For students wanting an international education. StudyLink.

Take on the world

Study abroad sometimes refers to a short program of study taken during an existing degree. The study is usually related to your course and can often earn credit towards the completion of your degree. Study abroad can also be a short program that you take just for the fun of it, for the pure intellectual challenge or because you are interested in the subject area and want an international experience thrown in.

There's no better way to understand other culture's customs, people and language than living and studying in a foreign country. This understanding of the world will also be a skill valued by future employers.

Choosing a study abroad program that is the "right fit" for you is the best way to achieve your personal and academic goals for study abroad, as well as assist you with your long-range career plans. Therefore, it is important to plan carefully. However, when selecting the program, you are likely to get the most from involved careful planning. Hundreds of opportunities exist, more than ever before. They differ in location, duration, curriculum, degrees of cultural immersion, language, cost, and many, many other ways. Because there is so much to consider, it's smart to begin planning a full year before you want to depart.

Here's a checklist of questions you might want to ask yourself:

What do you want to study?
Do you need or want to earn credit towards your existing course while abroad?
Are you fluent enough in a foreign language to take classes in it, or will it be necessary for you to take some or all of your course work in English?
How much time can you afford to spend abroad, in terms of academic time and economic resources?
Where do you want to go? Why?
How structured or open a program are you looking for?
Do you want to live with people from your own country, stay with a local family, or have some other housing option?
How much money can you spend on tuition and fees? On housing and food? On international transportation?
Will you need to apply for financial aid? Is it available?