The Important Difference Between “Study Abroad” and “Studying Abroad”
At American colleges and universities, study abroad programs are touted as opportunities for students to expand their horizons, increase their language capacities, and set their resumes apart. Less often discussed, however, is the possibility of studying abroad by directly enrolling in an establishment of higher learning outside of one’s home country. In this article, we’ll discuss the differences between “study abroad” programs and “studying abroad” by pursuing a degree at a foreign institution.
Study Abroad
Study abroad participants are usually tied to their home institution in the United States. Often times, colleges and universities have a dedicated Center for International Education that facilitates this linkage, helping students do things like fine tune their plans, prepare for cultural differences, verify their ability to pay for their chosen program, and ensure that their academic credits from abroad will transfer back to their home institution, for example. Additionally, this connection often means that credits from classes or experiences abroad don’t result in degrees or certifications from foreign institutions, as the work completed during study abroad programs is simply a part of the participant’s American degree.
Study abroad programs are short-term. Since study abroad programs are usually part of an American degree, participants spend a comparatively short amount of time abroad in relation to the time they spend at their home institution. Participants often have choices between a week, summer, semester, or year-long study abroad experience, meaning that, in most cases, they can complete up to 1/4 of their degree abroad.
Study abroad programs can be expensive. When you consider the fees you pay to your home university to participate in a study abroad program, including the cost of tuition, housing, group excursions, and health insurance, plus the premium processing fees collected by your home university, and add it to the price of things that aren’t covered by the program, like airfare, meals, transportation, immunizations, and textbooks, you often arrive at a very hefty sum. Furthermore, since the United States has the world’s highest tuition fees, even when exchange-based study abroad programs advertise that they cost no more than a year at your home institution, that’s still an incredibly expensive price to pay!
Study abroad programs can put you in a bubble. From being housed and going on organized excursions with other Americans to taking classes taught in English, many study abroad programs don’t live up to the eye-opening experience they boast. Study abroad students can find themselves completing unchallenging coursework, speaking almost exclusively in their native language, and not participating in the local culture any more than they did before they arrived! Because students are often paying a large amount of money to study abroad, the programs tend to cater to their comforts rather than helping them grow.
Studying Abroad
Pursuing a degree abroad means that students are directly enrolled in an institution. Though this means students don’t have the added administrative support from an American home institution, it also means that they don’t have to choose their classes based on what will transfer to a school in the United States. Moreover, students can earn an official degree or certification from the foreign institution they attend.
Pursuing a degree abroad allows you to spend the entirety of your program in a foreign country. Contrary to a study abroad program, students who directly enroll won’t be dividing their studies between their home and foreign institutions. They have the opportunity to spend an extended period of time abroad by completing an entire degree, instead of a program that fits into an American degree.
Pursuing a degree abroad won’t break the bank. Because there’s no intermediary between you and your foreign institution of choice, there are no extra fees levied. In addition, instead of paying an American school your regular tuition and fees as you would with an exchange program, you have the opportunity to pay the foreign school the actual cost of attendance. It is possible, of course, to choose expensive schools in which to enroll – like American universities abroad that charge similar rates to establishments within the United States. However, if you choose a school that natives of the country will also attend, you can often drastically cut costs in comparison to the United States.
Pursuing a degree abroad can be a fully immersive experience. Being a student at a foreign university means that you’re treated similarly to natives of the country. You don’t have to be housed with other Americans, any excursions you take will fall on you to plan, and you can choose to take classes taught in your target language. When you’re studying for a foreign degree, your coursework will be stimulating and you’ll be in an environment made up of natives. Because you aren’t participating in a costly, American study abroad program, the institution will likely cater much less to your convenience and allow you to bloom.
If you’re an American looking to spend a bit of time abroad, want assistance with the organizational aspects, and have the financial means to pay a premium price, a study abroad program might work best for you. If you’re looking for a more cost-effective way to experience authentic life and education in another country, you may be better off pursuing a degree abroad.
At the end of the day, only you can decide whether a study abroad program or pursuing your degree abroad is the right choice for you. If you’ve completed any schooling abroad, tell us about your experience in a comment!
Check out our video to learn more about why we didn’t study abroad!
Check out our video about why you should study in France!
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