Study Abroad Programs

Types of Study Abroad Programs

There are three common types of study abroad programs:

1. Direct enrollment. This program allows you to study abroad in an international university, often alongside local students. Your course choices may be limited to classes in English, classes for international students, or classes designed for study abroad students, such as language and area studies. In some cases, you might be able to choose any courses offered at the university. These programs are ideal for any student and are usually the desired choice for upperclassmen who need classes in their major.
2. Provider or University Program. The second type of study abroad program is one designed entirely by a study abroad provider or a university for international study abroad students. While there may be less interaction with local students, the curriculum may be ideally suited for you and other international students. You may also study alongside peers from around the world. These programs may last a week, a summer, a semester, or a year.
3. Customized Program. The final type of study abroad is the customized program, or often referred to as the faculty-led program. This is a study abroad opportunity designed specifically for a group of students from one university and may or may not be hosted by an international university. This might include a research project in the field with other students and researchers, or it may be as simple as a trip organized by your professor visiting key destinations in his/her course.

There are other types of study abroad opportunities, including service learning for university credit, internships abroad for academic credit, non-credit study abroad, including language school learning, or study programs abroad, excluding any credit. You might also consider an exchange program, which is typically a reciprocal agreement between your home university and another university, allowing students to swap places and pay their home tuition and fees.

Why Study Abroad

The majority of students who study abroad report it to be their most significant learning experience during the university program. Students also often report studying abroad as a life-changing experience. It is one of the activities that will help you perform better overall at university, engage more with your classmates and faculty, and improve your communication skills and academic performance. There are dozens of convincing reasons you should consider studying abroad.

Whether or not you study abroad for credit and how you utilize that credit is up to you. For many students, this may be the most important question. Ask yourself important questions to decide why studying abroad might be a great choice for you. Do you want to satisfy some degree requirements? Check off some general studies or core requirements? Do you need a foreign language proficiency for your major? Do you feel like some parts of the world may be better settings for courses in your major?

You might start by making a checklist of your goals in study abroad. If your number one goal is to see Angkor Wat, any program to Cambodia might satisfy your goal. If your primary goal is to take Advanced Nuclear Physics, you need to find a program that offers this class, teaches in English, and allows international students to enroll in advanced courses in Nuclear Physics. If language acquisition is your goal, be sure the study abroad program offers language classes for foreign speakers and that they offer these classes at all levels.

Benefits of Studying Abroad

There are countless benefits to studying abroad—broadened horizons, new perspectives, and marketable skills! If you’re interested in a career in international sectors or in the humanities, then studying abroad is a no-brainer. Your cross-cultural communication skills will improve tenfold, and you’ll have the opportunity to study a new language as well. But even if your long-term career goals aren’t internationally-oriented, you’ll still come away from study abroad as a more well-rounded person with cool stories to tell, having learned more than a few new things about yourself in the process.

You know all this, the real benefit will be the internal rewards you get from this experience. You will have memories that last a lifetime, you may make friends who you will be close to for the rest of your life, and you will look at the world through a new set of eyes. The transformation is so profound that students occasionally change their major, decide a career choice and perhaps modify their entire life plan after studying abroad.

There are many more benefits of studying abroad you've never even thought of, too.

Study Abroad Scholarships & Funding

Many students need financial help in order to study abroad. If you’re studying abroad and you expect to earn credits, federal financial aid may help cover the costs. Each university has its own policies, but most US universities will allow you to utilize federal financial aid as long as your credits are pre-approved and you enroll in the minimum number of classes to remain full-time (typically 12 credit hours during the semester and 6-9 credits in the summer. The best way to be sure is to consult your financial aid advisor, meet with your study abroad office, and talk to your academic advisor to be sure your credits will count. Institutional aid or scholarships from your home university have varied policies regarding their application to study abroad. Often, institutional aid is simply a discount and may not be used for study abroad. Other schools support study abroad and are willing to subsidize the experience by allowing your aid to be utilized.

If you don’t receive financial aid, or if you’re studying through a university or provider where you can’t apply your typical aid, then you may need to rely on study abroad scholarships, study abroad loans, or crowdfunding platforms like FundMyTravel. Your study abroad department will also be a great lead on where to find study abroad scholarships and how to qualify. If you get creative, there are many other ways of paying for study abroad.