Going to college isn’t what it used to be — it’s a whole lot better. In this global economy, college students have more choices than ever, including the experience of studying abroad. It can be a way for you to learn about different ways of life and cultures while also advancing your education — and ultimately making yourself a stronger job candidate. In fact, a recent study found that almost 40 percent of the companies surveyed had missed international business opportunities for want of internationally competent employees.
If the suggestion of studying abroad prompts you to assume “it’s probably too much money, or too complicated,” hold those thoughts. This article is especially for you. Taking college courses in another country for a portion of the academic year — or even an entire year — is a real possibility for all students, and an increasingly attractive option for STEM majors.
The Basics
So what exactly does studying abroad entail? It depends on where you’re enrolled. Sometimes a college has a program in place to help students enroll in exchange programs for a semester or longer. Larger universities may have a study abroad advisor who can help you handle things like deciding on courses, getting a visa, and planning travel.
But even if your school doesn’t have this kind of program, there are ways to become an international student. For example, you can talk to a neighboring school about becoming part of their program while receiving course credits from your college. You can also contact organizations online that will help you connect with various overseas schools in their network. Whatever route you take, one tip to remember is that any study abroad should be structured so that you receive credits toward your degree and stay on track for graduation.
So how do you get started? It’s a good idea to answer a few key questions: What to study, where, and how to pay for it.
What to Study
“We recommend that students start researching programs that match their interests,” says Valerie Stimac, managing editor at the website Go Overseas. “In today’s world students can study just about any field of interest, in almost every country.”
If you know your primary academic interests are in STEM fields, study abroad can be a chance to expand your horizons. Maybe you’ve always been a math whiz, but never really explored your interest in geology. There are study abroad programs in the geosciences that could place you in an unfamiliar environment, rolling up your sleeves to gather rock and soil samples and analyzing geological data. If you’re a proud coding geek and have always wanted to learn another language, your coursework abroad could include learning a new language and getting credit for it too.
If you’re still figuring out where to attend college in the first place, research your prospective schools’ study abroad possibilities at the outset. At the University of California, for example, there are 90 programs in 34 countries just for STEM majors. At Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, engineering and technology students who participate in the Global Projects Program often complete at least one project in another country — in locations ranging from Namibia, South Africa, and Thailand to England, New Zealand, and Australia. Whether the school you choose is big, small, or somewhere in between, you will likely have study abroad options.
Once you zero in on what you want to study as an international student, keep your eyes on that prize as you decide where you want to go.
Where to Go
You have a world of possibilities, literally. Your decision about what you would like to study overseas can help guide your decision about where to do it.
Be sure to use the resources that may be right in front of you. If you’re already enrolled in college, ask professors about academic peers they may know in other countries. Do your online research: If you find a great article about chemical engineering by a scientist in Sweden, find out if they teach somewhere, or email them and ask for suggestions about where you might enroll for a quarter or semester to hone your laboratory skills in a new setting.
One thing to consider is that not all schools provide supportive academic and social resources for students, so you may be on your own when it comes to finding a tutor or a group of Indigenous or other like-minded students to hang out with. Remember that pretty much everyone is looking for connections, so networking successfully shouldn’t be daunting.
You can also look at data. The QS Best Student Cities index focuses on the best urban destinations for international students based on six indicators: university rankings, student mix, desirability, employer activity, affordability, and “student view” (based on surveys). Their top 10 ranges from Seoul, South Korea, at number 10 to Paris at number 5, Melbourne, Australia, at number 3, and in the top spot, London. In addition to its highly rated universities, says www.TopUniversities.com assistant editor Sabrina Collier, “London’s diversity is also a strong attraction for many students, with the city featuring in the top 10 for student mix.” Indeed, the Association of International Educators (known as NAFSA) posts that more than half of all U.S. students abroad choose countries in Europe as their destination, with Italy, Spain, France, and Germany leading the list after the U.K.
Finally, you don’t have to know a foreign language to study abroad. As Stimac from Go Overseas points out, there are a number of countries outside the U.S. where English is the primary language, including Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. She also says that “depending on the length of study abroad, many programs offer course instruction in English because they know students may not be fluent in another language but can still benefit from the opportunity to study abroad.” And, of course, you could decide to learn another language before heading overseas — giving yourself more options, and adding an impressive skill to your resume.
