The 19 first-year students who boarded buses headed to the airport on Aug. 28 could hardly contain their excitement to study abroad in London, England and Stirling, Scotland through Arcadia’s First-Year Study Abroad Experience (FYSAE) program.

This fall, 13 students will study at the Arcadia London Center, while six will study at the University of Stirling.

“I was drawn to London because it is a global city with interesting history, art, and architecture,” said International Studies major Zoe Johnston ’23. “There is so much to do and learn outside of the classroom. I am passionate about the ways in which our world is globally connected, so FYSAE just made sense.”

This is the last cohort that will travel through FYSAE in the fall. To ensure a smoother academic transition for first-year students, the program has been restructured to offer a robust spring semester in London. Additional courses—including introductory chemistry and biology classes, similar to those offered on the Glenside campus—will be available in the spring, keeping students on track during their second semester. 

Additionally, students will now have the opportunity to pursue Arcadia’s Second-Year Study Abroad Experience (SYSAE), through which they can study abroad at Arcadia’s centers in Athens, Barcelona, Granada, London, or Rome.

This spring, a record 48 students are anticipated to participate in FYSAE. The first SYSAE cohort, which will depart next academic year, is from the Class of 2023.