Studying abroad can be one of the richest experiences to have in our life. However with the variety of courses, staying options and, most importantly, the range of destinations, planning an exchange can be very tricky. It is important to have some things figured out before your actual trip, and researching is the key to make your journey more enjoyable. But where should you start?
Among many options, there are some basic topics to think about – about yourself and what trip you would like to experience. Step by step, we can help you architect your trip and make the best decision.
Step 1: The list of idioms and destinations is infinite
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Yes, we know. But choosing any of this topics can be easier if you think about yourself.
English and spanish are, usually, the most popular languages when it comes to studying abroad. Not only they are the most spoken languages in the world, in terms of population, but also they are becoming more and more indispensable to complete your curriculum vitae.
However, they are far from being the only options and learning another idiom can be as rich as well. A good tip is to think about what you expect for your future and what plans you have. If it is on your professional career or somewhere you dream about living, those projects can help you figure out which idiom to learn.
Than, the destination. Most languages are spoken in different parts of the world. If you think about English, you may go to United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and a recent popular option, Republic of Malta. And it happens with a lot of other idioms. You can make researches over the local culture and famous spots to visit so you can understand better what experience each one can bring to you.
Beyond that, Camila Rigby, trip counselor for the Student Travel Bureau (STB), tells that first experiences demands analysing your preferences: realising what type of weather you prefer, what kind of accent you find most charming or the hobbies you enjoy are good references to choose a country or, more specifically, a city. “We usually also recommend big cities instead of the countryside – with less people and less activities –, but the main advice is to think about your dream: what place have you always dreamed to meet?”, she says.
Sometimes choosing a destination will also rely on how long you are planning to stay on your exchange and what characteristics you can not miss on your trip. Camila tells that sometimes people need to work during the exchange so that reduces the options of destinations.
Maria Eugênia went to Australia to study English during a year, but now she decided to extend her exchange program for one year more
That is what happened with the Journalism student Maria Eugênia, who went to Australia to study English for a year: “the distance is the hardest part, because this country is far away from everywhere – it take 28 hours to get here. But I don’t regret my choice because I would not be able to pay such a long period abroad if I did not have the option of working with my student visa”.
Step 2: There is more than one course type option
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After knowing where you want to go and what idiom to learn, comes the time to decide which type of course to do. There are, basically, two different types when it comes to studying a new language, and more than the experience it will bring, it is important to think which one will fit in your routine life and in your pocket. Prices tend to vary between destinations and, also, between agencies. So a good range of budget evaluation will help you find an average value so you can create a measuring ruler to find what is more feasible.
Remember that you can make some budgets on agencies websites before visiting an agent. This way, you will know what will be expecting you. And even if you are thinking about planning the trip on you own, visiting an (or some) agent(s) can help you understand what extra expenses you will have in your destination and how you can make life more practical there.
Important detail: traveling with the assistance of an exchange agency can make your trip more secure, once they will help you solve any problems or deal with any proceedings you have to handle during the trip, but they will always charge you an assistance fee!
Idiom courses, generally, can be started during any period of the year – always on Mondays. However to think about what will suit you best, it is easier to divide it in two specificities: how long you will stay and what is the course purpose. General Language courses (which will measure your language domain through levels) or specific courses for Proficiency Exams (such as Toefl and Ielts,for English language; DELE, for Spanish, and DALF, for French) are the most popular ones.
The difference between them is that the second one will be adapted to fit what the exams expect of your language knowledge and, commonly, they already expect a higher level to enroll “so they are great if you want to achieve fluency or if you think about studying in a University abroad, for example”, according to Camila. Among those options, you can also pick between Semi-intensive or Intensive courses that will determine your course load. Some classes can last the whole day meaning that you will have less time to walk around the city during the week, but will help you get fluent faster.
If you don’t have an earlier domain of the language: that is ok too! Adapting can be scary, but the immersion in a foreign language makes the process of learning faster. Yasmin Mussolin traveled to Madrid, for three months, having a “minimum knowledge of Spanish, the one I had in school”. She joined the Basic level classes and was afraid of not being able to express herself, however in two weeks she was able to communicate and understand the language even outside classes. “It was easier than what I’ve imagined”, she said.
Vitória Beatryz believes making friends from all over the world and, mainly, the self-knowledge experience are the best things when doing an exchange program
The duration of your stay will be much more related to how much time you are able to spend on your course. They can last from one week until one year (and more). If you don’t want to intermit college, vacation courses will be the best option, once they can last up to four weeks without disrupting your studies. But no matter how long you decide to stay: exchange programs are always more than a way to learn a different language.
It is an experience that will make you learn more about yourself and teach you how to be independent. When Vitoria Beatryz Motta decided to go to Vancouver, in Canada, for a whole month, she felt like she could do anything she wanted having only 15 years old. According to her, the trip was an amazing self knowledge experience: “it gave me confidence to speak in English, but I also learned about what I like to do or don’t and to live well with myself”.
Step 4: You will need somewhere to sleep
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This is a very important part to think about on your travel and you have to think carefully. Even if you are doing your course for a short period of time, it is not common to stay on Hotels – mainly because it is too expensive. Three other options are much more usual and there is no best or worst. You have to understand your inner preferences and personality to choose the best one:
Homestaying: staying in family houses can be a cheaper option and a great way to understand the local culture once you will be living it fully. It is also a nice way to bond and not to feel so lonely when you get in a new town. Many families like to make activities together and it is a good moment to allow yourself to participate. On the other hand, as you are living and being a part of their lives, it is important to follow some rules they will state for you (as in any family).
