As we help students refine their preferences and develop their college lists, we often hear that the factors we suggest for consideration weren’t on students’ radar at all before we brought them up.

For example, how many sixteen-year-olds are thinking about the geography of campus recruiting at a given school? Yet this is important for students who plan to go directly into the workforce, because it can often determine where a student will have the ability to live after graduation.

On the flip side, there’s one particular factor that often begins as a top consideration in students’ college searches, and we have to move it down the list: study abroad!

Don’t get me wrong: we think study abroad is a fantastic opportunity and encourage our students to take advantage of it. But in most circumstances, it’s a mistake to use an individual school’s study abroad programs as a driving consideration for a college choice. After all, a “great study abroad program” doesn’t mean today what it did in generations past: the majority of the best study abroad programs now involve students from different colleges participating together!

FOUR CATEGORIES OF STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS

Typically, study abroad programs - whether they take place during the academic year or summer - more or less fall into four different categories: 

1. Programs offered by schools for their own students only

2. Programs offered by schools for students from ANY school 

3. Affiliate programs offered by approved third party companies

4. Direct-enrollment programs at universities abroad

CHOOSING A STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU

With so many different options, how do you choose the program that’s right for you? Just like the college search itself, finding the right study abroad program will take a bit of soul searching. You’ll need to consider your social and cultural goals for your international experience. For example, do you want to spend a semester bonding and traveling with current friends? Would you rather meet an entirely new group of people? Are you hoping to immerse yourself in the culture and become part of a local community? Or do you see yourself traveling from city-to-city on weekends?

Studying abroad through your own college or university does make things logistically easier from a GPA and transcript standpoint. It's also a good way to meet new friends and broaden your social network within your university - you are becoming close with people that you'll be back on campus with when you return.

However, it can be fun to meet people from different schools, too - in programs where students from multiple colleges and universities participate together, you tend to see a wider diversity of participants. It can also be fun for high school friends who go to different colleges to reconnect and participate in a program together.

Participating in a direct enrollment program with a university abroad will offer the most authentic experience in terms of immersion into the local culture and making friends with local students instead of other Americans. And if you’re trying to improve your foreign language skills, a direct enrollment program often provides the fast-track to better proficiency (or even fluency!). 

EXPLORING YOUR OPTIONS

If you’re considering studying abroad, be sure to make an appointment with your school’s study abroad office. The staff can go over your options in detail and make suggestions based on your goals. Many schools also host study abroad fairs and information sessions each semester, so be on the lookout for these events. 

For students exploring affiliate program options, take a look at these popular organizations: CIEE, IES Abroad, and CIS Abroad. In addition to traditional semester programs, there are also plenty of options for undergraduates looking for a summer adventure, a winter break overseas, or even an international internship experience. 

unique STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS 

There are literally thousands of study abroad programs to choose from, and while we can’t possibly cover all of them, we do want to share some of our favorites.

Programs offered by schools for their own students only

Wake Forest University: Venice Campus

Wake students who dream of visiting Italy are in luck! Undergraduates can spend an entire semester (or summer) at Casa Artom - Wake’s Italian campus - living in an idyllic 19th century house right on the Grand Canal in Venice. Classes are offered in subjects such as economics, art history, and Italian (of course!) and are taught by Wake faculty, as well as some local professors. Che buono!

University of Georgia: Tropical Entomology and Evolutionary Biology in Ecuador and the Galápagos

Forget the beach! Students at UGA have the opportunity to spend the summer in the jungles of Ecuador. This “more-than-two-week” summer course - Tropical Entomology and Evolutionary Biology - provides students with the opportunity to study insects up close and personal in the most exotic natural locales of the country. As if that’s not cool enough, the program also includes a trip to the Galápagos Islands, where participants hike and snorkel, all while studying animals in their habitats.

Villanova University: Irish Studies in Galway

This Villanova study abroad program might just be a lucky charm for students looking for the best of all worlds: the chance to form a close-knit bond with other Wildcats and become immersed in a different culture. Participants spend the semester at the University of Galway, which is known for its diverse curriculum. There are courses for just about any major! The program houses its members in student apartments around campus and gives them access to all of the societies (aka clubs) and events that the university has to offer. 

