Program Types

Direct enrollment
Explore colleges and universities in other countries, and directly enroll in a study abroad program that allows “transient” or “international” students.

Exchange
Utilize an established relationship through your school that exchanges students with another designated college or university.

Program provider
Participate in a program administered by an organization offering study abroadsupport services.

Faculty-led
Participate in a program administered by a U.S. college or university and taught by a U.S. professor.

Location

Country
Location, geography, language, population, economic/industrial development, cost of living, food, health and safety conditions, climate, ease of transportation, etc.

Language
Do you have beginner, intermediate, or advanced language skills in the host country primary language? What is the English language fluency of the local population?

Community / City size
Cosmopolitan city, Urban city, industrial city, suburban city, town, rural community

Host institution
Enrollment size, percentage of local students and international students, urban campus or enclosed campus, facilities available, teaching style, language of instruction, grading/assessment style, academic options, academic rigor, distance from housing,

Living conditions
Homestay, residence hall, apartment, house, hotel, with all Americans, with all locals, distance to shopping, entertainment, school, transportation, shared or not, cost of living, where will you eat meals?

Here are a few pros and cons of various study abroad programs

Direct Enrollment

Pros
– Authentic academic experience with locals.
– Immersion with local students
– Likely to be less expensive.

Cons
– Unfamiliar administrative bureaucracy, teaching style, support services.
– Unexpected costs.

Exchange

Pros
– Tuition cost will be the same as you pay on your home campus.
– Your campus has an established contact person at host institution.

Cons
– Unfamiliar administrative bureaucracy, teaching style, support services.
– Unexpected costs.

Program Provider

Pros
– Support services established for the needs of U.S. students.
– You get what you pay for.

Cons
– You pay extra for support services.
– Sometimes isolated/marginalized from host country people and culture.

Faculty-led

Pros
– Most of the time, accompanied by a professor you know and trust.
– Take classes that are familiar and similar to what you would take on your home campus.
– In a group of U.S. students, most often from your home school.

Cons
– Take classes that are familiar and similar to what you would take on your home campus.
– In a group of U.S. students, most often from your home school.
– Faculty not necessarily trained to provide full-service support and study abroad best practices and standards.

Country

Pros
– Someplace that excites you.
– A pleasant break from your “home”.

Cons
– Not what you expected.
– Do not like the weather, or food, or living conditions.
– Not comfortable with under-developed status, OR strategy for political or economic development.

Language

Pros
– Language was less of an obstacle than expected.
– I would like to learn a new language now.

Cons
– Language was a bigger obstacle than expected.
– I did not have the level of language skills I thought I had.

Community/City

Pros
– Love the different shops, restaurants, activities.
– Just the right size.
– Experienced new activities that I never knew I would like.
– Transportation was easy.
– Scenic and/or comfortable.

Cons
– Too big or too small for my enjoyment.
– It was hard to meet locals, or make friends with locals.
– Transportation was not adequate.
– City was ugly, dirty, noisy, boring…

Host Institution

Pros
– Love that it was much bigger or smaller than my home campus.
– Conducive to meeting local students and making friends
– Local professor and students were friendly, helpful and welcoming of foreign students.
– Courses were meaningful and challenging and motivated me to learn more.

Cons
– Hate that it was much bigger or smaller than my home campus.
– Not conducive to meeting locals or making friends.
– Local professors did not like or know how to deal with foreign students.
– Courses too easy or too hard.

Living Conditions

Pros
– Love my housing.
– Lived close to campus.
– Cost of living was less than the U.S.
– Conducive to meeting locals and making friends.
– I felt so comfortable because it was similar to what I am used to, OR because it was new and something I liked.
– Made it easy to focus on academics.

Cons
– Hate my housing.
– Lived too far from campus.
– Cost of living was so much more than the U.S.
– Not conducive to meeting locals and making friends.
– I felt so uncomfortable because it was something I could not adapt to.
– A huge distraction from my academics.

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