Study Abroad While You Can

Eye opening experience with living in a different culture. Put yourself in a position to explore the world, learn new languages; see all kinds of customs, architecture and fashion. Being able to live there can you give you a rich experience like meeting the locals, making friends and finding the hidden gems of the nearby cities.

Studying in an altered environment. Not all education systems are the same, so there's the opportunity to immerse you in this foreign study and learn things not taught at school back home. This will be a perfect opportunity to learn in an environment that will push you in a variety of ways and teach you not only on your course of studies, but the people and culture.

Doing an internship. Taking on an internship overseas can put you at such a competitive advantage next to someone who hasn’t. It shows your willingness to try new things, your interest in other cultures, your ability to adapt and the chance you take to be on your own and grow professionally, away from home. If you do well and want to pursue more, there can often be career opportunities that can open up if you would like to stay abroad.

Cost Benefit. It can be an overall cost saver when studying with your school by equal to or cheaper tuition or your overall semester savings when you live out there, rather than paying for an apartment at home. Choosing to study abroad in Europe is going to be way more costly than studying in Mexico where the peso and cost of living is much cheaper. There are specific scholarships offered to study abroad programs and the assistance of school loans to help mitigate the costs. Some programs have you pay tuition at both universities or just lock you in on your rate at the university you originally attend. All depending on location, tuition costs will vary but make sure to consider the possibility it might turn out to be a great cost saver in the long run; especially with all that you are able to learn and accomplish on your journey!

Security. Being able to go with your school specific program, whether it is with faculty or an affiliate school, they will be mindful of your location and be readily available resources if ever needed. Also as you make friends with other students, whether they are locals or other students’ abroad, knowing you have a group of people looking out for each other is a great resource unlike if you were to travel alone. There is a program offered by the U.S. Department of State called Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. This allows you to register your trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, which is especially helpful in case of emergency situations. The STEP program offered is great for both the student and the parent.

Take advantage of this excellent and safe opportunity to travel and discover more about what the world has to offer!