Programs offered by schools for students from ANY school 

The University of Arizona: Security and Peacebuilding in Colombia

The University of Arizona has a truly hands-on approach to studying abroad. Instead of spending months in the classroom, students participating in their Security and Peacebuilding in Colombia program learn by doing. They observe the peace process in action, as they hear from guest speakers and engage with political and social leaders in the country. Plus, participants have the chance to complete an internship or service learning project to put their knowledge into practice. 

St. Lawrence University: Kenya Semester Program

The Kenya Semester program is one of the most established, longest-running U.S. study abroad programs. What has made it so successful is the program’s unique approach. Not only do students take traditional classes, they also become fully immersed in the culture through homestays, camping trips, and field studies. And at the end of the semester, students choose a facet of Kenyan society and complete a major independent research project.

Middlebury College: Museum Studies in Oxford

This is the ideal program for museum lovers, history buffs, or art aficionados! As part of the Museum Studies in Oxford program, students spend a month visiting heritage sites and famous museums in the UK; completing a practicum at an art gallery; and meeting with experts in the museum industry.

Affiliate programs offered by approved third party companies for students from ANY school 

Foundation for International Education: Peace and Conflict Studies in Ireland and the Middle East

The Foundation for International Education offers students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Participants spend the summer analyzing peace and conflict efforts in Ireland and Jordan. But this isn’t your typical study abroad program: participants have the chance to work on case studies, meet with leaders, and even learn the Arabic language.

RWTH International Academy: Automotive Engineering and Future Mobility

Most students dread the idea of summer school, but what if your classes involved racing cars? That’s exactly what participants in the Automotive Engineering and Future Mobility program can do this summer! Students travel to Germany where they’ll get an insider look at the automotive industry. Participants debate current issues in automotive systems; collaborate on a number of case studies; and even network with experts. What a great way to rev your career in this advancing field! 

Seamester

One of the most unique ways to spend a semester studying abroad is to head out to sea. For over forty years, Seamester has offered incredible voyages across the globe for college students. The program offers undergrads the chance to spend months on a vessel, helping to navigate the adventure while also studying subjects such as oceanography, marine biology, and leadership. Seamester is the ultimate team-building experience and one that can take you to exotic places across the world, from Bali to Antigua to South Africa.

Direct-enrollment programs at universities abroad for students from ANY school 

The London School of Economics and Political Science: The General Course

Most students don’t study abroad at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) for just a few months; they stay for an entire year! As part of the General Course program, students become fully integrated in the community, taking part in the academic and social life of the school. And the best part? When your study abroad program is complete, you become a permanent member of the LSE alumni network.

The Paris Institute of Political Studies: Exchange Programme

Bonjour! The Paris Institute of Political Studies- also known as SciencesPo- offers an exchange program for students who want to study abroad for a single semester or entire school year. Participants can register for classes in political science (obviously!), international relations, law, and economics. And there’s more! There’s also an opportunity to develop proficiency in the French language and study the history and culture of Europe. 

 Maastricht University: Exchange 

Maastricht is known for being the most international university in the Netherlands and welcomes students from around the world every year as part of their exchange program. Here, participants can study a range of academic subjects and take part in their problem-based learning curriculum. And when you’re not in class, there’s plenty to do in the small city of Maastricht. It has a lot of charm and is conveniently located in an ideal part of Europe. 

MOVING FORWARD

As you can see, most students come to realize that where they end up studying abroad has little to do with where they go to college. They choose to put this factor aside in the college search to focus on other considerations: like academic programs, campus life opportunities, or - let’s be honest - the food!

And a handful of students will determine that study abroad does remain an important factor in their search after all: maybe they have a niche major with a signature abroad program related to it, or maybe they feel strongly about wanting to use the experience to build relationships with students at their own university. As long as this preference is based on an accurate understanding of the study abroad landscape, that’s 100% okay with us!