Study abroad is a wonderful opportunity to complement your domestic education while learning from a different academic, cultural, and social environment. So what is studying abroad in practice? It could be anything from taking university courses overseas, joining a faculty-led trip, completing an internship, practicing another language, or building your degree around international experience.
Key Takeaways
- Study abroad is a structured learning experience in another country, not just travel.
- Students can choose from short-term, semester-long, year-long, exchange, internship, and service-learning programs.
- The best study abroad option depends on credit approval, cost, academic goals, destination, support, and level of independence.
- Study abroad can support academic development, personal confidence, career skills, and cultural understanding.
- Students should prepare early by checking credits, funding, travel documents, insurance, health guidance, and safety requirements.
How Does Study Abroad Work?
In practice, study abroad programs begin with choosing a program that's a fit for you. This varies depending on the school, major, budget, and timeline. Study abroad experiences can vary wildly whether you opt for a faculty-led trip, a university exchange, a provider program, or a placement connected to work or research.
Study abroad means pursuing structured learning in another country, not simply visiting a new place. Depending on the program, students might take classes, complete fieldwork, participate in an internship, conduct research, practice a language, or engage in service learning.⁶ The key point is that the experience connects to academic, professional, or personal learning goals.
Study abroad is a key part of higher education for some, but don't think it's a single one-size-fits-all experience. You can go abroad for a few weeks or spend a full academic year overseas. The programs are so common that many colleges often have dedicated offices, advisers, and approval processes to help you plan.
U.S. students studying abroad for academic credit in 2023/24.³
Once you find a program, you need to check that it's right for you. Don't just look at the popular study abroad destinations; think about how the courses, assignments, transcript, and final credits will fit into your degree. Don't get distracted by exciting-looking programs if they don't support your wider study plan and academic goals.
A study abroad course will not always count automatically toward your degree. Before paying a deposit, students should ask whether credits apply to their major, minor, general education requirements, electives, or graduation total. Programs should be carefully planned so that the academic experience abroad fits the student's broader course of study.⁷
Types of Study Abroad Programs
Study abroad programs are varied. Compare a few, not just the potential destination. Length, structure, credit model, housing, support, and level of independence can all change how the experience feels. IIE Open Doors is a great resource that lets students compare U.S. study abroad data by destination, duration, academic level, field of study, and other categories.⁴ Compare program types because even if you feel like studying abroad mightn't be for you, once you see what's available, you may change your mind.
destinations worldwide in 2023/24.³
| Program Type | Typical Length | Best For | Level of Structure | What to Check First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-Term Programs | 1–8 weeks | First-time travelers, busy students, summer study, or break study | High | Program fee, credit value, travel schedule |
| Semester Programs | One semester | Students wanting deeper academic and cultural immersion | Medium | Course approval, housing, visa rules |
| Year-Long Programs | Full academic year | Language immersion, major study, and long-term independence | Medium | Graduation timeline, total cost, support abroad |
| Exchange Programs | Usually one semester or year | Students using a partner university route | Medium to low | Course equivalents, tuition model, host support |
| Internship Programs | Variable | Career experience and workplace learning | Medium | Credit, supervision, visa or work rules |
| Service Learning Programs | Variable | Community-based learning and practical experience | Medium | Ethics, project structure, academic reflection |
Short-Term Programs
- Building confidence before choosing a longer study abroad experience.
- Taking a focused course during summer or an academic break.
- Traveling with a structured group, faculty leader, or program cohort.
- Fitting study abroad around major requirements, work, or family commitments.
- UC Berkeley Summer Abroad offers intensive summer programs built around Berkeley courses and led by Berkeley faculty, including featured summer locations such as Manila, Philippines, and Puebla, Mexico.
A shorter study abroad program can still be academically meaningful if it has clear learning goals, guided activities, and proper preparation. These programs can suit students who cannot spend a full semester overseas, have work or family commitments, or want a first international experience with more structure. The main thing is to check how much credit is awarded and what the daily schedule includes.
Semester and Year-Long Programs
- Take multiple courses abroad that support a major, minor, or elective plan.
- Improve language skills through regular study and everyday use.
- Experience local university life over a longer period.
- Build independence through housing, transport, budgeting, and academic routines.
- The University of California Education Abroad Program's (UCEAP) Carlos III University of Madrid program is available for year-long, fall-semester, and spring-semester study, with courses taught in English and Spanish.
Exchange Programs
- Study at a partner university through an official institutional agreement.
- Access regular host-university courses with local or international students.
- An experience closely connected to the home institution.
- Develop independence in a less packaged study abroad format.
- Penn State lists Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul and Suwon as an exchange program open to eligible Penn State undergraduates.
Internship and Service Learning Programs
- Gain international workplace or community-based experience.
- Connect academic study with practical projects.
- Build examples for resumes, interviews, and graduate school applications.
- Develop intercultural communication in real professional or community settings.
