Category Archives: study abroad

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Why Study Abroad?

 

study abroadWhen my daughter started applying to colleges, one of the items on her “must have” list was that the college have a study abroad program. She has always been an avid traveler and looked forward to spending time abroad with her college friends. During her junior year, she was able to study abroad in Paris, France and travel all around Europe while she was there. She visited Switzerland, England, Italy and Spain. It was one of the highlights of her college education.

In 2011, I posted a guest blog from University Language Services about studying abroad:

Studying abroad has a tremendous number of benefits – both personal and academic. The exposure to a different way of life often serves as a catalyst for students to discover what they are passionate about. It can also immerse them in a foreign language, enhance their resumes, and prepare them to live in a world that is increasingly multicultural.

On a personal level, studying abroad is a great way for students to learn how to adjust to new environments, make new friends and experience a country’s culture firsthand.

If your child is interested in studying abroad, encourage them! As scary as it may be to send them off to another country, the benefits of living and studying in another country are well worth it.

Studying abroad can help your teen:

1. Get a Job

Students can add significant value to their resumes simply by studying abroad. In the competitive market of entry-level jobs, most resumes look more or less the same. The interest in multiculturalism that studying abroad suggests can make your teen’s resume stand out from the pack. It also shows your teen’s ability to adapt to a new environment and take on new and challenging situations – all green flags for potential employers.

2. Learn Another Language

Particularly for students who want to master another language, studying abroad is a great opportunity. Sitting in a classroom and listening to a lecture is one thing, but being immersed in a culture that speaks that language is completely different. Having to learn how to read street signs, ask for certain products in supermarkets, and make small talk with new friends certainly ups the ante for language learning.

3. Meet New People

Studying abroad will undeniably expose your teen to many new people and help open his or her mind to the unfamiliar. Getting comfortable with meeting new people has both professional and personal benefits. It will not only come in handy when meeting new classmates and coworkers, but also help him or her to have a more inclusive and diverse group of friends.

4. Get Inspired

Many students go abroad having only a vague idea (or even no idea whatsoever!) of what career they would like to pursue. Studying abroad can change that. Students often are inspired by something they encounter abroad, like a community project building schools or a behind-the-scenes look at a theatre performance. Sometimes, they simply fall in love with the thrill of traveling. These inspirations can move your teen to pursue a specific career.

Studying abroad is unlike anything else in providing students with a unique and unforgettable experience. Whether your teen spends a semester living in an ancient European city, a year helping to build housing in Africa, or a summer sailing the world, studying abroad will expose him or her to a unique and previously unexplored world.

Here’s what studying abroad means to one student who is living and studying abroad in Madrid:

App Tuesday, study abroad

Top 5 FREE Language Apps

 

If your student is heading for college, they may also be studying abroad. Once you’re in a country that doesn’t speak English, it’s so much easier if you are fluent in the language there. Even if you’ve studied that language in high school, living among the culture and speaking fluently is another story.

Apps are a great start to start to understand and learn a new language, once you get the grasp then you can look to further your knowledge with things like specific french lessons.

These five language apps should help:


Duolingo

Duolingo language appThis app is extremely well structured for a free language-learning program. The program has you drill through exercises, which are part of larger lessons, to learn basic words, phrases, and grammar. Then you practice what you’ve learned by working on translations of real-world content from blogs and websites. Other Duolingo users then rate these translations, a practice that has been shown in some studies to actually work (Duolingo was originally conceived at Carnegie Mellon University).

Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish.


Byki Mobile

byki language appByki is a flashcard program that you can use to learn new words in any one of dozens of languages. It’s the free component to the much more rigorous and Transparent Language program, and you’ll find a few prods to upgrade or buy the larger software package occasionally (but not too much).

Languages: Afrikaans, Albanian, Altai, Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bashkir, Belorussian, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Buriat, Chechen, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dari, Dutch, Estonian, Farsi, Finnish, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Kazakh, Korean, Latin, Latvian, Lithuanian, Luxembourgish, Macedonian, Malay, Mirandese, Mongolian, Norwegian, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian or European), Romanian, Russian, Scottish, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tajiki, Thai, Turkish, Turkmen, Tuvan, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Zulu.

