Studying Aboard Is Better

1. Experience a Foreign Culture
It’s one thing to see a photo of Machu Picchu, or to read a travel memoir about the bustling streets of Mumbai. Visiting foreign lands in person, however, is an entirely different experience. When you study abroad, you participate in the day-to-day life of a new locale, gaining a first-hand understanding and new appreciation of the culture.
2. Improve Your Second Language Skills
You may already be fluent in a second language, or you might study abroad in one of the many countries where English is spoken as a first language. However, studying abroad can provide you with a perfect opportunity to learn a new foreign language.
Being surrounded by native speakers affords you the chance to immerse yourself in the language, which can expedite your retention and fluency. Furthermore, if you travel to a country in which the primary language is one you’ve studied in school, you can add to your vocabulary colloquial words and phrases that may not appear in the textbooks.
3. Explore Your Own Heritage
Students whose familial heritage stems from abroad will often choose to explore their ethnicity and ancestry. In fact, reports show that minority students benefit both personally and academically when they have studied abroad in the country of their family’s origin.
4. Pursue an Activity You Wouldn’t at Home
Studying abroad is a chance for you to be adventurous, explore the unknown, and try your hand at activities that may not be offered in your home state. For example, if you’re studying abroad in Argentina, you can try numerous adventure sports, from zip-lining, to rafting, to mountain biking. If you enjoy heights, you can try paragliding. No matter what you choose, it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience
5. Learn How to Communicate Across Cultures
In today’s increasingly global society, it’s important to possess the skills to communicate across cultures – and this means understanding more than just a different language. Studying abroad helps you become familiar with the customs and traditions of the country in which you are studying, in addition to the language. By interacting with locals, you can develop an appreciation for the culture and its differences from your own.
6. Become More Independent
Studying abroad removes you from the normal support network that you are accustomed to back home. While on the one hand, being away from friends and family can seem daunting, it is also a chance for you to hone your own skills and gain some independence.
Whether it’s washing your laundry or buying groceries, you will learn to take responsibility for your actions. When you return home, your increased independence will be very useful – it can help you in your job search, at home, or in your day-to-day routines. Manage Your Own Finances
7. One major aspect of being an independent adult is having the ability to manage your own finances. Regardless of whether your study abroad program is financed by a scholarship, grant, or another source of income, chances are that it will be your responsibility to pay the bills.
Furthermore, living in a new country also forces you to learn to understand a new form of currency, and familiarize yourself with the various living expenses. Understanding how to manage your expenses will especially be beneficial when you no longer rely on the support of your family.
8. Increase Your Employment Prospects
Employers value prospective candidates with international experience, foreign language skills, and the ability to communicate across cultures. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in international relations, diplomacy, or government, these skills will be especially useful.
Use your experience studying abroad to expand your set of abilities, and make these a determining factor that will separate you from the others in a pool of applicants.
9. Form New and Rewarding Relationships
Without your regular support group of friends and family, you will be confronted with new situations on a daily basis. However, studying abroad offers you the chance to meet new people and form friendships that may last a lifetime.
Whether you’re living with a host family or in a student residence, make an effort to form relationships with those around you. Not only will you have someone around to console you when you are feeling homesick, but you will also get to know people that you can have fun with. Recreation is an important part of the studying abroad experience, and you will likely enjoy sharing your experiences much more than spending your time alone.
10. Network for Your Future
In addition to making friends, you can also form professional contacts while abroad. Generally speaking, course loads tend to be comparatively lighter while studying abroad, so this can be an ideal occasion to intern, work part-time, or volunteer while you’re studying.
Consult your college or university to see whether they help you find internships or work placements abroad. Sometimes, you can even get credit from your home institution. When you’re finished working abroad, be sure to ask for a recommendation letter to testify that you worked abroad, and to share with future prospective employers.
As a student, you are likely young and fairly unattached. When weighing the costs against the benefits, consider whether you’ll have a similar opportunity to travel abroad in the future. Chances are that now is the ideal time to go.
However, in spite of the many reasons to consider studying abroad, keep in mind the possible challenges and expenses, and carefully weigh your options before making a final decision. Furthermore, consult your advisors and professors, as well as friends and family, for advice – especially if they have participated in a similar program before.
11. Gain new perspective on the world. SIT Study Abroad programs take students through a cultural and academic experience from the inside out. Students explore issues related to globalization, development, poverty, and social inequity from many different perspectives. When they return to the US, students almost always see things differently: They can put themselves in someone else’s shoes more easily and have a more nuanced understanding of the world.
12. Increase language skills. Programs typically offer language study at the intermediate and advanced levels and/or beginning instruction in a less commonly taught language spoken by the local community. Courses incorporate formal classroom instruction, discussion, and field exercises designed to enhance student engagement while improving oral and written competence. Select programs are taught all or in part in the target language. By using language skills in daily life, students on our programs discover that they not only can survive but flourish in another country.
Note: No formal language instruction is offered for credit on IHP/Comparative programs.
13. Learn research methods and ethics. Students learn appropriate methodologies that prepare them to undertake fieldwork on topics connected to the program theme. Students develop research skills and approaches including: cross-cultural adaptation and skills building; project selection and refinement; contact and resource cultivation; observation and interviewing skills; gathering, organizing, and presenting findings; and maintaining a field journal. Students also examine the ethics and impact of their research on local communities and are required to follow the World Learning/SIT Human Subjects Review Policy, which serves as an approval process and guide for ethical field study practices.
14. Improve, learn, and refine decision-making and problem-solving skills. Students studying abroad find themselves in new situations all the time. When students maneuver through uncharted territory and convey their needs and thoughts using new language and intercultural skills, they gain confidence. These skills are transferable to other aspects of life, both personal and professional.
15. Test your interests. While studying abroad, especially on a field-based program like SIT, students can often take their interests in a more specific, applied direction. For example, they can try field research or clinical work and/or interact with professionals working in fields of interest to them.
16. Make new contacts and form lasting connections. Between academic directors, in-country lecturers, and program staff; other SIT students; homestay families; and program contributors, students form a large network of people during their study abroad experience. Some students may call upon their in-country professional contacts soon after the program’s conclusion, perhaps in pursuit of a Fulbright or Watson scholarship; others stay in touch with homestay families for decades; still others form lifelong friendships with their SIT peers. These relationships can be deeply enriching.