For UF Online students, education isn’t confined to a screen—it happens anywhere in the world. Maddy Durand, an English and Psychology double major, spent a full academic year at University College London navigating bustling libraries, historic classrooms and London’s vibrant culture while working toward her UF degrees. Nora Gibbs, a UF Online Geography: Environmental Geosciences student, explored Scotland and England for a week, touring museums, trekking the Highlands and connecting her family heritage. Their journeys demonstrate how UF Online students are seizing international opportunities that broaden their knowledge and perspective.
“Study abroad immerses you in new environments, connects you with other students and broadens your perspective,” Gibbs said.
How UF Online Students Study Abroad
Turning Cities into Classrooms
Exploring new cities allows UF Online students to connect their coursework with real-world history, science and culture. For Durand, London became a living laboratory where English literature and psychology met daily life. Through a Beyond120 Exchange Program offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, she spent an academic year taking courses that counted toward her UF degrees while exploring one of the world’s great literary cities.
“I picked University College London because it checked off all the boxes academically and would allow me to stay on track with my double major aspirations,” she said.
Durand’s experience as a PaCE student helped prepare her to thrive in new environments and take ownership of her education.
“PaCE broadened my awareness of the fact that learning can be holistic and expansive,” she said. “Tremendous learning occurs when I actually walk through museums, study in historic buildings and work alongside people in culturally momentous organizations.”
For Gibbs, the UF faculty-led, short-term program UF in the UK: Exploring Science in Scotland and England offered a hands-on complement to her online coursework and a chance to connect with her family roots.
“I saw the one-week trip as the perfect chance to explore my heritage while learning from the country’s rich history and world-class museums. Seeing exhibits on the history of cartography and collections of rocks and minerals in person, not just in textbooks, was incredibly inspiring,” she said.
Study Abroad Opportunities for UF Online Students
All UF students, including those enrolled through UF Online, are eligible to participate in study abroad programs as long as they are in good academic standing, have a GPA of 2.5 or higher and are not in their first semester. UF Study Abroad Services leaders encourage students to begin exploring programs early and reach out for individualized support.
“Students should consider factors like the program’s length, location, academic focus, potential language barriers, and projected costs when selecting the right experience,” said Jess Mercier, Assistant Director of Outreach & Marketing for UF Study Abroad.
UF Online students can explore a wealth of study abroad programs, including UF-sponsored programs, UF Exchange programs, and non-UF programs. Programs vary in length, location, academic focus and cultural experience. UF Online students can schedule one-on-one virtual appointments with Study Abroad Advisors and attend virtual information sessions for support selecting a program that aligns their goals.
“Students [studying abroad] build adaptability, problem-solving, and cross-cultural communication—skills they’ll use in both their careers and everyday lives,” Mercier said.
Discovering Personal Growth Abroad
Living abroad challenged Durand and Gibbs to grow personally as well as academically. Durand found that navigating London’s walkable streets, crowded libraries and public transportation reshaped her sense of independence and community.
“Developing, sustaining and fortifying friendships in a place where everyone can walk or take public transport together is a game-changer,” she said. Learning to study and create in another country also helped her build resilience and adaptability, skills that will serve her well beyond her time abroad.
Capturing unique moments with her film camera, Gibbs relished the opportunity for in-person connection with a new place.
“It was amazing to finally see Scotland in person—there’s such a deep sense of history and culture everywhere you go. As someone who studies online, getting the chance to connect with a place physically rather than through a screen was really powerful,” she said.
Durand and Gibbs’ study abroad experiences exemplify how UF Online students leveraged their online learning experience to make education truly borderless.
“Online learning isn’t a pair of handcuffs—it’s actually an entrance ticket to engage with your community in a unique, independent and customizable way,” Durand said. “If even a tiny part of you wants to go abroad, honor that and follow the curiosity. It is an experience that will change your life.”