Engineering First-Year Experience Abroad

CEA CAPA is a study abroad organization that offers academic and internship abroad programs for U.S. college and university students. Earn credits toward your degree while you learn to embrace different cultures, become a better communicator, gain independence, and grow as a person both personally and professionally. In collaboration with the Michigan State University College of Engineering, CEA CAPA facilitates this study abroad program, ensuring a seamless study abroad experience. CEA CAPA takes care of housing, cultural activities, excursions, and guest lectures, while also providing critical services like visa guidance, medical insurance, health, and safety support.

MSU and CEA CAPA will ensure that you are well-prepared for your study abroad experience through comprehensive pre-departure information, assistance with visa support, and onsite orientation.

CEA CAPA’s international staff and faculty come from diverse backgrounds, each with extensive experience in academia and international education. They undergo thorough training in student affairs and use their in-depth local knowledge and contacts to create academically enriching experiences. Equipped to address a wide range of topics, from health and wellness to academic policies, the team ensures that you are supported personally and academically throughout their program.

Pre-Departure Support

• Pre-Departure Advising
• Visa Support
• Housing Placement
• Pre-departure orientation

While Abroad

• Airport Pickup and Drop off
• 24/7 Emergency Support
• Cultural Activities
• Day trip – Toledo, El Escorial, or Segovia
• Welcoming Study Space
• Onsite Orientation which includes:
  • Community welcome reception
  • Health and safety, housing, and host culture presentations
  • Guided city and neighborhood tour
  • Community building and cultural activities

Welcome Week is designed to help you start your transition to college on a positive note, build community, and introduce you to the local culture for a successful, engaging, and safe semester. During the first week, you'll participate in a range of activities, including a Welcome Reception where you'll meet other students and the community over a shared meal. You'll also enjoy a guided walking tour of Madrid, exploring the city and your new neighborhood.

Orientation sessions will cover important topics like local support resources, emergency procedures, public transport, and ways to engage with your new environment. We'll also review CEA CAPA’s policies and academic guidelines, if applicable, along with housing information. Plus, you'll get a helpful crash course in everyday Spanish with a 60–90-minute SOS language session to get you started!

Throughout the program, you’ll have the chance to participate in a variety of social and cultural activities designed to enhance your experience abroad and help you engage with the local community. You can look forward to community-building events like scavenger hunts with locals or peer mentor activities organized by fellow students. There will also be opportunities for personal growth, such as engaging in community service projects or taking part in health and wellness activities like walking seminars through iconic areas of Madrid. You’ll even get the chance to build life skills, like learning how to cook traditional Spanish dishes. Additionally, you’ll explore the rich culture of your host city through visits to important monuments and museums that showcase Spain’s national identity.

Walking Seminar – examples include:

• Late 19th Century Madrid, including Plaza de Cibeles, Gran Vía, Palacio de Cristal, and Retiro Park
• Puerta del Sol, Buen Retiro, Plaza Payor, or Lavapies Neighborhoods

During your final week onsite, CEA CAPA will host a series of events to help you reflect on your study abroad experience. One key event is the Re-Entry & Career Development Workshop, where you'll be guided to reflect on how you've grown, the new skills you've gained, and how you adapted to life in your host city. You'll also explore how your classroom learning is connected to your experiences outside of class. This workshop will help you create a narrative about your time abroad and teach you how to translate these experiences into valuable skills for your resume or future job interviews. To wrap up the program, we’ll celebrate with a Farewell Reception, giving you the chance to enjoy a final meal together and say goodbye to your fellow students.

CEA CAPA will organize exciting day trips outside Madrid to places like Toledo, El Escorial, or Segovia. You'll get roundtrip transportation, a guided tour, local entrance fees, and a group meal included. A CEA CAPA representative will join you on each excursion, providing a detailed itinerary, historical insights, and suggestions for meals and free time. These trips might also be shared with other CEA CAPA students, giving you a chance to meet even more people.

An Engineering First-Year Experience Abroad gives you some awesome advantages! This program is designed specifically for first-year students, so you'll be part of a tight-knit cohort, just like at MSU, but with the added excitement of studying abroad. Starting your college journey with an international experience gives you a distinct edge over peers who wait until junior or senior year to study abroad—or those who don’t go abroad at all. The insights you gain in cultural sensitivity and a global perspective will shape and enrich the rest of your education.

Not at all! The Engineering First-Year Experience Abroad program is an officially approved study abroad experience at MSU, and all credits earned in the program will count toward your degree just as if you had taken the courses on Michigan State University's campus.

As an Engineering First-Year Experience Abroad student, your first-year experience will be a bit different from your classmates who start on Michigan State’s campus, but that’s part of what makes it so exciting! This program is exclusively for MSU first-year engineering students, so when you return to campus after your semester in Madrid, you’ll already have strong connections with your fellow Engineering First-Year Experience Abroad classmates and feel a sense of community. Think of your time in Madrid as an extension of your MSU experience—you're just kicking off your college journey in an incredible new place!

For additional FAQs about your study abroad program, check out the CEA CAPA FAQ page.

Timeline

To participate in your first-year semester abroad, you must be at least 18 years old by the program’s start date (August 21, 2026). MSU will verify that you meet this requirement before you begin the program.

Applications Open: December 2025

Application Closes: April 15, 2026 

Applicants Informed of Decision: April 30, 2026 

Program Dates: August 21 - November 21, 2026

Submit Interest Form