Studying abroad in college is one of the best decisions you can make. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the world, be productive, meet new people, beef up your resume, and so much more! But when it comes to exploring study abroad opportunities, it can be quite overwhelming. There are expenses, plane tickets, college credit transfers, housing and countless other tasks that need to be taken into consideration. That is where I come in.

Let me first admit that I am no expert at studying abroad in college. I do not work for a study abroad company, I do not work in the travel industry, nor am I being sponsored by someone to sell you a specific program. What I have done, however, is studied abroad twice, lived as a college student for too many years, and am a daughter of an international pilot. My experience in this industry is moderate but I have done extensive research before and after both of my study abroad experiences that I think I can give you a great starting point to begin your research and your journey to your next amazing destination!

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Why should you Study Abroad in College?

First, let’s start with why you should even consider studying abroad in college. The process of even getting to your destination can be tedious, time-consuming, and expensive, so why do it?!

There are countless reasons to study abroad! First and most obvious, you get to travel the world. But, the best part about this? You get to travel the world and be productive at the same time! While traveling, you will earn college credit, international experience, important career connections, and possibly work experience! Also, you will have the amazing opportunity to live in a completely different country, try amazing foods, and meet some great new friends! You will learn so much both in the classroom and outside of it, network within your chosen career field, and beef up your resume to nail your next interview!

Furthermore, studying abroad in college is actually not that expensive! In many cases, it is more cost effective to study abroad! So there is another great plus! I will go into this later on, I promise.

Related: The Top Ten Reasons Why You Need to Study Abroad in College

Step One: Choose your Study Abroad Program Type

This may come as a surprise to you, but there are SO MANY ways to study abroad. So many, in fact, that I am sure I will miss a few. Let’s get right down to it.

• Traditional Semester Study Abroad: When people talk about studying abroad in college, this is the program type they are usually referring to. This is where you move to a different country for a full semester, live in one of their dorms, and take classes at a university there. In this case, your classes will just transfer directly to your school and you get the opportunity to participate in all campus activities they have available. You could also do this same thing over the summer, but be taking summer classes at the host university. However, as summer semesters go, the classes are limited and usually more expensive.
• Year Study Abroad: This is the same as the semester abroad but for the entire school year (usually just fall and spring semesters).
• Internship Abroad: The internship abroad program is where you are set up with an internship job your selected company sets you up with and work for a given amount of time. You will receive credit for it from an American university that will transfer to your home university. Usually, this transfers in as a senior level “internship” or “co-op” credit but I am sure you can work out something else with your advisor and school depending on your major. These can be completed nearly any time of year or even part-time with a study abroad program. This is one of the programs I did and I will go into more detail later on.

  

• Volunteer Abroad: This is similar to internships abroad except you are set up with a volunteer group to work with during a set period of time. The more popular programs are for shorter periods of time, such as two or three weeks. Some programs are specifically teaching programs, where you teach others how to speak English. You can do many different volunteer programs through a larger company or through a school group. For example, my current university has an Engineers without Borders organization that takes students to different parts of the world to complete projects such as providing third world countries with clean water, new bridges, etc.
• Semester at Sea: This is a really interesting and cool opportunity I wish I had done. Maybe I still will! This is where you spend a full semester on a cruise ship. During this time, you take classes while on the ship and get to participate in different outings when the ship stops. The company called Semester at Sea is the one major company I know who does this but I am sure there are more or will be more soon!
• Research: This opportunity is usually for STEM students but you can definitely find them in other majors as well. These programs are focused on giving students international research experience. In most cases, you will be working under one research professor as a lab assistant helping with their research as opposed to setting up your own research project. Sometimes you will have the opportunity to take one or two classes as well. This is usually a bit harder to be accepted into but looks amazing on your resume! Especially for graduate school!
• Home University Study Abroad: I am not exactly sure what to call this one but this is where you take a class from your own university that travels to a different country. At both of my universities, there have been several of these programs. The travel usually occurs during spring, winter, or summer break. You will be traveling as a group around your destination and probably be taking classes during your regular semester times. I completed one of these programs and will go into more detail later on. This is a great starter program because it is usually shorter and you are always with people you know.

