Don't let the details stop you from dreaming about studying abroad, and don't let them prevent you from taking action. Each question has an answer and each problem a solution. When you decide to study abroad, you will be joining thousands of other U.S. students of all colors who each year ask the same questions you have and then venture out to learn about another part of the world while earning credit toward graduation.
Now for some answers to your questions.
Where Should I Go?
Jakarta, Capetown, Rio de Janeiro, London, Quebec, Tokyo, Moscow--these are just a few of the places where you can study for credit toward graduation while in college, university or technical school. There are programs for nearly every academic discipline. Economics and business courses in Japan or China will give you a glimpse into the industrial economic growth of Asia (or you can learn about agricultural-based economies in Zimbabwe or Argentina). You can take laboratory classes in chemistry in England or Australia, advanced mathematics in Hungary. Pre- med and medical technician students can assist health care providers in India working with the poor. The political changes in South Africa and Namibia offer pre-law students a unique opportunity to study modern constitutional change. Religion and philosophy will take on new meaning when Buddhism is studied in Thailand or Islam in Egypt.
Do you plan to major in a language? Then you can probably study French in France, Morocco, or Senegal; Swahili in Kenya; Urdhu in India; Chinese in Hong Kong; or Spanish in Mexico. What better place to study a language than where it is spoken everyday? No matter what your age, academic discipline, or technical field, you can benefit from studying in another country.
How Will I Find The Right Program?
Over the past decade colleges, universities, technical schools, and two- year institutions have been offering students an increasing array of study programs throughout the world. Begin by finding the person on your campus who is responsible for the study abroad programs. Ask for information about program locations, courses of study, admission requirements, costs, and application deadlines. If there is no study abroad office, then the registrar will be able to tell you if students from your school have studied for credit in another country. The library should have resource books that list programs abroad. They are usually found in the reference section next to the college guides. Find out if there are students on your campus from other countries. It is possible your school has an exchange program for which you are eligible.
Early planning is important for any study abroad program, no matter what the academic discipline or geographic location. The sooner you decide you want to study abroad the more likely you are to find a program that will either fit your major or fulfill core requirements.
Do I Need To Speak A Foreign Language?
If language is not a requirement for admission to a study abroad program, don't let your lack of foreign language skills stop you from applying. Undoubtedly, your access to people and their culture is best facilitated by fluency in their language, allowing you to learn about your hosts and share in their lives and customs. However, many good programs will have a language study component. While you may only acquire "survival" language skills, with diligence you should in a short time be able to communicate your basic needs. Your sincere attempt to learn and use the language of your chosen country will be appreciated and applauded by your hosts. You are likely to be rewarded by sincere gestures of friendship and more opportunities to gain even greater language proficiency.
Will I Graduate On Time?
If a program abroad is offered by your school, then it is likely that credit earned will be easily transferred. If your campus does not have a study abroad office or if you are unsure whether you can transfer the credit to your college or university, then you should consult your academic advisor, department chair, and registrar. They will advise you on the academic quality of your chosen program and assure you that your school will accept the credit you earn abroad. Be sure you have written to the program and have obtained a catalog and brochures to show them.
Remember, the sooner you begin planning, the more likely you are to find a program that will fit your academic program and that your academic advisor, department, and registrar will approve. Early planning is especially important if you are a science major with limited options for the number of classes you can take away from your campus. You may be surprised to learn that the science courses offered in countries where English is widely spoken, such as Denmark, Australia, South Africa, or England, will be accepted toward graduation.
How Much Will A Program Abroad Cost, and Is Financial Aid Available?
Next, find out how much a program will cost and if there will be any charges above tuition. Don't forget that airfare and spending money will have to be added to the figure you are given. Check with the financial services office for information as to how the program will be financed. Many institutions allow financial aid to apply to programs abroad, so be sure to ask. Some colleges and universities charge full tuition and make payments on behalf of their students. Others expect students to be responsible for making financial arrangements once they are accepted into a program. However the finances are arranged, it is preferable to remain a registered student at your institution during the time you are studying abroad. Planning early also gives you time to anticipate your expenses and to save money prior to your departure, especially if you are paying for your education through work/study or a part-time job. While you are in a foreign country, it is unlikely you will be able to work, so saving money prior to departure may be important. There are scholarships available for U.S. college students who study abroad, and some are specifically for students who are from ethnic groups. Once you have found your program sponsor, ask if there are scholarship funds available or fee waivers for which you qualify.
How Do I Get A Passport, and What Is A Visa?
A passport is an official government document that certifies your country of citizenship. You must have one to travel outside of the United States and to be admitted to other countries. Passports are issued to citizens 18 years and over, are valid for ten years, and cost $55 plus a $10 execution fee. If you have never held a passport, you must apply in person at an authorized post office or federal, state, or county courthouse. Take proof of birth, proof of identity such as a driver's license, and two recent passport-size photos. (Most photo shops will know the specifications.) If you are renewing your passport, you can save the $10 execution fee and apply by mail. Follow the instructions on the application, which is available at any post office. Remember that many other people are applying for passports between March and August, so apply early.
