Most of us only study abroad once, so it's not really something we do all the time and—unless you're a well-seasoned traveler—we all have questions. Here are a few timely study abroad tips for January.
Research Programs That Speak to You
Students study abroad for all sorts of reasons. Some are focused on their majors. Some want to learn a language. Some want an international internship. Some want to connect with the home country of their parents or ancestors.
No matter what interests you in your study abroad destination, the more you know about your program and why you want to go, the more it will help you find purpose, stay focused, or even land a scholarship. When you go on to grad school or the workforce and job interviews, a study abroad program with purpose is a powerful storytelling tool.
Explore Scholarships
If you haven’t already settled on a study abroad program, let scholarships help guide your journey. If you’re on the fence, consider that some scholarships will reward you for stretching yourself just a little further. Maybe taking the leap from a summer to a semester instead, or from a semester to a whole year. Or maybe to choose a less common English-speaking country like Singapore instead of the United Kingdom.
Scholarships will also ask you to consider how your study abroad program is the right fit for you, and these are good questions to ask yourself to get the most out of your program or to guide your search. Maybe you compare two programs and one has better internship options or a unique class that fits your needs. Intentionality leads to purpose and purpose leads to better scholarship award rates and other benefits.
Start Saving
Hopefully you’ve already heard by now that you can take financial aid with you to study abroad and that financial aid is packaged for a budget covering the minimum costs for study abroad.
One thing students don’t always consider is that it is difficult—if not impossible—to work while studying abroad. If you make ends meet or avoid student loans by working your way through college, know that this is not an option for most students
And what financial aid doesn’t cover are those extras you might want to add, like a long weekend trip with your classmates to the coast or buying those nice shoes you might need to fit in in your host country. Come ask us for returnee contact info if you want advice.
For these costs and potentially others, now is a good time to start setting a little something aside for your time abroad.
