BY GIANCARLOS ASENCIO
Members of the City Council Higher Education Committee met with CUNY officials to discuss the state of study abroad programs and how to improve them on September 29th.
CUNY currently offers over 130 study abroad programs across different formats in countries such as Spain, Italy, Japan, France, and more. These programs give students a chance to experience different cultures outside the U.S. while also obtaining academic and personal skills.
To support students in these programs, various financial aid opportunities and scholarships are available. From fall 2025 to summer 2026, “1,512 CUNY undergraduates from 15 campuses studied abroad in 49 countries,” said Kim Holland, University Director of Global Education and Initiatives in CUNY’S Office of Academic Affairs, with “10 CUNY campuses offering 136 programs in 40 countries.”
Students who have done these study abroad programs have found faster, higher success compared to students who stay home. Steven Ferst, the Executive Director of the Center for Global Engagement at College of Staten Island, states “students who study abroad have a 95.1% six year graduation rate, a full 30 points higher than their peers who stay home. They’re also 6.2% more likely to graduate in just 4 years…They graduate with higher GPAs, 52% go on to graduate degrees, and they earn 6.3% more. That’s over $4,000 in their first job.”
The main issue study abroad programs are facing is participation, according to the CUNY officials. The lack of participation falls under the issue of lack of exposure and expenses. Some students are turned off from the idea of spending alot of money going away for a semester without knowing of the different aids to relieve some of the financial pressure. The exposure of these programs has to be more in their face so students can even think of attending.
“I knew that colleges sometimes provide opportunities to study in other countries, but i did not know many details about the programs available to BMCC students,” said Keanu May, a former BMCC student. May believes CUNY schools need to do better showcasing their programs and their benefits. “CUNY could improve by promoting these programs through emails, campus events, academic advisrors, and social media. They can also offer more financial aid, scholarships, and affordable program options so students from different financial backgrounds have a chance to participate.”
A solution given by Fester is to encourage students early on, before they get into college. “I know that i get called to go out to some of the schools to give college day lectures and the real purpose behind that, of course, is to recruit the students, but i always slide in, if you do come to my campus I can send you out.”