Memrise

memrise language appMemrise is a language learning program that extends beyond vocabulary and language to things like history and science, but at its core it’s a flashcard-style program that’s augmented with memory tricks, images, and other useful tools to make learning a new language easier. Its focus is largely on memorization, but it’s also designed to help you have fun learning the language you’re trying to pick up. Memrise gamifies the process a bit, awarding you points and reputation as you learn, and the opportunity to compete against other users while you learn and complete activities. If you’re interested in seeing what you can learn before you sign up, you can browse some of their courses before you give it a try.

Linqapp

linqapp language appAsk a question on Linqapp via text, photo or audio recording and a push notification goes out to all users who are fluent in your target language. A points-based reward system encourages people to provide quick and accurate answers. Linqapp works very well, especially for the most popular languages on the platform, which are currently English, Chinese, Spanish and Japanese.

To use Linqapp, you can sign up with a Facebook account or email. Once you log onto the app, you are prompted to select your native language, the languages you are fluent in and the ones you are seeking answers about. Text questions can be asked for free, while queries with photos or audio recordings require Linqapp points (each user starts with free bonus points, and more can acquired by answering other people’s questions). Once you post your question, a push notification is sent to fluent speakers and a timer is set for 15-minutes so people who respond within the timeframe are eligible for points. You decide which answers are helpful and how many points you want to reward to the user. Each person has the option of filling out a profile and contacting other users (for example, I can envision using the app to eventually find other people in Taipei who enjoy U.S. cult films or “Breaking Bad,” based on the questions they ask and answer). Linqapp’s community is the most important aspect of the app.

busuu

busuu language appNew to the App scene but not new on the web is busuu. Practice speaking with native speakers and apply what you have learned. Use the listening, reading, writing and speaking task to improve your language skills, take on interactive learning exercises and quizzes and stay motivated with regular feedback. The community has over 35 million native speakers, so there are plenty of help to practice speaking the lingo.

Languages: English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Chinese, Portuguese

study abroad

Is You Student Interested in Attending College Abroad?

 

college abroadAre considering colleges in this country as your college-bound teen’s only option? Is your student interested in exploring different cultures, traveling, and gaining a more global view of the world? If so, then attending college abroad could be a viable option.

Why would your student consider attending college abroad?

Rather than studying abroad for only a semester or two, some Americans are choosing to attend school full time overseas.  In addition to the more than 260,000 students who study abroad each year for academic credit at a U.S. college or university, more and more American students, upwards of 40,000, have enrolled in higher education institutions outside of the U.S. for full degree programs.

By choosing an international degree program, not only is the student able to earn a degree, they have the opportunity to live and travel abroad as well; something they cannot experience if they attend college in the United States.

What can your student gain from this experience?

Your student will be immersed in the culture, gain a completely different world view, learn independence and self-sufficiency, and in most cases, be able to travel to bordering countries. The majority of international degree programs take less time to complete than standard four-year American universities, which can be cost efficient in terms of tuition in the long run. Many countries average tuition is less than that of the United States. Multicultural programs draw attention to the local culture, as well as learning other communication skills in the country’s native language.

Additionally, studying abroad offers you a valuable resume boost. Global companies are looking for applicants who have global experience, a knowledge of diverse cultures, and developed independence, learning to problem solve on their own.

What steps should your student take before applying abroad?

Students and parents should do their research. Students should always verify that a school is accredited regardless of the country they plan to study in. A student should consider length of degree, cost, language of instruction and degree types offered.

Students also have to do their due diligence in educating themselves about the countries and the cultures they will encounter.That is as important for an American student going to the London School of Economics or to the Sorbonne [in Paris] as it is for a course of study at this institution: American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

After students determine what university to attend, they should verify the level of support from the host institution to help navigate the move and get familiar with the campus and surroundings once the student arrives.

There’s nothing like an education experience abroad. With all the benefits listed above, it might be something your family and student should consider.

