to submit application materials for our office.

    Submit all application materials by the appropriate deadline. This includes: 

    1. Questionnaire - Personal Information 
    2. Questionnaire - Program Information 
    3. Statement of Purpose 
    4. Signature Document - Academic Standing and Student Conduct Information
    5. Signature Document - Non-Refundable $195 OEA Fee Information
    6. Signature Document - Age Confirmation 
    7. Academic Advisor Recommendation 
    8. Passport Copy (passports must be valid for six months beyond the start date of your program)
    9. Budget Form 
    10. Medical Form
    11. Course Equivalency Form*

    *Use the following link to access our course equivalency database, where you can view courses previously taken by TPP students at foreign universities/program providers and their corresponding FIU equivalencies. Please note that this list does not guarantee that the course will be offered during the semester you will be abroad. Be sure to consult with your academic advisor to verify how courses taken abroad may fulfill your major, minor, or certificate requirements. Additionally, the equivalencies may vary depending on your specific college and degree program, so do not follow the list exactly.

    TPP Course Equivalency Database

     Deadline: 
    Fall/AY - June 15th 
    Spring - November 1st
    Summer - April 15th 

  • Step 8 – Application Review by OEA

    Based on your application materials, you may be conditionally accepted to the TPP program and moved forward to the Post-decision phase of your application. Your acceptance depends on the approval of the Third-Party Program you are applying to. 

     

  • Step 9– Pre-departure Process

    Before you leave on your program, you will be required to attend a Mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation where you’ll be given pre-departure information to prepare you for your trip. We will send you all materials via email following the meeting. 

Spring 2027 TPP Application Checklist

  • 1. Attend Study Abroad 101 Information Session 
    1. All students interested in studying abroad must attend a Study Abroad 101 session.
    2. Students can RSVP in Panther Connect HERE. 
  • 2. Explore Options
    Browse our catalog of approved Third-Party Provider Programs HERE. Pay attention to the program dates, cost, and variety of courses.
  • 3. Meet With Your Academic Advisor (meet with your Honors College Advisor if applicable) 
    1. Academic Advisor: Schedule a meeting to discuss which courses the student still needs to take according to their degree plan that can be satisfied abroad. The student should bring their Study Abroad Pre-Approval Form for them to sign as well, if appropriate. Students will need to upload this form later in the application. 

    2. Honors College: Students in the Honors College must meet with their Honors College Advisor to ensure that they are meeting the requirements to remain in the Honors College while abroad.

  • 4. Begin Your TPP Application 
    1. Once the student has found a program that may be a suitable fit and has dicussed their plans with the appropriate Advisors, they will click "Apply Now" button under the "Provider Page" tab for the specific program. 
    2. The application for the program in the FIU Education Abroad Portal will include the following assignments: 
      1. Attend Study Abroad 101 
      2. TPP: Information Session Video 
      3. TPP: Information Session Video Quiz 
      4. ISE/TPP: Study Abroad Academic Pre-Approval Form 
      5. TPP: Eligibility Verification 
      6. TPP: Program Information 
      7. TPP: Academic Informaion 
      8. TPP: Approval Appointment (see next step) 
      9. TPP: Non-Refundable $195 OEA Fee 


  • 5. OEA Review Your TPP Application 
    1. The FIU Office of Education Abroad will review the student's application materials, and they will receive an email invitation to schedule a TPP Approval Appointment to discuss eligibility, timeline, and next steps.  
    2. During the appointment, the TPP Advisor will mark off the “TPP Approval Appointment” requirement in your application.  

    3. To receive instructions on scheduling a TPP Approval Appointment via email, the student must complete all other Pre-Decision requirements and upload the Academic Pre-Approval Form in the FIU Education Abroad Portal. 

  • 6. Apply to Host Program
    1. TPP programs require 2 separate applications in separate portals that do not interact. Students must complete requirements in both portals by the identified deadlines.  
    2. If a provider deadline is before the FIU deadline, students should meet the provider’s deadline. In the case that a student does not meet FIU’s TPP requirements or the program does not align with the students academic needs, the student would not be approved by FIU to go abroad on that program. 

