College students at American University in Washington, D.C. agreed that the study abroad process on their campus is affordable and accessible.
Study abroad programs offer students the opportunity to travel the world and engage in unique experiences while enrolled in school.
American University has one of the most robust study abroad programs in the country. Sara E. Dumont, executive director of American University’s study abroad office, said approximately 65 to 70 percent of students will study abroad.
Paige Goldstein, 20, a rising junior at American University, is going on a study abroad experience to Berlin, Germany in August.
The scholarships she receives as part of her regular financial aid package carried over, making the cost of the program similar to the regular price she pays for tuition. She said she was fortunate to be approved for her preference of a homestay, which means she will be living with a German family.
For Goldstein, studying abroad in college was “never something that was an if, but always a definite.”
American University’s numbers are much higher than the national average. Nationwide, 10.9 percent of undergraduate students in the United States study abroad, according to an Open Doors report featured in Inside Higher Ed.
One of the first things students consider when thinking about study abroad is cost.
Emily Matura, 21, a student at SUNY Geneseo in upstate New York who is spending the summer in Washington, D.C. for an internship, said that she had applied for a summer study abroad experience, but the account she used to pay regular tuition did not cover the cost of the program.
Dumont agreed that affordability is an issue for all students, thus it is the job of the study abroad office to make these experiences affordable to students of diverse backgrounds. According to Dumont, “the biggest key is that the university has to set up an administrative system to allow students to use their financial aid.”
Accessibility to a variety of study abroad experiences is another crucial aspect of a reputable study abroad program. The study abroad office at American University offers programs at universities around the world with courses available in nearly any subject matter, the majority of which count toward credit for graduation.
Amanda Luthy, 22, a recent graduate of American University, went to Prague, Czech Republic in the fall semester of her junior year. She said the application process was easy, and her abroad counselor was a valuable resource, introducing her to the opportunity to study at one of the oldest film schools in Europe as a film major.
She was fully kept up to date on all deadlines and paperwork she needed to complete by her counselor, starting six months prior to her departure.
Luthy’s biggest recommendation for those considering study abroad was to conduct research on a destination before traveling there, to be aware of expenses not covered by tuition once there. Because there was no dining hall on her program, Luthy felt “strapped for cash,” as she had to be able to afford all her own meals.
A study abroad experience will help you “learn to become comfortable with the uncomfortable and adapt quickly, which will likely translate into the rest of your life,” said Luthy.