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As a student or former student, did you find study abroad offerings to be easy to join in terms of finances, class availability and integration with your academic career? Why, or why not?
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Study abroad programs are easy to join in college; they’re a fun experience. Though the process of applying and obtaining scholarships can be quite daunting if you don’t have all the right information.
It is really complicated to have all information on a program, and asking former students about their experience and tips is mandatory to not be overwhelmed by the amount of information. Sometimes, home institutions are not really helpful and you are by yourself trying to udnerstand how to go abroad. Once the process has started, everything get smoother, although some periods are stressful concerning financing and visa (even if it depends on the country you want to go to). Also, I think that studying abroad will always be an asset on a resume.
The school I attend does a great job of making study abroad opportunities easy to do. For example, for my language requirement, I took Chinese classes. They make sure to have a study abroad every fall and one could complete their language requirement through this study abroad. The hardest part was the finances. I was not able to do it because it was so expensive. There were some scholarships that I could apply for, but of course there is no guarantee that you’ll get them.
Study abroad programs are relatively easy to join, though it probably depends on the individual programs offered at each school. My university provided plenty of information and workshops regarding the programs. Though I did find that scholarship resources were a bit more difficult to obtain.
My university made study abroad programs easy to join. They had a scholarship database and a credit database to help you figure out which classes from abroad aligned with the classes you needed for you degree. The university really wants us to be a part of study abroad so they try to make the process as easy as possible. It only seemed confusing and difficult because it was a new process I had never done before and I wanted to make sure I was doing everything properly.
Study abroad programs are relatively easy to join at my university. The study abroad office maintains databases, hosts information fairs, and offers drop-in peer advising, all of which are useful to students interested in studying abroad but unsure of which country to visit or which programs to apply to based on their major or other interests. I was able to take enough courses during my semester abroad to complete a minor in Spanish without setting back my plans for graduation. However, some students experience difficulties fitting a study abroad experience into their college career, especially since many change their majors at least once and have less options for graduating on time. I agree with other posters who have mentioned finances as an obstacle to studying abroad. Scholarships are available, but they can be hard to find and a student might not be able to study abroad without receiving several, which is uncommon.
As long as you keep your eyes and ears open. If you take foreign language classes the professors usually e-mail their students or announce in class about a study abroad program offered. Colleges also have a study-abroad office on campus. Everyone attending is welcomed to walk in. Just remember important dates.
I think that study abroad programs are very easy to come across, especially at my own university. A student has to be on the lookout however, and has to make sure they are doing the most research to get the best deal and to exhaust all the resources that they have at their fingertips. I think that some students are nervous about looking into study abroad programs because it’s one more thing to worry about but often universities have advisors that are there to help them sort it all out.
I think study abroad is easy when you are in College, the only that might be hard is the housing in the country you will be doing the abroad. Ad example in europe sometimes the housing are expensive and they don’t let you rent for just 5 months, so that might be the only thing i might be a little eorry about. The rest i think will be fine, also i think it is a great experience, and a great opportunity to meet new people and to travel around the world.
Compared to what I’ve heard about study abroad programs in the past, colleges have made it much easier to join nowadays. Of course, there is still a good bit of effort required on your part, but in general, colleges will do their best to help you out, and there is always someone you can ask if you have any questions.
