Studying abroad is truly one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can not be replicated. You have the amazing opportunity to live in a different country, learn about new cultures, and even gain some college credits at the same time! However, with all of the glorious opportunities comes a cost. Is that cost really worth the benefits? What are the real reasons to study abroad?

10 Reasons to Study Abroad

1. Travel the World

Obviously, the first reason to study abroad is to travel the world! You will be living in a completely different culture and location. During this time, you will have tremendous opportunity to not only explore your new country but to also travel to different countries as well! It is surprisingly cheap and easy to travel around different areas once you have landed in your host destination.

Furthermore, just by itself traveling has so many benefits. You will push yourself out of your comfort zone and grow as an individual. You will also learn how to take on challenges in a new light and will relieve the everyday stresses of college life.

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2. Beef up your Resume

It is no lie that employers love to see study abroad experience on your resume. That is not saying that if you don’t study abroad you will not land a job. But, your study abroad background will give you international experience and some great stories to talk about during your interviews, scholarship essays, etc. There is nothing better than answering the question of “what is your experience with XYZ” with “I’m glad you asked. When I was working in France, I…”

3. Learn a New Language

There are plenty of places you can study abroad where most people speak English (actually, a surprising amount). But, you can also find some great places that speak English and another language, or a language you have been wanting to learn! Learning a language where it is spoken daily is much different than in the classroom setting. You will learn it much quicker and more thoroughly. As a bonus, you can also add this language to your resume as well!

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Studying Abroad

4. Gain Valuable Knowledge

In addition to learning a new language, you will be immersed in a new culture! During this experience, you will meet incredible people, see amazing things, and be able to travel to places where history was made. You will have the opportunity to go to museums, classic tourist attractions, and much more. In addition, you will, of course, be taking classes or working for a company where you will be learning even more!

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5. Add Incredible People to your Networks

While you’re abroad, you will have plenty of opportunities to make new friends and career contacts that will put you ahead of the pack. Networking is key to landing a job post-graduation and you wouldn’t believe how incredible it is to have connections on the other side of the planet!

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Career

6. Eat some Great Food

I won’t lie, food is one of my top reasons to travel. You will be eating some amazing and authentic cuisine on your trip! You will also be forced into buying groceries at foreign stores (which is always an adventure) and/or eating great food on campus.

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7. Gain once in a lifetime experience

Traveling to any location is such a different experience, and living there is even more so! You will see your own culture through a different set of eyes, become more mature, and learn things you never knew about yourself!

8. Learn how to Travel

Many people don’t often think of traveling as a skill, but it truly is. Once you learn the art of traveling and become comfortable doing it, you will be more likely to travel in the future. This also looks great to most employers where traveling is part of the job.

9. Gain College Credit

While you are studying abroad, you will be earning college credit that will get you one step closer to your college graduation. This will also put your study abroad experience on your transcript which is a HUGE plus! This will automatically show graduate school committees, future employers, scholarship committees, and anyone else who checks out your transcript that you have international experience before they even glance at your resume.

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10. Studying Abroad really isn’t that expensive

In my Ultimate Guide to Studying Abroad, I go over this in pretty great detail, but the truth of the matter is that studying abroad is actually not that expensive at all. Yes, you do have to pay for tuition, living, and travel expenses to study abroad. However, when you measure these expenses next to the expenses of the tuition and living costs you would be paying if you were at your own university, the numbers are quite smaller. This small fee is nothing compared to all the other amazing benefits of studying abroad, namely increasing your chances of landing a job right after graduation.

That being said, there are countless scholarships out there aimed to support students in their study abroad adventures. You can easily fund half or all of your adventure with scholarships making your trip nearly free!

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So, is studying abroad worth it?

Well, there you have it! My top ten reasons to study abroad. So, in short, YES! It is absolutely worth the cost to study abroad! You will learn so much, gain so much experience, boost your career opportunities, eat great food, see amazing things, and so much more, all at a very little cost.

Learn more about studying abroad in my Ultimate Guide!