- Syracuse Madrid offers an internship program designed to help students improve their intercultural communication skills, compare North American and Spanish work environments, and gain professional experience in Spain.
Benefits of Studying Abroad
Studying abroad offers valuable experiences by changing where, how, and with whom you learn. You'll have to adapt to new routines, communicate across cultures, and solve everyday problems in unfamiliar settings. The right program can support your degree, confidence, career planning, and understanding of the wider world. Additionally, there are great opportunities to learn a foreign language if that isn't already part of your studies.
Academic Advantages
- Explore subjects from a different national, cultural, or academic perspective.
- Take courses that may not be available at the home institution.
- Build language skills through both formal study and daily use.
- Learn through field visits, local case studies, museums, archives, labs, or community settings.
- Develop stronger academic independence by adjusting to different teaching and assessment styles.
Personal Growth
- Managing daily routines in a new country.
- Becoming more confident when handling unfamiliar situations.
- Learning how to budget, travel, plan, and ask for help independently.
- Adapting when schedules, expectations, or communication styles are different.
- Building resilience by solving small problems without relying on the usual support network.
Career Opportunities
- Develop communication skills that can support future workplace collaboration.
- Build examples of adaptability, initiative, and problem-solving for resumes and interviews.
- Gain international experience that may help with globally focused careers.
- Show employers that you can work with people from different backgrounds.
- Connect study abroad to workplace skills such as leadership, problem solving, and time management.⁵
Cultural Enrichment
- Experience daily life beyond tourist spaces.
- Learn how local customs, food, transport, language, and routines shape a place.
- Practice respectful cultural observation instead of making quick assumptions.
- Build friendships or academic connections with people from different backgrounds.
- Return home with a broader understanding of how people study, work, communicate, and live in other parts of the world.
Steps to Prepare for Studying Abroad
Decided that studying abroad is right for you? That's excellent! Here's how you can get started.
Before studying abroad, students should research the destination, understand safety and health requirements, and make an emergency plan. USA StudyAbroad recommends the preparation framework "Get Informed, Get Enrolled, and Get Insured."¹⁰ Students should also understand local laws, local customs, and how to contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in an emergency.⁹
Step 1
Talk to Your Academic Adviser
Confirm how study abroad could fit your degree plan, major requirements, and graduation timeline.
Step 2
Visit the Study Abroad Office
Compare approved programs, destinations, deadlines, housing, support, and application requirements.
Step 3
Choose the Right Program Type
Decide whether a short-term, semester, exchange, internship, or service learning program fits your goals.
Step 4
Check Credit Approval
Ask how courses will transfer before committing to a program.
Step 5
Compare Costs and Funding
Review tuition, program fees, housing, flights, meals, insurance, visas, scholarships, and financial aid.
Step 6
Prepare Travel Documents
Check passport validity, visa requirements, insurance, health forms, and emergency contacts.
Step 7
Review Health and Safety Guidance
The CDC advises students to prepare for health needs before departure and stay up to date on recommended travel vaccines.¹
Before applying, it's worthwhile to dot all the is and cross the ts. Every program is different and has its own requirements, but here's our short list of to-dos. Feel free to add to it and adapt it as you research programs with anything you feel is useful.
References
- CDC. “Study Abroad and Other International Student Travel.” CDC Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel, 23 Apr. 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/travel-for-work-other/study-abroad.html. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- Federal Student Aid. “Foreign School Frequently Asked Questions: Students.” Federal Student Aid Partner Connect, https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/faqs/foreign-school-frequently-asked-questions-students. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- Institute of International Education. “U.S. Study Abroad.” Open Doors 2025 Report on International Educational Exchange, 17 Nov. 2025, https://opendoorsdata.org/annual-release/u-s-study-abroad/. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- Institute of International Education. “U.S. Study Abroad.” Open Doors Data Portal, https://opendoorsdata.org/data/us-study-abroad/. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- NAFSA: Association of International Educators. “Developing a Globally Competitive Workforce Through Study Abroad.” NAFSA, https://www.nafsa.org/policy-and-advocacy/policy-resources/developing-globally-competitive-workforce-through-study-abroad. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- The Forum on Education Abroad. “Glossary.” The Forum on Education Abroad, https://www.forumea.org/glossary.html. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- The Forum on Education Abroad. “Standards of Good Practice.” The Forum on Education Abroad, https://www.forumea.org/standards-of-good-practice.html. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- U.S. Department of State. “Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.” Exchange Programs, https://exchanges.state.gov/us/program/benjamin-gilman-international-scholarship-program. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- U.S. Department of State. “Studying Abroad.” Travel.State.Gov, https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/planning/safety-tips/studying.html. Accessed 29 June 2026.
- U.S. Department of State. “Travel Health & Safety Info.” USA StudyAbroad, https://studyabroad.state.gov/study-abroad-resources/travel-health-safety-info. Accessed 29 June 2026.
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