Study Abroad
Study Abroad: A few good reasons.
- Interest in broadening your horizons and understanding other cultures
- To understand globalization and international business
- Study curriculum that will help you in your career. For example art, education, literature, or history
- Live in a foreign country while studying their language and culture
- Enhance your career goals by understanding international affairs and economy
- Possibility for academic credit
- Number of participating students has doubled in last decade
- Possibilities for entire academic year, semester, summer programs, two week or other short-term programs
- Interest in saving the rainforest, studying ancient Buddhist temples, living in an
emerging culture
- Love of adventure
Many American universities participate in Study Abroad programs, sending students to school in other countries and hosting international students here in the U.S.
At many schools about one-third of juniors spend a semester or year in an international study program in a foreign country.
- Check out programs at your school and at others for differences in programs offered, costs
Check your financial aid agreements to see if they allow funding for international programs
Be sure the credits will transfer to your U.S. university so you can graduate on time.
Check with your school's STUDY-ABROAD OFFICE to see if your college belongs to a College Consortium. These are partnerships among colleges, usually in the same state or region. Among the many benefits this offers students are programs that may offer more choices, and advantages not available in schools not in the partnership.
COLLEGE CONSORTIUMS - partnerships among colleges:
How do I academically prepare myself for a study abroad experience?
Begin to learn all you can about your planned host country and its culture.
Help reduce the (almost inevitable) onset of culture shock by learning everything you can about the country before you go. Study the language of the country, and ask at your study abroad office if there are specific requirements by the program that you either are fluent or will agree to study the language as a part of the program.
Pay attention to global politics, and the politics in your intended host countries.
Begin to monitor U.S. Department of State travel advisories for your host country and the surrounding regions months before you plan to go. For instance, when my daughter was planning on a summer program in South Korea one year, the State Department advised her that any Americans in Seoul should keep some cash on hand in case they needed to catch an emergency flight to Japan. You can also subscribe to their RSS feed to help you stay informed:
U.S. Department of State International Travel Advisories
and study the newspapers in your host city online.
Remember to use your common sense about your safety in any foreign countries, crime occurs everywhere.
Pay attention to your surroundings.
Carry your valuables in a waist pack, on a neck pack, or inside your clothing around your waist.
Do not lend your computer to anyone or give anyone your passwords.
Put yourself on a budget and stick to it. Depending on the global economy of the moment, the value of the dollar can vary when exchanging into local currency.
How Do I Find Out About Studying Abroad?
Visit the Study-Abroad office of your college
Investigate companies that specialize in foreign study programs for students, such as
Study Abroad.com
for information on programs, subjects, countries, cities, languages.
Semesters Abroad
Search for Foreign Study Programs
Study Abroad Programs for High School Students
Council on International Exchange
Resources for a week or two, a semester, or a year program, interns, programs, transworld education, database of articles
College Consortium for International Studies
Great Site.
The College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS) Semester Program page!
Because CCIS programs are sponsored by individual colleges and universities in the United States, you will find variety in the academic and cultural focus, as well as differences in the application and payment procedures. The "contact" person for each program will be your link to specific information, application procedures, and other in-depth details" such as financial aid.
Which countries host Study Abroad Programs
England Ireland Scotland
Australia
New Zealand
Russia
Norway
Morocco
Spain
France
Germany
Greece
Poland
China
Costa Rica
India
Canada
Belize
Czech Republic
Dominican Republic
Bulgaria
Israel*
Egypt
Argentina
South Africa
Japan
Mexico
Brazil
Peru
Switzerland
Portgugal
*Other Middle Eastern countries are beginning to offer study abroad programs. Check with the United States Department of State before you travel to countries in the Middle East and Mexico.
Keep track, the list grows all the time.
Foreign Study Volunteering Programs
First place to look is your school's Study Abroad Office.
A few others: A few of many possibilities.
Building Communities in faraway countries with United Planet
Cross-Cultural Programs 1 - 12 week programs
Council on International Exchange
Global Service Two Weeks to Six Months
Global Volunteers
Habitat for Humanity
International Partnership for Service Learning
Service Civil International
University of Colorado - Volunteer Abroad College Program
Study, Volunteer, Work Abroad
Volunteer Abroad
Volunteers for Peace
College Search
Search Beach Schools
Ski Schools
Financial Aid for College Students
Sources for Study Abroad Scholarships
International Study and Travel Center Scholarships
Check out the foreign study programs for scholarships
Go Abroad.com
Please note that your search results page will have ads ABOVE the actual search results. Those are not from the site, but may be of interest, since Google targets the ads to your particular search.
Return to the top of this page
Return to the top of Everything-about-college
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...
Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?
- Click on the HTML link code below.
- Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment,
your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.
|