 

Guest Posts, study abroad

Consider Studying or Volunteering Abroad This Summer

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studying abroadFor many teens, it can be tempting to spend summers off from school hanging out with friends, sleeping in well past noon, and doing a whole lot of, well, nothing. And while it’s true that some downtime for your growing kids is absolutely necessary – two and a half months of doing nothing but lounging around is maybe not the healthiest option.

Encouraging your teens to get out and have some worthy, productive summer experiences is super important – for you, and for them. This is especially true if your teen is hoping to go to college, and possibly even win a scholarship or two. After all, what’s going to look better to a college admissions board – months of sitting around at home, or a worthwhile volunteer abroad program?

There are many different summer activities out there for high school students, but one of the best, and most beneficial, is the option of studying or volunteering abroad. High school study abroad has been on the rise for a few years now, and there are many reasons why:

1) Foreign language proficiency is an incredibly important skill to have in today’s world. And because younger students learn faster than college-aged students, your teen is more than likely going to be able to soak up another language pretty fast – giving him or her one awesomely marketable skill for the future.

2) Study abroad looks wonderful on college applications and resumes. Because it’s possible to earn college credit or community service hours while abroad, your child’s abroad experience will signal to college admissions counselors that he or she takes academics seriously. In addition, study abroad really helps imbue students with vital global leadership skills and a more balanced, worldly perspective – talk about a great resume-booster!

3) While abroad, your teen will receive a much richer education than a normal classroom would provide. Study abroad programs offer a chance to learn about a country’s language, history, and culture – while living in that country! This kind of in-depth, culturally-enriching education will be invaluable to your teen.

4) Gain good contacts and networking prospects for the future. You never know who you’ll meet when you seize an opportunity like the chance to study or volunteer abroad. Other than gaining good skills for a future job (it’s not that far off!), it’s entirely probable that your child could make some worthy connections for the future – and possibly even score a potential summer internship or employment opportunity.

5) Studying abroad is an amazing experience. Your teen will undoubtedly achieve new levels of maturity, focus, and tolerance while abroad – being immersed in a foreign culture just has a way of doing that to you. And, of course, study abroad is a wonderfully fun experience!

Just as an added bonus: high school study abroad doesn’t have to be expensive! Many programs offer scholarships, financial aid, or fundraising guides. So, start encouraging your teen to get out in the world and have a life-changing abroad experience!

 

mom approved tips, study abroad

Mom-Approved Tips: The Pros and Cons of Study Abroad

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study abroadAccording to the latest “Open Doors” survey of international conducted annually by the Institute of International Education., the number of international students at U.S. universities increased 7.2 percent in 2012-13 to an all-time high of 819,644. The number of Americans studying abroad grew to 283,332 in 2011-12, representing a 3.4 percent increase over the previous year.

Inside Higher Education recently discussed a new program called Generation Study Abroad:

More than 150 U.S. colleges have pledged to increase their study abroad participation rates as part of a new national initiative, Generation Study Abroad, being spearheaded by the Institute of International Education. The initiative has the exceedingly ambitious aim of doubling American study abroad enrollment, to about 600,000, by the end of the decade. According to IIE data, just under 10 percent of American undergraduates currently study abroad during the course of their degrees.

Should you encourage your student to study abroad? The easiest way to decide is to weigh the pros and cons.

Pros

Cultural Experience

Any study abroad student will have a unique cultural experience. This is something they can’t have if they remain in the states. Becoming immersed in a foreign culture offers them a new perspective on life and enhances their view of the world.

Enhances the degree

When students study abroad, they will study subjects that might not be taught in their college or university. These courses are often unique to the country they are studying in. It’s also an opportunity to study with students from another country.

Broadens their employment eligibility

Students can add significant value to their resumes simply by studying abroad. In the competitive market of entry-level jobs, most resumes look more or less the same. The interest in multiculturalism that studying abroad suggests can make your student’s resume stand out from the pack. It also shows the ability to adapt to a new environment and take on new and challenging situations – all green flags for potential employers.

