Innovation in Europe Study Abroad Program
Innovation in Europe is a 4-week study abroad program that takes place in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland at Virginia Tech’s Steger Center. During the program, students will complete 6 credits toward the Innovation Minor while exploring the culture of engineering abroad.
Eligibility
This program is open to all Virginia Tech students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Visit our program page to connect with the Virginia Tech Global Education Office.
Got questions about Innovation in Europe?
Email rsap@vt.edu, make an appointment, or join our Info Session January 24, 2023 at 6pm in Goodwin 145.
Program Dates: June 12 - July 8, 2023
Global STEM Practice (ENGE 1644) - 3 credits
ENGE 1644 is designed to introduce students to global engineering and science, emphasizes the importance of cultural competency for engineers and scientists, and focuses on how differences in cultural, social and economic contexts influence engineering and science in practice. ENGE 1644 fulfills the Pathways 3 requirement.
Create! (ENGE 2094) - 3 credits
Create! is designed to lead students through the process of creative inquiry, design, and collaboration to explore the nexus of the arts, science, and design. Through activities and discussions students will build an understanding of the ties between multiple disciplines. To identify these ties, students will engage in activities that build participation and questioning strategies for workshops and lectures, problem finding, analogical and metaphorical thinking, and collaboration in multiple formats. The collaboration of students, faculty, and visiting artists will encourage students to explore their own interests as they are situated within the boundaries of disciplines and provide strategies to create and innovate within and among disciplines. ENGE 2094 fulfills the Pathways 6d requirement.
The Innovation in Europe application opens December 1, 2022, and is due no later than February 1, 2023. The application includes general student information, several short essay responses and a non-refundable application fee of $50.
Students participating in the Innovation in Europe Program will be charged the program fee and tuition through their student account. The program fee includes accommodations, in-country transportation, excursions, corporate visits, most meals, and international health and security insurance. The program fee does not include: GEO Application Fee, Faculty-led Study Abroad Participation fee, international airfare, some meals, passport/visa fees, souvenirs, and personal spending while on the program.
Upon acceptance into the program, a $1500 non-refundable deposit is required. Commitment decisions must be made within two weeks of acceptance.
| Program Costs (Billed to Student Accounts) | In-State | Out-of-State |
| Program Fee | $6600 | $6600 |
| Tuition | $2395 | $6361 |
| Faculty-led Participation Fee | $50 | $50 |
| Additional Costs (Estimated) | ||
| Study Abroad Application Fee (Required) | $50 | $50 |
| Passport (New) | $180 | $180 |
| Personal & Other Expenses | $200 | $200 |
| Airfare | $1500 | $1500 |
| Estimated Meals | $500 | $500 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $11475 | $15441 |
Financial Responsibility Policy
Should a program cancellation become necessary for health and safety reasons prior to student departure, every effort will be made to refund recoverable costs to participants. Students who commit to RSAP are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Insurance. When purchasing CFAR insurance, please ensure that cancellation due to the COVID-19 Pandemic is covered in the policy terms.
Once a student has committed to RSAP, the student will be responsible for program costs based on the following schedule.
| Timeline of Student Withdrawal or Program Cancellation | Financial Responsibility |
| Prior to commitment | No Penalty |
| After commitment until April 9 | $1500 (non-refundable deposit) |
| April 10 to May 11 | $3300 (50% of the program fee) |
| After May 11 | $6600 (100% of the program fee) |
COVID Disclaimer
To respond dynamically to the ever-changing health and safety situation brought about by the global pandemic, international travel itineraries are subject to change to align with health and safety guidance, immigration and border entry restrictions, etc. In the event that a track destination is no longer a suitable option, RSAP will make every effort to reroute students to a different destination.
Scholarship Opportunities
Global Education Scholarships
Deadline: March 15--DEADLINE EXTENDED!
Applicants do not need to have been accepted to RSAP to apply for Global Education Scholarships. Students who apply to the December 6 cycle will need to commit to participate in RSAP before they receive scholarship notifications.
SEC Global Access Scholarship
Deadline: November 30
Eligible appplicants are 1) Full-time undergraduate student majoring within the College of Engineering 2) Student enrolled in Spring 2023 semester 3) Overall GPA of 2.75 or above 4) International program takes place during winter 2022-2023 or Spring/Spring-embedded 2023
First Time Traveler Award 2022-2023
The Office of Global Engineering, Engagement, and Research (GEER) is offering a one-time incentive for students in the College of Engineering who are issuing a passport for the first time. The award will be in the form of reimbursement of new first-time passport application and passport processing fee. Awards will be made to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis while our funds allow.
Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship
Deadline: March 9
The Gilman Scholarship is designed for students who receive Federal Pell Grants. Students should carefully read the Gilman Scholarship’s eligibility requirements before completing an application.
Fund for Education Abroad
Deadline: January 18
Decisions are made based on financial need, demographic factors and academic plan and preparedness.
Other local or national scholarships
Students are encouraged to research scholarships awarded by entities in their hometown or to identity groups they pertain to.
To apply, students must be currently enrolled at Virginia Tech with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Yes! The Innovation in Europe Program will be most beneficial for students who are pursuing the Innovation Minor, but all Virginia Tech students are welcome to apply.
The application deadline is February 1, 2023.
The program cost includes a non-refundable commitment fee due after admission to the program ($1500), accommodations, in-country excursions, in-country transportation, international health and security insurance, and most meals.
Study Abroad Scholarships are available. Please visit the Financing section for opportunity details.
Should a program cancellation become necessary for health and safety reasons prior to student departure, every effort will be made to refund recoverable costs to participants. Students who commit to RSAP are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Insurance. When purchasing CFAR insurance, please ensure that cancellation due to the COVID-19 Pandemic is covered in the policy terms.
Once a student has committed to the Innovation In Europe Program, the student will be responsible for program costs based on the following schedule.
| Timeline of Student Withdrawal or Program Cancellation | Financial Responsibility |
| After commitment until April 9 | $1500 (non-refundable deposit) |
| April 10 to May 11 | $3300 (50% of the program fee) |
| After May 11 | $6600 (100% of the program fee) |
No, enrollment is open to all Virginia Tech students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
All students MUST have a valid passport to go on the study abroad programs. The passport should be valid 6 months beyond the end of the program. For example, if a program ends on July 7, 2023, the student's passport should be valid until at least January 7, 2024. If you do not have a valid passport, you are HIGHLY encouraged to begin the process of getting one early as it normally takes a minimum of two months to receive it. Currently wait times may be even longer due to Pandemic delays. You can obtain a passport right here on Virginia Tech’s campus. Please visit the Passport Acceptance Facility’s webpage for more information.
All United States passport holders participating in the Innovation in Europe Program do not need a visa unless they plan on traveling after the program concludes. Students holding passports from a country other than the United States should check the visa requirements for all program destinations.
Due to the fast-paced nature of the courses in the Innovation in Europe Program, class attendance is required during all class sessions. Students are permitted to travel during free weekends and prior to the start or after the end of the program.
Should a program cancellation become necessary for health and safety reasons prior to student departure, every effort will be made to refund recoverable costs to participants. Students who commit to the Innovation in Europe Program are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Insurance. We are unable to recommend a specific policy or insurance company, but we encourage students to start with an internet search and compare policies based on their personal preferences and risk tolerance. When purchasing CFAR insurance, please ensure that cancellation due to the COVID-19 Pandemic is covered in the policy terms. Other items to consider are the percentage of costs that will be reimbursed through the policy and the timeframe in which the policy needs to be purchased in relation to the planning/paying for IESAP.
Students are required to participate in the pre-program orientation where they will have the opportunity to meet other participants and faculty on the program.
At this time, vaccination for COVID-19 is only required to countries where vaccination is a national entry requirement. As of October 18, 2022, vaccination is not required for Switzerland or Italy. Students should be advised that countries may change their entry requirements prior to travel and should entry requirements change, it may affect students’ ability to participate in the program. Similarly, students should be aware that even if there is no country-level requirement, companies may have policies that require proof of vaccination to access their facilities, preventing students from attending some visits if that is the case.
Students who hold passports from countries other than the United States should consider the visa requirements for entering Switzerland and Italy. If a visa is required, it may be necessary to make an embassy visit. Most embassies are processing a backlog of visa applications, so it is important to consider whether this may cause an issue with the travel timeline.
No, students are responsible for purchasing a flight that will allow them to arrive at the Steger Center in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland on June 12. Most students fly into Zurich Airport (ZRH) or Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and take the train to Riva San Vitale. Find information about transportation to the Steger Center.
The program starts and ends at the Steger Center in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland. Students are required to purchase transportation to the Steger Center that will arrive on June 12 and depart on July 8. More details about timing will be provided closer to the start of the program.
No. Unfortunately, you are not able to retake a course that you have already successfully passed. There are many other study abroad opportunities that may be a good fit for you. Check out study abroad opportunities in the College of Engineering and Univeristy-wide opportunities.