Studying Abroad

• Home
»
• Going Abroad

Types of Programs | Duration | Accommodations | Books | Websites | Articles

Benefits of an Academic Program Abroad

• • You can take classes at a foreign university or with a program abroad and earn credit toward your degree.
  • You will have the opportunity to be fully immersed in the culture of your host country
  • Academic programs abroad will help facilitate your foreign language acquisition
  • You may be able to live with a host family

• Where to go?

• Deciding on your location for study abroad may be one of the most difficult and critical options you face. Some know exactly where they want to study, but for others deciding whether to study French in Quebec or in Paris, is tough. Your interests, objectives, and personality will play a big role in your decision, so think carefully about who you are and where you're headed. However, keep in mind that no one place will be perfect; and, at the same time, every place will be infinitely more interesting than you can imagine.
  
  Before marking your spot on the map, you may want to ask yourself:
  • is my country of choice safe?
  • Is my country of choice affordable?
  • Am I going to learn or improve a foreign language?
  • Do I want to live in a remote or rural environment, a small town, or a bustling city?

Types of Study Abroad Programs

Study abroad programs increasingly offer for-credit internships, others have service-learning components. You may wish to consider if you'd prefer these more experiential models, in which case you should refer back to the volunteer or work sections.

Direct enrollment programs offer integrated university studies alongside host-country students. Host-country faculty teach the courses, and you can participate in all aspects of foreign university life. You must have a certain level of language proficiency to participate in direct enrollment programs. Direct enrollment programs often offer you the greatest course selection, but sometimes foreign universities do not allow you to enroll in more than one or two academic departments. This option would be well suited to you if you are independent, have clear goals, and are interested in fully immersing in your host culture and meeting local people. Housing varies from university residence hall to apartments to a homestay. Keep in mind, you'll have to apply directly to your foreign university of choice and make arrangements for your courses and housing through the university visiting student office unless you enroll in a foreign university through a program sponsor that offers pracitcal assistance. If you go this route, you often receive application guidance, an orientation program, academic advising, enrollment assistance, housing, cultural activities, and ongoing support. In some countries, the education system differences or language barriers may make direct enrollment unfeasible.

Island programs offer a structured curriculum that is often focused on a particular discipline or theme. Courses are either taught by host country nationals or on-site program staff, or sometimes both. Depending on the academic focus of the program, your classes may be taught in English or the language of the host country. Among the benefits of island programs are that they allow you to study in non-English speaking countries, and they often build in time and programming for critical reflection. However, island programs can be large, ranging from 10 to 100 other American students. On island programs, you may gain exposure to a rich cross-section of the host culture through homestays, independent research projects, field-based coursework, pre-arranged trips, and sometimes volunteering, service-learning, or work experiences.

Combination programs merge the characteristics of island program and direct enrollment models. This structure provides you with the chance to create your own program of study, selecting one or more university courses alongside host country students, while also attending courses taught by your program. Similar to direct enrollment programs, a certain minimum language proficiency may be required, depending on your country of study, but if you are less comfortable with your language abilities, you may find that a hybrid program enables you to immerse yourself in your host country while having some support.

Field-based programs are often located in areas of the world where more traditional study is not easy to arrange. Field-based study will enable you to work closely with a group of students (often small) who have a similar academic interest. Students studying the arts, social sciences, phyiscal sciences, health and medicince, or thematic subjects such as religion or gender studies often gravitate toward field-based programs.

Duration

Most study abroad programs are offered throughout the year, and they usually last anywhere from a month to a year.

Recent studies are finding that programs lasting longer, such as a full semester, or preferrably a year, offer you the greatest benefits. Long-term programs will give you a chance to meet the host nationals and experience the culture. This type of full immersion tends to lead to deeper cross-cultural understanding. It also goes a long way toward making you more marketable as a future job candidate.

However, in some cases a short term or summer abroad program may be better for you if you have family obligations or graduation requirements that prevent you from going abroad for a long duration. For some students, a longer study abroad experience is too costly, and for others who are very involved in organized sports or other campus activities, being abroad for more than a month or a semester is not feasible.

Some general quesitons you may want to ask yourself are:

• How long can I afford to be abroad financially?
• Will my school provide me with the credit I need to graduate?
• How much time do I want to spend away from friends and family?
• What are my objectives and how long will it take to accomplish them? (e.g. If you are planning an independent research project, you may need more time than you expect.)

Accommodations

Choosing Your Accommodations Wisely by Jessica Brown, Transitions Abroad
Housing arrangements may be the single most important factor in students’ enjoyment of their study abroad experience. Many programs allow students to choose whether they would like to live with a host family, in a university dormitory, or in a rented apartment. Each type of accommodation offers advantages and disadvantages, and determining which living situation will work best for you requires careful consideration of your personality, your reasons for studying abroad, and your financial resources.