Shared apartments or Student residences: if you want to feel more free and have your own space, those options will probably suit you best. Despite the differences, the essence is the same, and in apartments or student residences you will share the space with other students (they may or may not be in the same school as you). On both, you can have the option of having a single room or sharing it with two or three other students, it depends on what you choose. Usually, kitchens and living rooms are shared – which is great to meet people!
Marcela Castro is currently in Valencia, in Spain, and went through both experiences. For her, both of them were a nice way to live different periods of the trip: “I loved living on a family house when I first got here because I had a “support system” and did not have to worry with basic needs as I was adapting to the city. Now that I am living here for four months and know the city well, I moved to an apartment so I can gain more independence”.
Although these are the main options, it is also possible to find some other arrangements for your staying and you can decide it by yourself (and with your family) or with the help of an agency. You can also rent a room in an apartment, rent a whole apartment on Airbnb, for example, or to stay at an acquaintance’s house.
Step 5: Thinking about working abroad? That’s ok too
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If we are discussing independence, we can not forget to talk about work. A few number of countries offer you the opportunity to work while your studying (legally, I must add) and, most important, with the student visa. But it is very important to make sure the country you decided to go gives you this opportunity and what type of job you can practice.
Australia and Ireland are two of the most common destinations for students who want to make some money while studying. Maria Eugênia tells that, in Australia, the job offer is large and to find work you just have to be willing to do it. “Although the options are to work as cleaner, babysitter, waitress or in construction, things you would probably never do in Brazil, people really earn a good money for it. My mom was willing to pay my staying here, but I’ve started to work after being a month here and since then, I didn’t need her money anymore”.
“The customs and the way they work are very different from what we are used to here. It took a while to get used to it”, says Vitória about her internship in New York City.
However, woking on a different country doesn’t need to mean just making money. Another good experience is to find an internship program for foreign students, like Vitoria Beatryz did. She was planning a trip in July 2017, during her internship vacations in Brazil, when she found out that her company’s New York office had an open process for summer internship. With the help of her boss, she worked voluntarily for two weeks in the city in advertising planning, her current position in Brazil, and said that it was interesting to know how to act in her professional area in a different country but it also gave her the opportunity to met incredible people and participate in interesting projects.
Plus: What about universities?
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If you already know an idiom and is thinking about continuing your studies, Universities in other countries have great programs that accept foreign students which offer great opportunities to your professional or academic career. The application process is different from the one we know in Brazil and the courses expenses can be high, but there is a wide range of public Colleges options and exchange programs that promotes studying financing for students from all over the world. Famous projects such as Erasmus+, offered by the European Comission; Fundación Carolina, to study in Spain; or the Brazilian program Líderes Estudar, created by the entrepreneur Jorge Paulo Lemann, are references to understand how to achieve your dream.
Camila, from STB, explains that applying on a University abroad is a delicate process, but it’s not impossible. According to the counselor, it demands a number of documents, beginning with a good score on a language proficiency test – which each College will define a minimum grade -, references letter and a compilation of your projects. Thereafter, the Uni will analyse all your academic career to decide on having you as a student.
Carmen Galera decided to study Cinema in France after dropping the Publicity course in Cásper Líbero. “I started to be interested in the field and looked for colleges in Brazil, but they were expensive and I did not want to get in USP (University of São Paulo), suddenly I saw some people on my Facebook were talking about Campus France and I discovered that studying in France was free of charges both for French and foreigners”.
Carmen is at her third and last year of Art du Spectacle, mention Cinema, in the Université Lyon 2, and is in love with the experience. She tells that at the adaptation was difficult, mainly because of the idiom, but with time it starts to get easier, apart from that she had experiences she would probably not have in Brazil: the difference in courses related to art is huge! “The population here is encourage to enrich their cultural knowledge since they are kids – they visit Louvre and Louis Vuitton Foundation in school trips”. She says, that for studying Cinema, she is entitled to a credential at the Cannes festival, for example.
Campus France is an official French government agency that connects students and the country’s universities and also companies. The process is made completely aloof through an online platform and you can choose until three universities in a preference order to apply. Although they do not offer a scholarship, Carmen got a discount on the airplane ticket, once the agency has an agreement with Air France. Now, she is heading of to Polytechnic University of Valencia through the Erasmus program.
Ingrid tells that the educational system is very different: “the class presence is not mandatory and you are able to choose the subjects, for example, but I prefer a fusion between Brazil and Milan system”.
Ingrid Nielsen, on the other hand, was attending the second year of Public Relations in Cásper when she discovered a chance to complete her studies Milan, Italy. Back then, the Brazilian College used to offer a partnership with IULM University of Milan for the Social Communication course. There she was able to pick the topics she wanted to study and took the opportunity to choose those she knew she would not study in Brazil, such as neuromarketing sociology and consumption.
She also complains about the language barrier, but adds that, after a month, it was already easier to understand the classes. Although Cásper Líbero did not help much with the process – when she got back, after six months, the Brazilian college said that she would have to deal with the absences and the lack of grades –, she does not regret anything: “It was an unique opportunity to meet new places and have contact with different cultures, not to mention that Europe is rich in History”.