You’re sitting on Facebook, avoiding homework in any way possible, and the name of an old high school friend pops up on your newsfeed. They just published a huge album from their weekend in Paris, so naturally you have to check it out. Over an hour later you’ve scrolled through every album they have from every cool new city they’ve visited abroad this semester, while all your pictures have been taken at Puffton or the Townhouses, and maybe occasionally in Northampton. So now you’ve caught the travel bug, and you have one less hour to get all those OWLs done by midnight.
Okay, maybe that was just me. But let’s be honest here, since you’re reading this article you must have at least some interest in studying abroad! Everyone has a list of reasons why studying abroad wouldn’t be a possibility for them, and yes, for some people it can be very difficult to accomplish. But if the thought of leaving your home university for a semester has your mind, do yourself a favor and explore your options. You can’t say you didn’t try!
With thousands of schools to choose from, applying to study abroad can be a daunting and bumpy road, but Her Campus is here to help you get started!
1. Check out your school’s international programs office website. It doesn’t always list every single program your school offers, but gives you a pretty good idea of what is out there. Often you can search by major, semester, country, language, and other categories to narrow your possibilities. UMass collegiettes™, check out http://www.umass.edu/ipo/!
2. Think about what you want in your study abroad experience. Will you take Gen Eds, or classes for your major or minor? Do you want to be in a big city, or somewhere in the countryside? Do want to live with a host family, in a dorm, in an apartment, with international students, with host country students? Does it need to be an English speaking country? How much time do you want to spend at your host university or traveling to other places? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you narrow down your options significantly.
3. Attend an IPO seminar, make an IPO account, and talk to one of the advisors. This is their full time job. They know best what programs work for students with certain majors or financial constraints. Chances are, they can tell you exactly which programs fit your criterion.
4. Make a spreadsheet of your academic plan, including the classes you have already taken and the ones that you need to take. Do you need to graduate in four years, or can you take an extra semester if you need to? Many foreign universities only allow you to take 3 classes in a semester, rather than 4 or 5 like we can at home.
5. Talk to your main academic advisor. They can look at the progress you have made so far academically and tell you what is and is not possible. I asked my advisor during the spring of my freshman year if it was possible for me to study abroad. She said absolutely, but recommended that I find a university that allowed me to take classes for my major, and to do it junior year. She was so right! If your major has a history of having tough course enrollment, like mine, taking courses elsewhere can be extremely beneficial.
6. Be flexible. Have a plan B. Your dream location/school just may not be your best option due to course offerings or expense. But that doesn’t mean all is lost!
7. Plan ahead of time. You may need to write a statement of purpose and ask for a letter of recommendation (it’s like senior year all over again!). Like I said, I started seriously considering studying abroad spring of freshman year. I began working with IPO first semester of sophomore year, applied in the spring, and will be spending fall of my junior year abroad. This allowed me to take a couple credit-heavy semesters so that I can have this fall be lighter and still graduate on time. It is possible to make everything work on shorter notice, but having more time may save you from a lot more stress!
8. Work hard now and it will pay off later. Take 5 classes instead of 4. Use your free time working on campus a few days instead of taking a nap. Cut back on the shopping a little bit (it’s so hard, I know!). It can be tough in the now, but you’ll be thanking yourself when you’re having the time of your life overseas.
Good luck and safe travels, collegiettes™!