Expand Your Horizons, Study Abroad

Answer 1

Studying abroad provides some of the most eye-opening and gratifying experiences you are likely to have during your college career. There are many different options for studying abroad. The program and destination you choose will depending on several factors, most importantly what you plan (or hope) to get out of the experience.

Before researching Study Abroad options, sit down and make a list of all of the reasons you want to study abroad. This will help streamline your research process and clarify your goals. Are you looking to improve your language skills? Do you hope to gain “in the field” professional experience in Another Country? Are you looking to become more culturally literate (understand another culture better) during your time there? Think about both your personal and professional reasons for going.

Ideally, your study abroad experience will fit in with your major (or minor) and provide course credits that your home university will accept. However, there are also many “gap year” (taking a year after high school before going to college, or after college before going to graduate school) programs that do not offer college credit, but do offer valuable life experience (and look great on a résumé). Many students study abroad during their junior year, but there are also students who study abroad earlier or later than that. Think about what’s going on in your academic and personal life and then decide when it makes the most sense for you to go.

Once you have identified your personal and professional goals for going to another country, think about what you want your study abroad experience to “look” like. Do you want to go for a semester, a month, a summer session, a year? Do you want to study at a university? Do you want to live in a dorm or with a host family (think of the pros and cons of both)? Do you want to spend your study abroad experience in one area or do you want to move around to several cities or countries? How important is it to you to know the language people speak in the country you will be visiting? If this is important, what is your plan for learning or refining your language skills between now and then?

After you have answered these questions, then begin your quest to find the ideal study abroad experience for you. The best place to start is at your home university of college. Many institutions have a study abroad center or study abroad office with staff members who would be happy to assist you in charting your course. It’s also a good idea to consult with your academic advisor, especially if you are looking to obtain college credit while abroad. Many smaller colleges partner with larger universities to offer more study abroad options to their students. There are also private study abroad grants (Fulbright and Rhodes Scholars, etc.) for which students can apply. Rotary International also has a variety of study abroad programs for people of all education levels and ages.

The key is to begin your research process early so that you make the right choice for you. If you’ve prepared well and know why you are going, you are sure to get quite a bit out of your unique international experience.