Encourages independence

More than attending college away from home, attending college in a foreign country helps students learn to survive on their own and mature in the process. Studying abroad teaches them how to manage time, money and other resources in a way that nothing else can. A child who studies abroad doesn’t just take classes in another country. They learn about a whole new way of life and that better prepares them for “the adult world” once they return home.

Opportunities to travel

It’s a great way to see the world. College is the perfect time for a young person to get out and see the world by experiencing different kinds of cultures including food, music and architecture. It will create lasting memories for the rest of their lives.

Cons

Cost

Study aboard can be costly. Most colleges offer the programs as part of the regular tuition, room and board but it won’t include travel or day to day expenses. Colleges, however, describe plans such as increasing fund-raising for study abroad scholarships, introducing a study abroad scholarship tied to student fee income, and promoting the Gilman Scholarship Program, which supports study abroad for Pell Grant recipients. With these added initiative, the cost might not be prohibitive.

Language Barrier

Some students might be afraid of the language barrier, studying abroad at schools that often teach in the native language. On the positive side, living and participating in the culture will help them learn the language more quickly.

Delays graduation timeline

It’s not uncommon for study abroad programs to delay graduation by a semester or more. It’s important to investigate the course offerings before making the decision to study abroad during the school year. If the credits are not a part of your degree plan you will have to take courses after returning home to make up for the time you lost while abroad. One way to avoid this is to attend during a summer program.

Mom-Approved Tip

For most students, study abroad is a positive experience. And with the college’s help, it can be affordable. Many students who study abroad gain a world view unlike any of the students who opted out of the programs. My daughter and many of her friends participated in a study abroad program offered by her college. The program was coordinated with the degree plan and she was able to stay on track for graduation in four years. She considers it to be one of the most beneficial aspects of her liberal arts education. Since then, she has become a world traveler and enjoys experiencing other cultures. If you can swing it, encourage your student to explore the study abroad program. Weighing the pros and cons, the pros win!

 

study abroad

Teaching Abroad after Graduation

 

Continuing with my recent theme this summer of studying abroad, here’s a guest post from Sean Lords. After obtaining degrees in English Literature and English Secondary Education, Sean Lords packed up his bags and left to Seoul, South Korea where he lived for three years teaching English abroad. Sean has since returned to the States and is currently at work on his Master’s degree.

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teaching abroadAs more and more college graduates struggle to find relevant work here in the United States, the prospect of packing up and teaching overseas for a year sounds increasingly appealing.  With the opportunity to both pay off student loan and add a sizable amount to any savings account, a teaching contract overseas can do wonders for your financial situation as well as expose you to a variety of different cultures and people.  But not all ESL jobs are created equal.  Some countries pay noticeably higher wages than others, while other countries offer significantly more time off.

Getting a firm understanding of how many people are actively teaching abroad is a little tricky.  As it stands now, there are no official numbers that state X amount of people are currently employed in an ESL setting.  However, there are some facts and figures out there that do shed some light on the most popular destinations (at least according to Google inquiries).  The following is a list of the top 15 searched countries for those wishing to teach English.

Continue reading Teaching Abroad after Graduation →

study abroad

Study Abroad? Do your research!

 

study abroadThe experience of travel is immeasurable. Whether your college student dreams of backpacking through Europe after graduation or wants to study abroad, immersion in another country and culture provides unparalleled rewards. Exploring cultures and discovering diverse ways of life can equip a young person with esteemed life skills and unique perspectives.

Study Abroad Interest & Direction

If your son or daughter wants to study abroad through the university, he or she should meet with the college’s study abroad advisor or academic advisor. A school advisor is qualified and equipped to help interested students understand various the policies. The student’s major will be taken into account so that a study abroad program can enhance a specific academic plan. Ohio University, for example, hosts a study abroad fair where students can learn about traveling opportunities. On OU’s website, students can visit the Education Abroad page to request an online application form, check out walk-in advising, gather info about orientation and link to its studying abroad Facebook page.

Continue reading Study Abroad? Do your research! →

study abroad

5 Things to consider when choosing a study abroad program

 

study abroadNot all study abroad programs are alike. Some are for a semester while in college. Others are during the summer months. And still others offer study abroad for a year or more. With so many program types and destinations, it can be difficult to decide which program best fits your student’s needs.