How to Finance Your Adventure
Just as there are costs for taking college courses and living on or near campus in the U.S., there are costs for doing those things in another country. But here’s the good news: “A number of organizations recognize how valuable going abroad can be, and they want to help you pay for it,” says college counselor Rebecca Safier of the website Student Loan Hero.
One funding source Safier recommends is the CEA Study Abroad Scholarship program. The Phoenix-based organization devotes more than $2 million to financial and scholarship programs that help fund study abroad for more than 4,000 students each year, in 21 destinations across 12 countries. CEA’s offerings include need based, merit-based, and diversity scholarship programs with award amounts ranging from $400 to $3,000. They also offer grants, travel vouchers, and other funding resources. (For more information, go to www.ceastudyabroad.com.)
Experts on the Diversity Abroad website emphasize that if you already have a financial aid package, you may be able to apply some or all those funds toward your study abroad. When you talk with your financial aid advisor, ask about what kinds of aid — for example, state, federal, and school-funded financial backing — are transferable for education in another country. Once you receive funds, be sure to check into the rules about how you can spend the money (some aid is restricted to expenses such as tuition and textbooks).
While much of the guidance on financing international study is practical, there’s a human component as well. Thinking that study abroad is too expensive is a “myth,” if you ask Trixie Cordova, a former international student and former associate director of www.diversityabroad.com. In a 2015 article she challenged students to “throw out any ideas or preconceived notions you have about what it takes to see yourself in another country, and just think differently about the entire process.”
As you move through that process, there is a great deal of digital help:
- A wide range of funding-related and other information to help you prepare for international study at www.gooverseas.com
- A searchable interface at www.diversityabroad.com that can match you with funding opportunities for minority, low-income, and first-generation college students
- A database at www.scholarshipportal.com where you can search scholarship opportunities by country and field of study
- A portal at www.fastweb.com that can link you to study abroad scholarships as well as other financial resources that could help you throughout your college career
Experts agree that if you want to study abroad, you should dedicate yourself to making it happen. Talk to advisors, do your research, and keep sending in those applications for scholarships and other funding sources. Study abroad might just be a great move for you and your education
All in Abroad: Enrolling as A Full-Time International Student
An increasingly popular academic path for U.S. students is attending all four years of college out of the country. According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), nearly 50,000 American students are now pursuing a full degree abroad.
“Students in the U.S. apply to foreign postsecondary institutions for a variety of reasons, including monetary considerations,” observes Sean Nyhan of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. That’s right, tuition for schools outside the U.S. can actually be cheaper than it is at home.
Enrolling as a foreign student could also save you time and, as a result, reduce your tuition investment. According to the group StudyLink, in Europe it can take as little as three years to complete an undergraduate degree, and some postgraduate degrees can be earned with a year of study. There are more than 4,000 European universities and colleges to choose from, in over 30 different countries. And at a number of schools, you can either opt for language immersion or choose to learn in English.
In addition, some countries offer other significant advantages for foreign students. In France, many international students are eligible to take part in the country’s universal health care coverage. And there’s this: The website Student Loan Hero reports that there are three European countries — Germany, Norway, and Luxembourg — where you can find colleges that will allow you to enroll tuition-free as a foreign student.
But before you pack your bags, there are important factors to consider. As Nyhan points out, “Tuition isn’t the only financial consideration you’ll have to make.” Beyond room and board, you should evaluate the necessary travel expenses, sometimes pricey international calling plans, and the overall cost of living. You should also look into your options for health care, as well as any restrictions on your ability to earn money while you’re away. And if you rely on campus resources for Indigenous students or academic support, you may have to source those on your own.
One more thing: You don’t have to cross an ocean to become an international student. The number of U.S. students enrolled in Canadian colleges has grown to nearly 10,000, with roughly 85 percent of them pursuing undergraduate degrees. The draw? According to a recent report from the national not-for-profit Universities Canada, “American students who choose Canada as a study destination do so for two main reasons: the relatively lower tuition fees at Canadian universities — especially at the undergraduate level — and the fact that they can experience another culture while remaining relatively close to home.”
The only country with more full-time U.S. students than Canada is the U.K., where IIE says more than 16,000 Americans are pursuing degrees. The next four most popular countries on the list are France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.
The bottom line: Earning a degree abroad is more than a trend, it’s a viable option. If you are interested, get going on your homework! A few sites where you can kick-start your research into programs and financing are iie.org, studylink.com, and www.studentloanhero.com.
