Studying abroad is a great option for students to experience different cultures and academic opportunities, as well as become immersed in a second language. By studying abroad, students get all this while also gaining real world experience that will help them later in life.
Experiencing new cultures has long been the main pull of studying abroad. According to an article from Pepperdine Seaver College, “Learning about different customs, traditions, and beliefs provides you with a better understanding of the world around you.” Experiencing different cultures makes a person more well-rounded, and less likely to have preconceived biases toward unfamiliar experiences. Having a better understanding of the world opens up so many possibilities that may not have seemed possible.
Studying abroad also allows students to experience things that they may not have been able to in their homelands. “You are able to participate in course offerings that are typically not available at your campus back home,” the Pepperdine article adds, “Horseback riding through Hyde Park in London, fencing in Heidelberg, and sailing in Buenos Aires.” While students learn physical skills through these experiences, they also learn language skills by being surrounded by the language they are trying to learn.
Immersing oneself in a language is the best way to learn it, something that can be done by traveling to the home of that language. According to a Cambridge University article, “…students who are exposed to the language they’re learning in an immersive way, be it through a bilingual immersion programme at their school or a study-abroad experience, exhibit higher levels of fluency.” While textbooks can be helpful, communication remains one of the best ways to learn a language. The article also goes on to say that the increased level of fluency was especially apparent in those who wanted to “learn and absorb the language.”
Students want to travel abroad to study. “By summer 2021, the Institute for International Learning reported a 523% increase in U.S. college students going abroad…” a CNBC article reports, “…with 83% of schools expecting an increase in the 2022-23 academic year.”
Students know the reasons to go study abroad. For those who aren’t so sure about leaving home because of economic concerns, there are ways to experiment with traveling to try it out for a fraction of the price. The Council on International Educational Exchange, a third party nonprofit that has long been trusted, has courses ranging from six weeks to a full semester.
