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Advice for Choosing a Study
Abroad Program
Researching your
study abroad options can be an overwhelming process! But if you
take a deep breath, relax, and consider the following questions,
you'll have narrowed down your options in no time at all!
Considerations
1
Why do I want to study abroad?
2 What are my
academic objectives for study abroad? Do I want to take
Virginia Tech courses overseas or courses offered by the host
institution? Do I want to take courses in my major?
3 When is
the best time for me to study abroad and for how long?
4 What country
or region would I like to study in?
5 Do I wish
to study in English or a foreign language? If in a foreign
language, will I have completed a 3000 level college language
course or be able to show that level of capability by the time I
leave? Remember, it is also possible to take courses in
English in countries where English is not the native language.
6 What are my
expectations with regard to cultural and academic immersion in
the host culture? Do I want to study alongside students from
the host country or with fellow American students?
7 Do I want a
program where I spend most of my time in one location or travel
to several places? Do I prefer cities or small towns?
8 How will I
finance my study abroad program? What financial budget am I
working with? For in-state students, programs where you
continue to pay Virginia Tech tuition and fees while abroad will
make the most sense for you financially. For out-of-state
students, many direct and third-party programs exist that are
less costly than attending Virginia Tech. See the
Money
Matters page and talk with a peer advisor in our office.
Our Advice for Program Selection
Consider a
longer study abroad experience. Students who go abroad for a
summer generally wish they had stayed a semester, and students
abroad for a semester generally wish they had stayed for a
year. The longer you stay, the more local friends you'll gain
and the cheaper your total experience will be in cost per day.
Remember that
our academic calendar isn't the same as other countries. Compare the academic calendar of the host institution carefully
to ours, so that you are sure you will be back in time for your
next semester here. When looking at course descriptions for the
southern hemisphere, remember that their fall semester falls
during our spring.
Consider staying
with a host family if you are going to a country that speaks a
foreign language. You will pick up the language and culture
faster living with people who speak the language to you daily.
Consider a wide
range of countries before you make your selection. Many options
exist to take courses in English while in a foreign country, and
you may have more scholarship opportunities if you are flexible. |