Here are five things your student should consider when choosing a study abroad program:

1. Is study abroad right for you?

Study abroad offers an opportunity to travel, explore other cultures, and gain experiences that can enhance your future career. But studying abroad is not necessarily a good fit for every student. Studying abroad is a unique and adventurous opportunity but can also be challenging for a student who isn’t comfortable being far away from home and away from their support system.

2. Where and when would you like to study abroad?

There are so many destinations to choose from and so many options available. Do the research. Study the countries. Ask yourself questions about the length of study and whether or not you want to be in an english-speaking country. Follow student bloggers who are studying abroad and ask questions about the countries they are living in.

Continue reading 5 Things to consider when choosing a study abroad program →

college guidance, college planning, study abroad

The benefits of getting your university education abroad

 

study abroadStudying abroad offers a wide range of benefits for university students on both an academic and personal level. The cultural experience alone is worth getting an education abroad, not to mention accruing a number of professional skills that would be more difficult to hone in your home country. The following offers a few of the many advantages you can obtain from attending an international school and getting your university education abroad.

Continue reading The benefits of getting your university education abroad →

study abroad

Top 5 Safety Tips for Studying Abroad

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study abroadPerhaps the best thing about sending your kids to college is that they are granted so many opportunities to expand their minds, meet new people, and increase their personal marketability. Academically speaking, college prepares young adults for the working world, and socially it can provide them with a vast network of connections to call upon later in life. Further, the time your kids spend in college will no doubt be transformative, helping them to figure out who they are, what they want, and what they believe in. And if they’re lucky, part of that experience will involve traveling to another country as a member of a study abroad program. However, sending your kids off to a foreign land, while exciting, can also be a bit terrifying. After all, they’re young and inexperienced in the ways of the world and anything could happen. So here are just a few safety tips you’ll probably want to impart before your kids head off for a few months of studying abroad.

  1. Plan ahead. There are all kinds of things students must accomplish in preparation for participating in a study abroad program. Aside from taking language lessons and filling out all the application paperwork, they’ll also need to get necessary immunizations and arrange for a passport, both of which could take up to six weeks. They may also need to apply for a student Visa, a work Visa (depending on how long they intend to stay and whether or not they need a job), and an international driver’s permit. In short, a lot of planning goes into spending a semester abroad, and they need to give themselves enough time to get all of their ducks in a row. This will help to ensure that they have everything they need when they travel and that they have no trouble reaching their destination and returning home afterwards.
  2. Learn the laws. It’s important to understand the laws of any country you’re in, and just because students are young doesn’t mean it’s okay to be unprepared in this regard. The local authorities certainly won’t cut visiting students any slack (just look at what happened to Amanda Knox). So take the time to go over pertinent laws with your kids prior to travel and stress that common sense is a must.
  3. Use the buddy system. The nice thing about a study abroad program is that your students will either be housed with a local family or in dorms with other international students. This should help to keep them out of trouble to some degree. But make sure they understand that there are predators looking to take advantage of them because they are so obviously out of place. For this reason it’s wise to have a buddy around at all times.
  4. Verify Insurance. Since medical insurance coverage may not extend to other countries, it’s a good idea to extend your policy or get additional travel coverage for your students. This will ensure that should they need to see a doctor or get a prescription their costs will be covered.
  5. Understand the culture. A lot of social interactions are going to be something of a trial by fire, whether your students are studying history in Italy or preparing for ESL jobs in China. Other cultures have different traditions and standards of behavior. While your students will have to learn some of it on the fly, it couldn’t hurt to take some time to look online for cultural norms in order to avoid inadvertently insulting the natives. For example, Italians may offer warm greetings such as hugs and kisses and they may take offense when recipients pull away. In China it is considered rude to leave any food uneaten, even a few grains of rice in the bottom of the bowl. When students understand such basic cultural differences they are less likely to commit a social gaffe that could result in conflict.

Every college student should take advantage of their college’s study abroad program. The studying abroad experience will undoubtedly change their lives personally, academically, and professionally.