There are countless other ways for you to begin studying abroad in college. These are just the more popular ones (and a good place for you to get started with your research). The most important part is for you to talk with your academic advisor and ask what type of programs would work best for your major!

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Career

Step Two: Choose a Company

Once you decide what type of program you want to complete, you will need to choose a company to go through. This isn’t completely required, you could totally transfer to a different university or set up an independent study through your university. But if you’re going to be in a different country, going through a company is one of the best and safest ways to go about this process.

What do I mean by “company?” I mean organizations that completely walk you through the entire process of studying abroad. They set up your housing, plane tickets, and most importantly, your credit transfers. When choosing a company, it can be overwhelming! But once you choose a program type, your options will be narrowed down dramatically.

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My advice for you is to DO YOUR RESEARCH! I can’t stress this enough. A great place to start is your study abroad office. They can tell you which companies work best with your university for both credit/transfer purposes and student reviews. Also attend a study abroad fair! Talk with the companies to see what they offer! I have found that companies on the larger side are a bit safer, they have more experience and more connections, but you need to decide this for yourself. I have been lucky and had great experiences with both programs I completed but have heard horror stories about some programs.

While you are researching, you will receive countless pamphlets, information handouts, and catalogs. Be sure to keep them organized! These expandable files are perfect for keeping everything together and keeping you sane.

Here are some companies to look into. I have only worked with GlobaLinks and had a great time, so just use this list to kickstart your research!

• ISA/GlobaLinks: Study and internship abroad programs. I completed an internship abroad program in Australia with them and have absolutely nothing bad to say about their company or the process! Their study abroad programs are located in 24 different countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Internships are available in Australia, Chile, China, England, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, and Spain.
• IES Abroad: One of the larger companies. They offer some great programs including full study abroad programs, internship abroad and study abroad part time with the option to either complete an internship or service learning project at the same time. They have plenty of different programs to choose from in Africa, Europe, Oceania, Asia, Latin America, and North America.
• CEA Abroad: A larger company offering both internships and study abroad opportunities. Countless programs to choose from!
• AIFS Study Abroad: Another larger company with programs for volunteering abroad, internships, study abroad, and special programs for gap years. Programs available in Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia and Latin America.
• EuroScholars: This is a European company who hosts students from the US and Canada strictly for research abroad programs. They assign students to one of seven research universities for a given period of time.

There are countless more! Use your university’s website for programs they work with and for further research! The companies above are just examples and good places to start, but may not offer programs that work with your curriculum.

Related: Discover How to Create a Motivational Bucket List (+50 Ideas to Get You Started!)

Step Three: Choose Where to Study Abroad

The fun stuff! As I write this, there are 195 countries in the world. Now, not all of them have study abroad opportunities, but a lot of them do! My point is there are SO MANY OPTIONS! You could travel to a university in London for a semester, or help rehabilitate animals in Africa. Maybe you want to work at a small business firm in Sydney or perhaps volunteer to teach English in a third world county. The possibilities are endless!

Of course, you will be limited by the company you choose, your program type, and your college major so be sure to talk with the company representative to be clear on your actual options!

Step Four: Choose when to Study Abroad

The beauty of studying abroad in college is that you can do it almost any time you want! Here is an overview of some of your options (I am sure you could find some more too!):

• Fall Semester
• Spring Semester
• Summer Term
• January Term
• Full Year Abroad
• Spring Break
• Winter Break

However, there are a few things you should keep in mind when it comes to deciding when to study abroad:

• Most programs that run during the school year are semester programs. So if you’re on the quarter system, the best time for you to study abroad is during the fall semester. This way, you will get a few extra credits instead of losing a few if you were to do it during winter/spring quarters.
• It is usually, but not always, recommended that you study abroad during your junior year. This way, you have already decided on your major, but aren’t in your critical senior year yet. Definitely, discuss this with your advisor! Personally, I studied abroad just after my Freshman year and during my Junior year.
• You may not have a lot of options of when to study abroad based on your program type (described above) so be sure to take that into account when deciding. If you’re unclear about how flexible the date options are, be sure to ask the program representatives.
• Keep in mind the climate of you’re desired location. For example, if you plan on studying in Australia like I did, remember that their seasons are flipped! Our summer is their winter. May or may not be important to you…
• Most students choose to travel for a few weeks before or after their program. When you’ve already paid for a ticket to get you all the way to your destination, you might as well, right? Anyways, another thing to keep in mind.

