WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO ABROAD?

Congratulations on your decision to go abroad! Regardless of the duration of the program you participate on, immersing yourself in another culture, learning a foreign language and spending time outside your comfort zone will prove to be a worthwhile experience that is sure to be the centerpiece of your resume for years to come.

When exploring program options, it’s important to choose a program that is compatible with your academic agenda and career interests. What do I mean by that? Study abroad his changed considerably over the years. When I studied abroad is a junior in college, Study abroad was designed primarily for language majors. The rule of thumb was, the longer the better. This still holds true if your language major.But the available programs have a whole quite a bit over the yearsAllowing students with zero for language ability to study in other countriesFor shorter peers of time. This is particularly important if you have a tight academic agenda, common among STEM students.

Here’s a list of the top five topics that play a part in deciding whether or not to study a short term or longer term program.

1. Money
   In most cases, the cost of the program is directly related to its duration. The longer a program, the more it typically costs. And yet, when money is an issue (And it usually is) there are some opposing forces at play here. For example, if you rely on financial aid to fund your education, most funding is only available for full time students. In other words, some short term programs may not be eligible for financial aid, meaning that you will have to pay for the program out-of-pocket. Luckily, GlobalEd does have summer programs that are eligible for most financial aid packages.
2. Academic Schedule
   If you haven’t typed academic agendaAnd are required to take specific coursesToward your majorIn order to graduate,You may find it difficult to find courses that are compatibleWith your academic requirements.Even if you go to a country that speaks the same language, it can still be difficult to match all the requirements that you need for the semester.
3. Language Learning
   If your plan is to go overseas and immersed yourselfIn a different culture to learn the language, the longer the programs are better. But that does not mean that a short term program will not be beneficial to you linguistically and professionally. I’ve crossed paths with many students who wanted to learn the Spanish language but simply couldn’t fit in the academic agenda or couldn’t afford a longer program. The decision to go brought cannot be based on one factor alone.
4. Securing Credit
   Many of these factors are intertwined. In order to receive financial aid, the credit for the courses that you plan to take abroadMust be pre-approved so your university can release the funds towards the program. Securing all the credits towards your manager prior to departure, is the best way to avoid any interference with your graduation.
5. Travel
   Even though traveling is at the bottom of this list, it doesn’t mean it’s the lowest priority. Traveling is an equally important aspect of the study abroad experience as any other. It’s important to look at the program dates and plan accordingly. Such factors as the weather or specific holidays may influence whether or not you want to go for summer, fall or spring term. I’ll give you an example.In Seville, Spain there are two important holidays that are major tourist attractions: Easter and the April Fair. If you’re trying to decide between a fall and spring term, most people choose the Spring term because there’s time to travel afterwards. For fall students, most students head home right after the fall semester for the holidays.