Before Study Abroad
Before your ready to study abroad there's a lot to consider other than where you want to go. Hopefully this page will help prepare you. Planning ahead is the most important thing. I had a lot of help from the USAC website where I even ordered informational books about the programs to see what's available.
Once you have a program in mind it can still seem impossible as a sole semester can cost up to $20,000 that's why it's really important to look for scholarships. Find things that cater to you specifically, scholarships can be based on need, merit, gender, ethnicity, program type, sexual orientation, etc. Keep these things in mind when searching and applying.
I applied to all these scholarships to help finance my study abroad experience.
As you can see the lists gets long quickly that's why I used a document like this to keep track of it.
I applied to all these scholarships to help finance my study abroad experience.
- Fund for Education Abroad
- TMCC Foundation
- Benjamin A. Gilman
- USAC General Application
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- Greater Nevada Credit Union
As you can see the lists gets long quickly that's why I used a document like this to keep track of it.
Another really effective method of keeping track of scholarships to fill out is by making a spreadsheet. Just stay on top of and maybe also use a calendar...
Don't let yourself get consumed by paperwork either. Remember: This is the adventure of a lifetime! Why not plan a "pre-adventure" if you'll be flying across the world anyway? You'll likely need a connecting flight to get to where you're going so why not break it down into a day trip or two in a major city you've never been to?
Most importantly, don't limit yourself:
Consider study abroad for terms that haven't opened up yet (planning ahead is everything). Look for different organizations to join (USAC is one of many study abroad services) or maybe apply to an international university directly.
It's can be a lot to handle, but it's entirely possible if you're up to the challenge. So, are you?
Don't let yourself get consumed by paperwork either. Remember: This is the adventure of a lifetime! Why not plan a "pre-adventure" if you'll be flying across the world anyway? You'll likely need a connecting flight to get to where you're going so why not break it down into a day trip or two in a major city you've never been to?
Most importantly, don't limit yourself:
Consider study abroad for terms that haven't opened up yet (planning ahead is everything). Look for different organizations to join (USAC is one of many study abroad services) or maybe apply to an international university directly.
It's can be a lot to handle, but it's entirely possible if you're up to the challenge. So, are you?