  

Step Five: Application Process

Well, now that you know your program type, company, location, and dates, you can actually begin the application process! The application process depends on your university and the company, so be sure to speak with your study abroad office. Usually, you will fill out an application strictly for the company itself. In most cases, if you do a great job on your application and are not a criminal, you will get in no problem! But studying abroad in college is becoming more popular, and therefore more competitive, so be sure to do your best!

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Step Six: Funding your Studying Abroad Experience

Scholarships and Loans

I can only speak for the United States of course, but in the US, your study abroad fee will be billed you in the same way your tuition and fees are: through financial aid (well, in most cases). So, as the last case scenario, you could take out extra loans to cover your experience and it will all be charged and taken out of your university account.

However, there are COUNTLESS scholarships available for studying abroad in college! AND you can use nearly all of the other scholarship funds you receive from other companies towards your scholarship experience as well (scholarships from non-study abroad donors). All of my study abroad experiences were funded by scholarships and many other people I know have done the same. I actually ran into someone who was awarded over $40,000 in scholarships for their trip!

Related: The 12 Secrets I Used to Fund My College Experience with Scholarships

Here are a few resources to start your scholarship search:

Top starting points:

• Your home university scholarship office/resources
• Study abroad office
• Your chosen study abroad company

Larger study abroad scholarship organizations:

• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program 
• Boren Awards
• Fund for Education Abroad

Scholarship Search Engines

• Go Abroad Scholarship Search
• IEFA Scholarship Search
• Studyabroad.com Search
• Fastweb Scholarship Search
• Cappex Scholarship Search

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Budgeting that will have you Saving Thousands! 

But the best tip I can give you for funding your study abroad adventure is…

Starting a money making blog! I began blogging while I studied abroad and it was incredibly easy to start. You can make a surprising amount of money blogging and you will have so many blog post opportunities while you’re traveling! Here is my post on how to start a blog, it is incredibly easy! My biggest piece of advice would be to set up your blog before you leave on your journey, so while you’re there, all you need to do is write and post your gorgeous photos!

Interested in starting one? Check out this free 5-day blogging crash course!

Actual Costs of Studying Abroad in College

In addition, I would really like to talk about the actual cost of your trip. Studying abroad in college is really not as expensive as you may think. If you’re studying abroad and receiving credit for it, you need to compare the cost of what you would be spending if you didn’t study abroad versus what the program will cost you plus the benefits.

Let’s do a quick example:

At your home university, your rent is $650/month, tuition + fees are $5,850/semester and your other bills (water, electricity, internet, etc.) total an additional $250/month. For five months, the total for you to stay at home would be $10,350.

Now, you are looking at a five-month semester abroad program. For example sake, you go with the ISA France program, their housing (including electricity, internet, etc.) for the entire stay is $3,850, tuition is $12,120 and required insurance is $230 plus your plane ticket (depending on where you live) could be around $700 for a total of $16,900.

So, this program really isn’t $16,900, it is actually costing you $16,900-$10,350=$6,550 extra than your current college expenses. Still a good chunk of change but not as much as you first thought! Right? There are plenty of other locations that are much less expensive too, I just chose a popular location.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Saving Money in College

Step Seven: Preparing for your Trip!

Whew! You did it! You applied and got into your selected program! Congrats! Now what? Well, I am positive the company you selected and your study abroad office will give you a to-do list for your trip. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind when preparing:

• Visa: Your school and company will walk you through this process but you will need to apply for a specific visa with your host country months in advance. This should be one of your main priorities!
• Setup your Blog: Like I said before, starting a blog is a great way to fund your adventures. Countless students who are studying abroad in college are bloggers. Here is how I started my blog!
• Credit transfer: this is usually the most tedious of tasks you will need to do, but you will have to triple check with your advisor and school BEFORE YOU LEAVE that your credits will transfer easily and what steps you need to take to make sure this happens. My university’s policy is that all of the transfer paperwork and forms all need to be filled out and signed BEFORE I leave the country or the credit transfer will either not go through or cost a lot of money to do so. You might be lucky and not have to deal with any of that but be sure you check on this!
• Reseach the Area: Look into and research transportation systems, local laws, and other important topics before you leave! An example of this is that some train networks have great systems but require you to order their daily passes a month or two in advance.
• Plan Side Travel Trips: If you plan on traveling in the area, start looking into this ASAP. Plane tickets are always cheaper months in advance as opposed to days!
• Packing: Even if you’re months away from your trip, starting thinking about what you will need to take. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER TO PACK LIGHT! Remember, you might be needing to pack power converters, an international phone, or a travel credit card. Look into these things! In this post, I go over everything you need for college, you can start with this list and narrow it down from there.

Related: The Ultimate College Packing List

Step Eight: Bon Voyage!

Wow! That was easy! You’re now on your way! Congrats!

Just kidding, it was probably a bit stressful and tiring but you get to now sit back and enjoy your reward of traveling! But now you will be able to see why studying abroad in college is such an amazing opportunity! Have fun!

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My Study Abroad Experience

I’ll try to be brief here, but I thought this post wouldn’t be complete without a few good examples of what to expect while traveling abroad.

Home University Study Abroad:

My first experience studying abroad in college was a spring break trip to Greece lead by a professor. It was a group of about twelve of us from my university who went. We took a Greek history and culture class once every two weeks during the winter quarter then spent nearly two weeks (finals week and all of spring break) exploring the amazing country of Greece with a layover to explore Paris. We stayed in hotels and traveled to homes of family friends of our professor. The experience was amazing and honestly just felt like a vacation with a bunch of friends! BUT WE LEARNED SO MUCH! We went to over 15 museums and cultural centers, celebrated with the locals at traditional ceremonies, and wrote a few papers about their amazing history and mythology.

Becuase this was a class from my university, the process was NOTHING compared to the traditional study abroad experience. All I had to do was enroll in the class and pay the travel fee! Easy peasy! Plus, the fee was pretty small because we were only traveling for two weeks (I think I paid around $2,500, which I got completely covered by scholarships).

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Internship Abroad:

My second experience was a three and a half month summer internship abroad in Australia. This experience completely changed my life. I worked for my first professional company, got engaged, made amazing new career networks, and so much more!

Let’s start with my application process. Like I said before, I decided to go with the company GlobaLinks. They were one of the few companies that offered internships over the summer that worked incredibly well with my university. About halfway through my application process, my boyfriend decided to apply too. We ended up both getting accepted and being placed in the same town!

The entire application and preparation process went incredibly smooth with GlobaLinks helping us the entire way. The only snag I personally hit was making sure the credit transfer was able to fill out one of my major requirements (required over 8 signatures from people around the globe, literally).

Once we finally made it to Australia, we had a four-day orientation in Cairns (all expenses paid by our tuition fee). Here, we did team building exercises with our living mates as well as learned vital tips about the culture and history of Australia. We also got to scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef, throw some boomerangs, meet our first kangaroos, and bungee jump in the rainforest!

After our orientation, we flew to our new homes! Jaegger and I were placed in Newcastle, just two hours away from Sydney and began working! I worked for a wetland restoration group and Jaegger worked at an exercise science research facility. In fact, his research work is one of the leading reasons he was accepted into so many Doctor of Physical Therapy programs last year!

Because of our orientation, or transition into normal work life was incredibly easy! We lived in a home with over twelve people from around the world and took advantage of our three day weekends to travel the entire country of Australia and New Zealand!

What Should You Do Next?

Okay, so you are interested in studying abroad in college, you have read all of my steps, but what do you actually NEED to do next? Well, start a task list! Add the steps that I have outlined above and at the top of the list should be to talk with your academic advisor. They will for sure give you a great place to start. If you’re one of the lucky ones and they say that any program will work for you, then dive in head first into your study abroad office demanding their most exciting programs!

Have fun, good luck, be safe! I’m so excited for you to begin studying abroad in college!

Continue reading to learn how to set up a successful money making blog before you start your journey!