    3. Do not wait to apply until the day of the provider's deadline to apply or request home school approval. 

    4. Applicants may be required to pay a deposit (verify by using your provider's website) to their program provider at the time of application. 

    5. FIU Office of Education Abroad will need to provide a "home school approval" or "home school nomination", meaning that the student has received permission to participate on the program; requests made within 3 days of the provider deadline cannot be guaranteed. All "home school approval" requests should be sent to outboundise@fiu.edu. 
  • 7. Complete Remaining Post Decision Requirements 
    1. Once the student has completed all Pre-Decision requirements and their TPP Approval Appointment, OEA will update their status in the FIU Education Abroad Portal to “Accepted;” they will then need to log in and click “Commit” or “Withdraw” within 7 calendar days of receiving the acceptance email. 

    2. Once the student clicks “Commit”, they will have access to the following Post-Decision requirements that must be completed before they depart for their program:  

      1. Course Equivalency Form  (Resource: TPP Course Equivalency Database

      2. TPP: Personal Information 

      3. Academic Advisor Recommendation Required 

      4. TPP: Upload Budget Form  

      5. TPP: Upload Medical Information Form 

      6. TPP: Passport Information  

      7. TPP: Upload Passport Photo 

      8. Upload Placeholder Request Form  

      9. TPP: Flight Itinerary  

      10. TPP: Upload Visa  

      11. TPP: Emergency Contact Information  

      12. TPP: Financial Information 

      13. TPP: Upload Host Program Acceptance Letter 

      14. TPP: Attend Mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation 

      15. TPP: Accessibility and Accommodations  

     

  • 8. Attend Mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation
    1. Once the student has completed all Pre-Decision requirements and is committed to the program, OEA will invite them to attend a mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation via PantherConnect.  
    2. Attendance at the PDO will be tracked via Event Pass check in. The requirement will be marked off manually in the FIU Education Abroad Portal and may take up to 4 weeks to reflect in the student's application. 

     

  • 9. Depart for Study Abroad 
    1. As the student settles into their home for the semester/academic year, they should be sure to return to the FIU Education Abroad Portal to complete “while abroad” requirements:  

      1. ​​​​​​​Contact Information Abroad 

      2. Enrollment Verification Abroad 

      3. *Add/Drop Deadline will be the last chance to modify your ISE Placeholder Course credits 

  • 10. Prepare Your Transcripts
    1. Communicate with the host institution to have the student's transcript sent to the FIU Office of Education Abroad. FIU will not accept transcripts from students; the transcript must come directly from the host university. 

    2. Keep in mind that it can take up to 1 full semester after the completion of the program for FIU to receive the abroad transcript. 

    3. Once FIU receives a transcript, the university becomes the steward of the document and cannot distribute or release it per the University's guidelines for maintenance of sensitive documents and information. If a student intends to apply for a graduate program/fellowship in the future, the student should request an additional copy of the transript be sent directly to them. 

    4. Student's can keep up with the status of their abroad transcripts by logging into the FIU Education Abroad Portal and monitoring the "ISE/TPP: Transcript Received" and "ISE/TPP: Transcript Sent for Processing" assignments which will be marked off manually by OEA. If the requirement does not show as completed then we have not yet received the transcript.

    5. Transcripts should be sent to the following addresses

      Physical Transcripts should be sent to Electronic Transcripts should be sent to 

      Florida International University 

      Office of Education Abroad

      Modesto A. Maidique Campus

      11200 SW 8th Street, SASC 230

      Miami, FL, U.S.A. 33199

      edabroad@fiu.edu
  • 11. Complete Survey
    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Students must complete the "TPP: Study Abroad Survey" in the FIU Study Abroad Portal after their program has completed and before their abroad transcript will be processed.
  • 12. Stay Engaged
    1. ​​​​​​​Share memories with us via email and stay engaged! 
    2. Join the Office of Education Abroad as a member on Panther Connect to stay up to date with future international opportunities!