Home Away From Home: an Abroad View special section in which returned study abroad students share their experiences living with a foreign host family and offer tips for students considering homestays.

Other options:
• Staying in a university dormitory, which allows you to interact with students from all over the world. Ususally, you have more independence and freedom to come and go as you please; often meals are provided or you'll have a kitchenette for preparing your meals.
• Renting an apartment or house, which can be unusual for study abroad programs; however, if you are very independent and interested in interacting more with the host nationals, this is a good option.
• Living in housing provided by your program ensures you'll always have a support structure, but you will likely be surrounded by other Americans and you may not have as much immersion in your host country as you would prefer.

Recommended Books

1. Junior Year Abroad and Back Home Again by Grace Myhill and Colleen Ballerino Cohen, illustrated by Suzanne McLaughlin (AuthorHouse, 2005)
   
2. 
   Maximizing Study Abroad: A Student’s Guide to Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use by Michael Paige, Andrew D. Cohen, Barbara Kappler, Julie C. Chi and James P. Lassegard (University of Minnesota, 2002)  
4. 
   
   Study Abroad: How to Get the Most Out of Your Experience by Michele-Marie Dowell and Kelly P. Mirsky  (Prentice Hall/Pearson Education, Inc., 2003)
5. 
   
   Studying Abroad/Learning Abroad: An Abridged Edition of the Whole World Guide to Culture Learning by Daniel J. Hess (Intercultural Press, 1997)
   
   
6. Students Abroad: Strangers at Home by Norman L. Kauffman, Judith N. Martin and Henry D. Weaver  (Intercultural Press, 1992)
7. 
   
   Survival Kit for Overseas Living by Robert L. Kohls (Intercultural Press, 1996)
8. 
   
9. 
   The Exchange Student Survival Kit by Bettina Hansel (Intercultural Press, 1993)
   
   Europe From a Backpack publishes travel writing for the "Budget, Independent, and Youth Travel" market. Europe From a Backpack was the first in a series that now includes Italy From a Backpack and Spain From a Backpack.

   Study Abroad 101 by Wendy Williamson (Agapy Publishing, www.agapy.com, 2004)

10. 
    

Recommended Websites

The Center for Global Education Student Handbook: How to Get There…and Back.
This website provides resources and preparation tips for students considering study abroad.

It's Your World is Studyabroad.com's Pre-Departure Handbook for Students covers topics ranging from choosing a study abroad program to what to pack to cultural adjustment. It was prepared by leading education abroad professionals.

Transitions Abroad covers all educational opportunities abroad, from study and language-learning programs to educational travel to work, internship, and volunteer programs. There are also many articles on arranging independent international learning experiences, such as direct enrollment in a foreign university and setting up your own volunteer work. Most articles are written from a first-hand perspective, and a vast array of resources are annotated and listed by country and topic.

The University of Michigan's International Center is a virtual clearinghouse for resources and information on studying, traveling, and working/volunteering abroad.

Harvard's International Travel Handbook for Research, Study, Internships, and Service

• 
  Articles

1. Abroad View Articles Archived by World Regions
5. 
   Artistry Abroad by Elaina Loveland
   Immersion in the artistic environments of cities like Paris and Florence can provide students with an opportunity to realize their creative potential.
   
   Studying Abroad: the Experience by Troy Peden
   Studying abroad may be that defining moment in your education that will change your life. Nothing will be quite the same after you have studied abroad. Your perspectives will be global, your attitudes will be international, and your memories will last a lifetime. The most common misconception that prevents students from participating in a study abroad experience is its perceived inaccessibility. Students who do study abroad are often amazed at how easy it was to put the whole thing together.
   
   Plan Ahead: Words of Wisdom for Prospective Study Abroad Students
   by Janet Alperstein and Hilary Lieberman Link
   As international experience becomes increasingly important in our global community, more and more students entering college have plans to study abroad. Often, however, they are sidetracked along the way. There is, in fact, a large drop-off in the numbers of students who enter college planning to study abroad versus those who actually do so. In this article, the authors offer a few simple steps students can take from the time they first arrive on campus to ensure that they will be able to fit study abroad into their programs.
7. 
   It Was and It Wasn't by Juliana Montgomery
   A Fulbright fellow and study abroad
alumnus debunks a few myths and identifies the truth about international travel and study. If you have the desire to "go," then the experience can be affordable, accessible, and quite possibly the opportunity that helps shape you into the person you want to be.