Are you thinking about studying
abroad? You've probably imagined how exciting it would be to meet new
people and do interesting things in a foreign country. But there are so
many things you'll need to do before you ever get on an airplane. Its not
easy, but if you plan carefully and stay organized, you can do it! Here Joseph Chinnock Shares with you some great tips on how to choose a study abroad program.
The best advice is to begin as early
as possible. You want to have plenty of time to find out about study
abroad programs, and to think about which ones will be right for you.
Peterson's Guide is a very good source of information on programs, and general
descriptions can be accessed at Peterson's online.
Deciding what your goals are will help you choose from among the many different
schools that offer study abroad programs. Why do you want to go
abroad? Are you hoping to have an experience that will benefit you as you
begin a career? Or are you most interested in personal enjoyment and
learning about another culture? It's also important to think about
whether you want to stay for all or only part of an academic year, and about
the level of language proficiency that you have. You may be required to
take exams such as the TOEFL when you apply for admission to a program. For
information on exams required by American schools, see the ETS web site. And of course you have to
understand the costs of any program and what you can afford to pay.
Getting all of the information you need to make a decision and applying to a
program could take several months, so don't wait to get started!
When you've been accepted into a
program you'll need to make sure you have the proper documents for
traveling. Necessary documents include a passport for entering the host
country, and a visa to allow you permission to stay there during the school
year. These may take four to six weeks, maybe even longer, to get.
Apply for these items well in advance in case there are any delays in
government processing. The U.S. government has an excellent site that
lists foreign entry requirements for
Americans going abroad and student visa information
for students coming to the United States. Check with the international
student office of the college you'll be going to, or the sponsoring exchange
agency, to find out about any other documents you'll need to have, such as
birth certificates, medical records and proof of immunizations. Any
documents that you must have may need to be translated into the language of
your host country, so make sure you allow time to have that done also.
It's a good idea to get an
International Student ID card, because it is acceptable as proof all around the
world that you are a student, and you can often use it to get travel discounts
and reduced admission at attractions like museums and theaters.
Be sure to print out a copy of our checklist that covers all of the typical things
that must be done to prepare to study abroad, and suggests how far in advance
you should do them. Also, visit our "Essential Links" to find
additional online resources. We continually comb the web and review
relevent sites that would be useful for you. Finally, there are many good
books and guides that you can get information from - check out our
recommendations on the Bookshelf. Good luck!
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