Is Studying Abroad Still Worth it?
You may not pay more, and it could help you land a job.
American students are shying away from studying abroad, discouraged by cost, natural disasters, geopolitical instability and the challenge of meeting credit requirements toward their degrees. Participation grew a slim 1.3% in 2010–11, reports the Institute of International Education, the second-worst showing in more than a decade.
SEE ALSO: Smart Ways to Study Abroad
But students should reconsider, says Institute president Allan Goodman. The experience could pay career dividends. And, says Goodman, "despite the perception that it costs more, studying abroad generally isn't more expensive than staying at home." More campuses are making financial aid portable, so you can use it to cover expenses overseas. Look for scholarships at www.studyabroadfunding.org. Goodman also suggests trying shorter-term summer or winter foreign-study programs.
That's what recent grad Chris Standley did. His credit-intensive aerospace engineering major at Texas A&M might have prevented him from traveling abroad. But he found a summer study trip to Brazil that earned him 12 credits toward his major. A competitive scholarship covered some of the cost, and the trip helped him land a job with a Korean car-parts company. "They asked what it was like to work with others who didn't share the same culture or language, and they were happy to see that I had that experience," Standley says.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
-
Use An iPhone? You May Be Hearing From A Class-Action Lawsuit Group
A handful of suits against the iPhone maker seek to crack down on everything from app store purchases to messaging.
By Keerthi Vedantam Published
-
Capital One/Discover: What's In Their Wallet For You?
Push back on Capital One's planned merger with Discover is growing with one group of consumer advocates calling for a public hearing.
By Keerthi Vedantam Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
By Miriam Cross Published
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel Procrastinator? No matter. You can pull off a fun and memorable getaway on a moment's notice — without breaking the bank.
By Vaishali Varu Last updated
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
insurance Instead of relying on rules of thumb, you’re better off taking a systematic approach to figuring your life-insurance needs.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime In 2023 Amazon had two Prime Day events — one in July and another, called Big Deal Days, in October. We expect 2024 to follow the same schedule.
By Bob Niedt Last updated
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Steps
insurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
By Kaitlin Pitsker Published
-
5 Ways to Shop for a Low Mortgage Rate
Becoming a Homeowner Rates are high this year, but you can still find an affordable loan.
By Daniel Bortz Published