Study Abroad program helps students learn in more than 40 countries
The options for study abroad are almost limitless. Students can choose places to study from around 40 different countries in the world, including Finland, Sweden, England, Costa Rica, Chile, Brazil, Ghana, Africa, Japan, Thailand and Korea.
The primary reason to study abroad might be to get another educational experience outside the United States, but students can also get credit at Utah State University.
Kay Forsyth, director of the Office of Study Abroad at USU, said students can earn credit for most of the study abroad programs. The shortest program is two weeks, but the average is about four weeks. There are also semester-based, or year-long programs, and group or exchange programs.
“Some of the exchange programs, like the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), where we exchange students between different institutions, allow students the flexibility of applying to over 100 different universities through one program,” Forsyth said.
Austrian native Astrid Melchart, a graduate exchange student studying American studies, said he is here for a two-week program.
“It is a one-on-one exchange for one semester,” Melchart said. “I got to come here and someone usually gets to go to Austria, but I am here with the American studies program, so there wasn’t a student. So, next semester, two people will go to Austria if they want to.”
The pricing for study abroad varies by location, number of credits and living arrangements. The cost for some of the exchange programs is based on USU’s tuition. The group programs are based on the cost of the program, including costs for airfare, family home stay and meals.
Forsyth said study abroad is affordable for students because it is based on the cost of what they would spend here. They can use financial aid and most scholarships and there are some specific travel scholarships available.
“Anyone can study abroad, but it is best to have at least two semesters of college experience,” she said.
For most programs, there is a minimum GPA requirement of 2.75.
“You don’t need to delay graduation,” Forsyth said. “You can meet major and minor requirements before you go with careful planning with your academic adviser.”
Many people think the courses for study are limited. For example, one misconception is that students can only study in English in Australia or England, but Forsyth said students can study in English in many other countries where English is not the native language. Students can study almost any subject they want, including biology, history, political science, education, business and others.
Forsyth said there is no better way to learn another language than by having the students immerse themselves in the language and the culture.
“Spanish is the language with the most flexibility on range from beginner to advanced level. The semester program requires a higher proficiency in the language, at least two years of the language,” she said.
One of the popular programs last summer was a short-term study in Chile where students got to study at their level for four weeks.
In one form or another, about 200 students per year participate in study abroad.
“It’s not where you go, but what you make of the experience,” Forsyth said.
She said the response from the students who participate is “overwhelmingly positive.”
“Students learn so much about themselves, their own countries and new cultures,” Forsyth said. “They have the opportunity to make friends from all over the world, see areas as a local that they would not see as a traveler.”
Melchart said his experience has been really good.
“I hadn’t expected it to be so non-complicated. I thought it would be a lot more work to adapt to the way here, but it’s not actually because people are so friendly, and a lot friendlier,” he said. “I have done [exchanges] in other places, but nowhere has anyone been as friendly as, or friendlier, than here. Anytime I need, it feels like I could basically walk up to anyone and ask them something because they are so nice.”
Trevor Budge, a junior majoring in history, said studying in Thailand was worth it because of the experience alone.
“Do it in a second. You come to school for secular knowledge and you’ll get that, but you also get the life lessons that you just can’t get living in your comfort zone,” Budge said. “In another country, your eyes are opened to a new culture. It is a great experience. It is worth it.”
The Study Abroad fair will be held Wednesday, Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Sunburst Lounge.
“The Study Abroad Fair will have information for different kinds of programs that we offer through Utah State University; semester programs and summer programs with partner institutions that we work with,” Forsyth said.
She said there will be representatives from other programs that are offered to students through sponsoring organizations such as International Studies Abroad, Australearn, Semester at Sea, Butler University, the University of Utah and Study Abroad Italy.
“We will have some Utah State University students there to talk about their experiences in the study abroad program,” Forsyth said.
The fair will also host Travel Time, a local travel agency, to help students with planning travel costs for studying abroad. Other organizations will be represented to create opportunities to arrange living with families abroad.
There will be prize drawings for personal scholarships, travel books, bags and more.
More information is available at www.usu.edu/stdyabrd or at the Office of Study Abroad in the Taggart Student Center, Room 313.
-julia@cc.usu.edu