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

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 for multi-country, and single country semester programs.

  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.

  Lists of all the countries that participate in these college programs.

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  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.

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  Foreign Study Volunteering Programs

• First place to look is your school's Study Abroad Office.

• A few others:

  Amigos de las Americas

  Building Communities in faraway countries with United Planet

  Cross-Cultural Programs 1 - 12 week programs

  Council on International Exchange

  Domestic and foreign Volunteering: U.S. Parks, U.S. Fish and Game, 13 Partner sites

  Global Service Two Weeks to Six Months

  Global Volunteers

  Habitat for Humanity

  Institute for International Cooperation and Development

  International Partnership for Service Learning

  Service Civil International

  University of Colorado - Volunteer Abroad College Program Volunteer Abroad

  Volunteers for Peace

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  College Search

  Search Beach Schools

  Ski Schools

  Financial Aid for College Students

  Sources for Study Abroad Scholarships

  International Study and Travel Center Scholarships

  Iinternational Institute of Education

  Check out the foreign study programs for scholarships

  Go Abroad.com

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