If you have been legally admitted to the United States but do not hold citizenship, you can obtain a re-entry permit or a refugee travel document from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Either document will allow you to travel abroad and return to the United States. You can call your nearest INS office for the form, which can be processed by mail for a fee of $70. It can take up to three months for the paperwork to be completed, so early planning is advised.
A visa is an endorsement by a foreign country that you can visit that country for a particular purpose and for a specified period of time. Visas are stamped in your passport, and must be obtained from the embassy or consulate of the country you plan to visit. There is space for visas on both re-entry permits and refugee travel documents if you are not a U.S. citizen.
Not all countries require visas of U.S. Citizens. Most likely the program that accepted you will send you literature with information about obtaining a visa. If not, you can call the Washington, DC embassy or consulate of the country you want to visit. Again, remember to allow adequate time, since you will have to send your passport, re-entry permit or travel documents directly to the embassy or consulate.
How Will I Remain Safe and Healthy?
Once you know you have been accepted into a study abroad program and your school has indicated that the credit you earn will be transferred, you should start preparing for different food, customs, climate, and time zones to help you stay safe and healthy. Check with your physician about required immunizations and recommendations for malaria medication if you are traveling in an area where that disease is prevalent. If you live near a large city or university, you may find a travel clinic staffed by physicians and health care workers who specialize in tropical medicine.
Once abroad, probably the biggest cause of injury is a motor vehicle accident. Traffic patterns and driving habits are different all over the world, and you must be aware of them. Common mistakes include looking in the wrong direction when crossing a street in a country where the traffic flows in the opposite direction from what you are accustomed to, and renting a motorscooter in a city where thousands are on the street and you do not observe and follow driving customs.
Always get plenty of rest and, if you drink alcohol, know your limit to ensure you are always in control mentally. NEVER, never take drugs unless they are prescription medicines. You want to be mentally alert at all times, and the penalties for getting caught using or selling drugs can be quite severe in other countries.
Much is often made of what not to eat or drink in a tropical country. You will miss an important aspect of your experience by being afraid to consume the food and will spend needless time always looking for familiar food. Some of the best food in the world is outside of the United States, grown with few chemical preservatives and prepared fresh from the market.
It is important that you consume adequate liquids to remain healthy. If you are unsure about the safety of the water supply, look around and observe what others are drinking. Throughout Indonesia, for instance, where in some places the water supply is undrinkable, Indonesians drink bottled water, which is cheap and easily obtainable. Hotels and restaurants routinely boil water, wash their vegetables in it, and offer bottled water. Indonesians at home do likewise.
Staying safe and healthy, even in a developing country, is not impossible. Prepare before going, remain alert, and follow the advice of friends who live there.
Will Studying Abroad Help Me Get Into Graduate School, Get My First Job, Or Improve Promotion Prospects?
No matter what you decide to do after graduating, the time you spent studying abroad is likely to be viewed as an asset by admissions officers at graduate schools and employers who are increasingly looking for people who are adaptable yet focused.
The next century will demand educated people knowledgeable about the world, comfortable with people from diverse backgrounds, able to speak other languages, and willing to break out of their provincial prejudices to seek common solutions to complex global problems. National boundaries are becoming less consequential in the fields of education, business, and public service. At the same time, the U.S. workforce is becoming more ethnically diversified. You want to be ready for the next century!
Black students who have participated
in an international study experience while in college or graduate school
will appreciate the excitement of traveling to another place to live, learn,
and acquire an appreciation of other peoples and cultures. Probably the
best reason for studying abroad is the chance of a lifetime to see another
part of the world. You will meet new people, see the sights you have read
about, and change your perspective by thinking of yourself as a citizen
of the world.
Council on International Educational Exchange
205 E 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
1-800-2-COUNCIL
Council on International Educational Exchange
Scandinavian Seminar
24 Dickenson street
Amherst, MA 01002
413-253-9736 (tel)
413-253-5282 (fax)
Peterson's 1995 Guide to Study Abroad
P.O. Box 2123
Princeton, New Jersey 08543
Academic Year Abroad 1995
Institute of International Education
809 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Work, Study, and Travel Abroad: The Whole World Handbook 1993
Council on International Educational Exchange
205 E 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
Beyond Safaris: A Guide to Building People-to-People Ties with Africa - Kevin Danaher, 1991
Global Exchange, Africa World Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 1892
Trenton, NJ 08607
The International Scholarship Book - Daniel J. Cassidy, 1993
Prentice Hall Publishers
200 Old Tappan Road
Old Tappan, NJ 07675
Transitions Abroad
18 Hulst Road
P.O. Box 1300
Amherst, MA 01004
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