There are so many reasons why you should go to college abroad. I don’t mean study abroad for a semester, I mean spending your full college years in a different country, maybe even on a different continent. Many students dream of travel and a possible study abroad semester, but may never really get to follow through.
So why not just do a semester abroad in college? There are a few reasons. One, just one semester might end up costing you more than an entire education abroad. Semester abroad programs, whether they are through your school or a third party company, can be upwards of $30,000 for just one semester! I will let you in on a little secret, I will be paying about the same amount for my entire education abroad. Another reason betting on a semester abroad can be risky is the college credits. I know a few college students who were going to do a semester abroad during their college years, only for it to not work out because the credits did not line up. Maybe because the credits wouldn’t transfer or because they had a crazy amount of credits that could only be completed on their home campus. Don’t bet on the fact that you’ll have time to do a semester abroad while in school.
Some of the top schools in the US can cost you upwards of $300,000 for a bachelors degree. Whereas studying at the most expensive school in the UK will cost you about half of that. Most schools in Great Britain will cost you about 30-50 thousand for the entire degree. Most schools in Italy will cost under 10K, unless you decided to go on the more expensive side. If you wanted to stay closer to home and maybe try going to school in Canada, it’ll still be costly but won’t empty your wallet quite like US schools do. Canada is relatively cheap for students who live in the country, because the country puts some of their taxes towards colleges. The price raises significantly for international students, but it makes sense because they weren’t paying those taxes that allow the schools there to be so cheap. An average school can cost you about $60,000-$150,000. Not great, but not as bad as American schools.
One reason why schools abroad are so cheap is because they are shorter. For example, most schools in the UK will take about 3 years, instead of 4, for a bachelors degree. So when you multiply an already cheap tuition by 3 years instead of 4, you will be saving yourself a good amount of time and money. It also means you get out into the real world faster, meaning more time you can be gaining experience and a few extra paychecks. You can learn more here to know more about other cultures.
Another reason you should look into doing a study abroad is for the experience. Who wouldn’t want to move to a foreign country and have the chance to learn about and be a part of a new and different culture. European countries especially give you the opportunity to travel cheaply and easily. Take a train for a quick weekend trip and have the access to over 40 new and exciting countries. Get the chance to explore fascinating historical landmarks that you’ve learned about in school, in the flesh. Meet people from so many different and unique backgrounds. I personally am looking forward to living the Italian Dolce Vita, meeting people from all different countries and taking the train to places like Paris, Rome, Vienna and Barcelona for weekend getaways.
But like most things in life, there are drawbacks. One drawback is the fact that it is a lot harder to get loans to cover the (lesser) cost. You will most likely have to get a personal loan from the bank rather than a student loan. Another problem that we have come across is the fact that my college fund wouldn’t be accepted at an international school.
This next problem does not apply to every school I looked at, but just so happened to be a problem with the school I am committed to and might be one that you come across; they may not offer student housing. My particular school does not offer dorms or any form of student housing. They do have a partnership with a “Student Hotel” that offers long-term hotel accommodation for international college students in the area. A plus to this is that you get the chance to mix and mingle with students who also live there, meet people from all over the place, have all of your amenities like laundry and cleaning in house, and they usually have fun seasonal activities to participate in. However, this means that this cost is all out of pocket each month. Not like schools in America where housing costs are covered in the student loans so you don’t have to worry about monthly costs as a broke student. Another option is an apartment, but that offers the problem of trying to apartment hunt in a foreign country while also preparing for your first year of college.
Another argument against is the distance from home. For some, this may not be a problem at all. It also depends on which country you plan on studying in. If you live in Maine and want to go to school in Canada, it might not be that far for you. But it could be 4,000 miles away, like me. And let me tell you something; I suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I am incredibly close with my family and I may or may not have an unhealthy obsession with my cats. I am arguably a horrible candidate to move abroad and be so far away from my parents (and my cats), so if I can do it literally anyone can.
Now, obviously to go abroad is going to require a lot of paperwork. However, your school will most likely help as they probably have dealt with international students before. There are also plenty of resources online to help you figure out what needs to get done before you go such as visas, updated passports, insurance, etc.
All I’m saying is if you love to travel, have dreams of traveling, or just want something new and exciting, perhaps look into going abroad. And doing it the right way, not just a semester but for your full education.