How to choose a College for Study Abroad

The early bird catcheth the worm. ~John Ray

If you’re in high school, and you are planning to study abroad during college, then you are in a wonderful position to be reading this post! While you may not realize it now, where you choose to go to college could severely enable or disable your study abroad opportunities and experiences. Just because a recruiter mentioned study abroad in a presentation you saw, does not mean you will be able to do what you want or need to do. You must (and I mean absolutely must) understand the inner-workings of study abroad at your top college picks. I do not want to overload you with details, but briefly, this is what you need to know and consider in your decision:

Level of Support

• Is there a study abroad designee or office? If not, what kind of support will you receive?
• Is there a website with information that is easy to follow, which explains the study abroad process?
• How many advisors work in the study abroad office compared with how many students study abroad?
• Are the policies, processes, and procedures fair and easy to grasp? Is all the paperwork online?
• Are students satisfied with the level of support they receive from the designee/office in charge?

Program Options

• Does the university have its own programs and/or partners, and are you interested in any of them?
• Are there different paths to the same destination (direct enroll, third party, consortium, faculty-led)?
• If their programs and/or paths aren’t appealing to you, then would the institution allow you to go on another program you find on your own? If so, what is the likelihood of another program being approved?
• If you decide to go on another program, do you get valuable credit that counts in your study plan? Are additional problems/costs incurred? What are the drawbacks of not going on one of their programs?

Academic Credit

• Are you enrolled while away? If not, then you will lose all institutional benefits and may even have to reapply to your university upon returning!
• Do you receive transfer credit or resident credit? This can also influence your financial aid package; usually resident credit would offer more financial aid.
• Does credit come in as pass/fail or does it average into your grade point average? How will it appear on your official transcript (for jobs, graduate school, etc.)?
• Is study abroad linked to academic requirements? In other words, can you get major, minor, and general education credit or will you just get electives?
• Do faculty/departments run programs? This may or may not be relevant to you. Faculty-led programs can be an excellent way to get to know your professors.

Financial Aid

• What financial aid (federal, state, private, etc.) can you use for study abroad, and with which study abroad programs can you use it?   
• When can you get financial aid? For example, some institutions will not give aid to students if they are enrolled in less than six credits.
• Are you enrolled while away? Home institution enrollment is necessary for you to receive institutional benefits, financial aid, and grants/scholarships.
• Does the institution offer any scholarships or other incentives to study abroad? Some talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk by offering scholarships to enable low and middle-class students to study abroad.

Actual Costs

• What are you paying for when you study abroad? It is a good idea to compare costs for similar programs at different colleges and universities. Some institutions waive tuition while you are away (so you can pay the partner’s tuition), but others charge you no matter what (and you end up paying tuition twice). Some institutions charge a program cost and/or admin fees either at cost or way above cost. It varies dramatically.
• Whom do you pay and how do you pay for your study abroad program? Sometimes you pay your university and sometimes you pay the host/provider.
• What are the refund policies for whomever you pay?
• What is included and not included in the fees?

Case Studies – So let’s practice! You want to study abroad, but you’re just not sure when or where, and you’re not ready to figure it all out until you go to college. You’ve researched study abroad at your top four institutions. How might this information factor into your decision about where to go?

1. SEEMSEASY COLLEGE

• Level of Support: They have a study abroad office with lots of good support, and 80% of students study abroad, many of which rave about the experience.
• Program Options: There are a limited number of options. You’re not permitted to participate in any sort of Non-SEEMSEASY program for unspoken reasons.
• Academic Credit: Your credit will transfer without complications. If you pick the right program, then you will fulfill the requirements you need to stay on track.
• Financial Aid: All of your regular financial aid will apply as if you were taking classes on campus.
• Actual Cost: $25,000 tuition per semester to attend any study abroad program, all-inclusive. They purchase your airfare and give you the ticket.

2. NOBUDGET UNIVERSITY

• Level of Support: They have a study abroad office with some support, and 5% of students study abroad.
• Program Options: There are many more options than at SEEMSEASY COLLEGE. You CAN participate in a Non-NOBUDGET program if your petition is approved (which is likely).
• Academic Credit Approved credit will transfer. If you pick the right program, then you will get what you need to stay on track and graduate on time.
• Financial Aid: You can use your financial aid on any approved program, regardless of length or type. You have to be enrolled as a full-time student, but not all your courses have to be taken through study abroad.  
• Actual Cost: Waives tuition and regular fees. Instead, they charge a $300 study abroad administrative fee and program fees (at cost). Programs are not all-inclusive; students purchase their own airfare and may have to pay for other things on their own. Budgets are on the website and include estimated figures for everything (airfare, housing, program fees, admin fees, passport, visa, etc.). You notice that total estimated costs range from $1,500 to $12,000.

3. ONYOUROWN UNIVERSITY.

• Level of Support: There is one faculty member, who advises students, but it is only part-time and there is no office or website designated for study abroad.
• Program Options: Doesn’t have its own programs or partners, so you have to find one on your own.
• Academic Credit You can get transfer credit if you have a transcript sent to the university when you re-enroll, after your program.
• Financial Aid: The University requires that you withdraw while away and does not award financial aid or give you any other benefits as a student.
• Actual Cost: It depends on the program you choose.

4. PROPRIETARY COLLEGE

• Level of Support: They have a study abroad office and appear to have adequate support staff for the number of students that study abroad. 
• Program Options: With only 15 options, you can acquire permission to go on a non-PROPRIETARY program, but you do not get any aid and your credit comes in as transfer credit (which is not listed as a study abroad program on your transcript).
• Academic Credit: Gives you their academic credit for only their programs and partners.
• Financial Aid: Gives you financial aid for only their programs and partners.
• Actual Cost: Varies per program. Ranges from 8K to 18K for a semester abroad, or whatever else you find on your own through the Non-PROPRIETARY track.

Informed decisions make better futures! I’m sorry to say that I hear a hefty number of complaints from students about the practices at their home institutions. I cannot stress enough the importance of choosing a study-abroad-friendly college or university that fits your own particular needs. Maybe you don’t mind paying a lot of money in exchange for additional help and support. The differences between institutions vary, and your decision about where to attend can result in much time, energy, and money either lost or gained.

This is a partial excerpt from the latest updated edition of Study Abroad 101 by Wendy Williamson.