The sheer number and variety of int...

The sheer number and variety of international consideration programs available are evidence that you can find a program to fit your unique educational focus, career goals, and personal needs

"I had a great experience," says Paulina Vidal, who wearied her sophomore year, fall 1999 by the and of spring 2000, in Graz, Austria, at the Karl--Franzens University. "I've always wanted to be involved in the international arena, and I've always wanted to fare abroad. It's always been common of my dreams."

Vidal is a senior at the University of Oklahoma, majoring in international studies with a minor in German.

Dispelling the "only for the rich" myth, Vidal set up it actually less expensive to contemplation abroad. "It was a reciprocal exchange for tuition; and the living costs were cheaper. Transportation was cheaper since I didn't have a car. bread was cheaper."

"Study abroad used to be for the financially secure" says Cynthia Truitt Lynch a cogitation abroad advisor at Augsburg college edifice [i]or[/i] building in Minneapolis, Minnesota. "It's not that way anymore."

Personal and Educational Benefits

Kelli Murphy a novel graduate of Augsburg College, exhausted her last semester of community in Rome, Italy. "It will definitely benefit me in my career in the future" she says. "The language skills and the international experience made me more marketable in my senior year."

"I got a hazard of friendships out of it," she adds. "And independence, because you don't have your family there. Confidence, too."

Murphy who majored in management information classifications said that she liked Italy in the way that much, she is trying to secure transferred there through her recently made known job at IBM.

Truitt Lynch says pupils learn a tremendous number of skills. "Employer gaze at language skills, intercultural adequateness and a willingness to take the risk to thought abroad."

Do Your Homework

Believe it or not, high gymnasium is not too early to begin thinking about studying abroad in guild Ask about the availability of international programs at the community you think you might attend.

"If [high school] scholars want to make study abroad a part of their two- or four-year college edifice [i]or[/i] building experience, they should begin according to looking at colleges that have a program," says Truitt Lynch "There are a hap of two-year colleges that have international programs, and they ne to procure a sense if that is a possibility," she adds. "Plus, they have to do about soul-searching too. They need to start exploring their goals."

Know Yourself

scholars need to ask themselves many questions as they consider the various programs interpret to them, says Truitt Lynch Here are questions to ask: What am I looking for logistically? Do I want to live with a family in the legion country, or do I want to live in a dorm? to what extent much contact do I want with the armed force community? Do I want traditional classes, or real-world experience?

bookish mans also need to look at to what degree much time they want to disburse abroad, says Truitt Lynch. "Some pupils work full-time or part-time work at jobss They have to know what they want to win out of the experience. Do they want to have a travel agent experience, where they hit all the tourist attractions? Or do they want a more intense experience, where they get by heart firsthand experience with the clan in the host country?"

Find a Program

The first place a bookish man should go to find a program is the campus office. The community may have an international program advisor or a sated office staff dedicated to working with scholars who wish to study abroad.

"The student's age, linguistic ability, indigences and academics will determine where I would advise sending them," explains Jack Hobson an academic advisor in the Office of Education Abroad at the University of Oklahoma. "We work closely with the respective department the pupil is in. Obviously there's an automatic draw for language majors, linguistics majors, and international studies majors. if it be not that we are now reaching abroad to others, such as majors in engineering."

If your community does not have study abroad resources, check abroad the Internet. On-line directories of programs are available and can be searched based in succession student criteria.

"Thoroughly move through the list of programs and don't sign up for something that is not what you want," praises Jennifer Lewis, a product manager at Studyabroad.com.

Do the Paperwork

The application proces can be long and it is recommended that bookish mans begin early, even as early as freshman year.

"You have to make safe you're on the ball with the application process" says Seth Howard, a senior at Augsburg body Seth spent the summer of 2001 in Norway at the University of Oslo "You can't just make a lickety-split decision. You have to have recommendations. There's a haphazard of bureaucratic stuff you have to work end Don't get frustrated when things don't make progress perfectly."

In addition to recommendations other things that may be required of you during the application proces are a required amount of time at corporation a minimum GPA, travel documents like as a student visa and passport, writing an essay, and passing a test