HOW TO PICK A STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

Study abroad is an experience that you will never forget. It will teach you things both about others, but more importantly, yourself. No doubt—the whole process of choosing a program and applying can be overwhelming. After all, what if you pick the wrong program and regret it? That’s what I’m here for. Outlined in this article is everything you need to know and consider before picking a study abroad program.

First of all, you gotta ask yourself some questions. And be TOTALLY and completely honest here. Write down your answers on a piece of paper, and then compare your answers to the types of programs. It will help make the process seem a lot less overwhelming, trust me.

Location

Where do you want to be? Now I’m not necessarily talking about picking a country here, but more think about if you want to be In a major city or in a smaller town. Major cities will likely make it an easier transition, but in smaller towns you will experience more of the true culture. Sometimes, you can find the best of both worlds. I found this in the program I picked in Lyon, France. It wasn’t Paris, but it was still a large city with a lot of city amenities AND French culture. No diss either way though, just be true with your answer.

Language

Do you have any experience with a foreign language? Would you prefer to be in an English speaking country? If you’re taking up a language as a minor, it might be in your best interest to go to a country with that language. You can earn school credits AND it will look impressive to a future employer. However if language is what is holding you back, pick an English speaking country! There are great options in England, Scotland, Ireland, and even some English speaking islands.

Budget

Are you working solely within the amount you are already paying per semester? Do you have some extra cash that could go towards a summer program? Study abroad truly can be affordable, but if you have a larger budget your options certainly widen.

Length

How long are we thinking here: a semester, summer, May-mester?  Have you ever spent time away from home? Do you think you could for an extended period of time?

Credit

For me, I had to earn at least 15 credits per semester to graduate on time. Is this the same for you? How many credit hours do you need to get abroad?

Culture

How much of a culture-shock are you willing to endure? Countries like Italy aren’t hard to get accustomed to, where as Japan might be a different story.

Great, now that you’ve got your answers, let’s take a look at some different types of programs.

Global Exchange

This definitely depends on the school that you go to. A lot of time large schools will have partner institutions in other countries. You will pay directly to your home university but are going to an overseas university 

Pros: there have programs in large cities and small cities, you can select a country with the language of your choice, it’s EXTREMELY affordable because you’re paying what you would have at your home university (a lot of time even your scholarship will transfer). Because your school has a partner program with them, your credits will likely transfer just fine, you’ll be able to pick up the culture because you’re living there

Cons: You might not be with a group so it might be lonely or scary, you might not have as much help with the logistics.

Global Direct

Pretty much the same as global exchange— your school has partner schools, except this time you pay directly to the overseas university. The pros and cons are the same, except for the fact that you’re paying a different tuition. So it could be less, could be more.

Pros: there have programs in large cities and small cities, you can select a country with the language of your choice, because your school has a partner program with them, your credits will likely transfer just fine, you’ll be able to pick up the culture because you’re living there

Cons: You might not be with a group so it might be lonely or scary, you might not have as much help with the logistics, it might be more expensive.

Global Partner Programs

(This is what i did) These are third party programs that take care of everything for you. You pay to that third party program and they work out all the details with the overseas school.

Pros: You can choose the program with the city or town that you want, and there are many language options. But what I like most about this is you have a group of Americans from all over the country to help you to help make the transition easier. Also, the program hashes out a lot of the details as far as tuition, accommodations, etc.

Cons: The problem is some of these programs can be pretty expensive, but there are some affordable ones as well. Check them out at USAC, CIEE, AIFS, or google study abroad partner programs.

Faculty run programs

You, a group of students, and a faculty advisor will head somewhere abroad. Usually these are only offered during summer, fall break, spring break, and maymesters.

Pros: You can usually earn 3-9 credits which could help you graduate earlier or lighten your workload for future semesters, so that’s a plus. Sometimes you’ll start a class in the US, and then head over somewhere together. If you were nervous about being alone you’ll be with a group of people from your school, so this might be a good option for you.

Cons: You don’t stay all that long, so you won’t learn much of the language or culture, and it can be expensive if weren’t anticipating paying for summer credits.

With that being said, if this is your only option, take it! Take any possible chance you can to travel!

Semester at sea

With this program you live on a ship and travel from place to place.

Pros: You get to see a lot of different places and earn a semester’s worth of credits. You will be with a group of Americans who can make the transition easier. All of the logistics are taken care of!

Cons: it’s quite expensive and you won’t learn a lot of language or culture.

Nothing looking good to you?

If none of these study abroad programs are jumping out at you, consider not studying… You can teach, intern, volunteer, or work abroad too! 

Some final thoughts:
*It’s never too early to start planning— make an appointment with your study abroad office, think about what credits you can leave aside, start saving money.

*Don’t forget to take into account the extra expenses— you don’t want to max out your budget with just the program itself, you’ll want extra money for travel and fun!

*Push yourself to get out of your comfort zone, but be realistic as well.

If you have any questions feel free to email me at planetochampagne@gmail.com