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Study abroad is a quintessential college experience. Much like living in a dorm, rushing a Greek organization, or accidentally sleeping through an exam, studying abroad has come to be synonymous with higher education. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a straightforward experience! Many students with dreams of studying overseas have no idea where (or how) to begin their search for study abroad programs. Good news! Whether you want to eat pizza in Rome, hike El Camino de Santiago in Spain, climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris (or go completely off the beaten path in study abroad destinations like Ecuador, Morocco, India, and more!), GoAbroad can help you make your study abroad dreams a study abroad reality.

Knowing you want to study abroad is the easy part. Figuring out how to do it can be a little bit trickier—or at least feel that way. If you want to know how to study abroad , it’s actually as simple as answering the following questions:

• Where do you want to study abroad? This can be a tough question to answer! If you’re an adventurer at heart, it can be difficult deciding between so many cool places to go, especially when study abroad is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, the answer to this question is usually guided by your studies and career goals (or personal goals). Is there a language you want to learn? Credits to fulfill before graduation? A World Heritage Site you need to see with your own two eyes? Decide what you want out of your experience, and everything else will fall into place. You can read more below about the best places to study abroad.
• Will you study abroad through your university or a third party? So...what is a third party study abroad provider? Many students don’t know this, but there are hundreds of organizations that you can study abroad through—you don’t have to go through your university! This is especially helpful for students who want a certain study abroad experience not offered by their home university. However, studying abroad through your university can make it easier to receive credits during your study abroad experience, or to apply financial aid or loans to cover tuition.
• How will you save money for study abroad? How will you pay for it ? More on this below, but it’s important to consider whether you (or your parents/guardians) will be able to pay study abroad tuition out of pocket, if your loans or FAFSA will cover the experience, or if you’ll need to apply for scholarships and grants to study abroad. (Pro tip: Don’t let this question get you down! There are many opportunities for study abroad scholarships .) Additionally, you can save for study abroad through means like fundraising , or more creative tactics for saving for study abroad .

If you receive financial aid or FAFSA , it’s possible they will pay for part of your study abroad tuition. However, there are stipulations on where and how the money can be applied, including whether you study abroad through your home university or not. Federal and private loans can also be applied to study abroad tuition under certain circumstances.

If that’s not an option for you, many universities and third party providers offer substantial study abroad scholarships that can pay for part of the tuition, or for the experience in full. And don’t forget that crowdsourcing or fundraising for your experience is an option. It’s more work, but the payoff is worth it!

The requirements to study abroad vary depending on your home university or the program you’re applying to. Sometimes, intensive language programs may have a language requirement. However, generally speaking, the requirements to study abroad are:

• Good academic standing with your university
• Financial capability
• A valid passport
• Fulfilled prerequisite classes

Be sure to reach out to your study abroad office or program advisor for more information.

There are so many great reasons to study abroad . At GoAbroad, our favorite benefit of studying abroad is the broadened horizons and gained global perspectives that you may not even realize you have until you get home! If you’re asking why study abroad is important, it’s simple: When done the right way, studying abroad combats stereotypes and fear about other people and cultures around the world.

Another reason why study abroad should be at the top of your to-do list is that it will push you out of your comfort zone— especially if it’s your first time going abroad. If you want to grow on a personal level and help the world become just a little bit more connected, then you know why study abroad is right for you!

Where can you study abroad ? Pretty much anywhere—even Antarctica ! But when speaking in terms of the best places to study abroad, it all comes down to what you want out of your experience. If you want to study abroad in a more traditional way, European destinations like England, Spain, and France are study abroad staples.

However, studying abroad in “non-traditional” locations, like India, Argentina, and South Africa is becoming more and more popular. Going off the beaten path means being a trailblazer, which isn’t always easy, but pays off handsomely in terms of personal growth and new skills.

Again, you can study pretty much anything overseas. Do you want to stay in line with your major or minor? Taking your required classes at a university abroad is a fun and fulfilling way to knock out some credits.

Or do you want to learn something completely new that will benefit your future career and look great on a resume? Knowing what to study abroad all comes down to your goals. There really is no wrong answer!

There’s no wrong time to study abroad , but, for you, some options may be better than others. For many students, studying abroad during sophomore or junior year is common. However, depending on your courseload, going abroad for an entire semester or academic year may only be possible if your major is in a foreign language or international field.

Otherwise, studying abroad during the summer or winter anytime during your academic career is totally plausible. Talking to your academic advisor can help a lot with deciding what time of year and during what point in your academic career is the right time to study abroad for you.

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Frequently Asked Study Abroad Questions

Find out all the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

What is study abroad?

To put it simply, study abroad is a set time (perhaps a semester or year) when you pursue your academics overseas. This can be through a program at your home university, or it can be through an independent study abroad company in coordination with your university or degree program. Although studying abroad is typically done during college, you can try it out in high school too!

Can I study abroad?

You absolutely can study abroad! There may be a few requirements through your university, degree program, or study abroad provider though. For instance, some universities don’t allow you to study abroad with a GPA under 3.0. You’ll also need to consider your academic goals and how studying abroad fits in. For instance, are you an accounting major? You can still study abroad of course, but it may be a bit more difficult for you to find an opportunity in your degree track. Be sure to speak with your study abroad department or academic advisor to figure out the best move for you.

• 8 Ways to Study Abroad
• Help! I Want to Study Abroad...But I Have a Low GPA

How long is study abroad?

Your study abroad program could be as short as two weeks, and as long as a full academic year. It could be during any season, and during any year of your academic career. How long your study abroad program lasts is up to you and your goals! Do you want to come home fluent in a second language? Then maybe a full academic year abroad is the right choice for you. Do you want to take fun electives or knock out a few additional credits outside the regular school year? Consider studying abroad for a couple months during the summer. Your study abroad department, academic advisor, and program coordinator will be able to help you decide.

And by the way, if you’re interested in earning your full degree abroad, there are lots of options!

• How Long Should I Study Abroad?
• What Majors Can Study Abroad?

What are some benefits of studying abroad?

There are countless benefits to studying abroad—broadened horizons, new perspectives, and marketable skills, just to name a few! If you’re interested in a career in international sectors or in the humanities, then studying abroad is a no brainer. Your cross cultural communication skills will improve tenfold, and you’ll have the opportunity to study a new language as well. But even if your long term career goals aren’t internationally-oriented, you’ll still come away from study abroad as a more well-rounded person with cool stories to tell, having had learned more than a few new things about yourself in the process.

• 6 Unsung Benefits of Studying Abroad
• Why Study Abroad? 13 Super-Convincing Reasons

How to get scholarships to study abroad

Most students need financial help in order to study abroad. If you’re studying abroad through your home university, the financial aid and scholarships you normally receive each semester will most likely cover at least part of the tuition. However, you’ll want to check with your financial aid office about the specifics.

If you don’t receive financial aid, or if you’re studying through a university or provider where you can’t apply your typical aid, then you may need to rely on study abroad scholarships , study abroad loans , or crowdfunding platforms like FundMyTravel .

Your study abroad department will be a great lead on where to find study abroad scholarships and how to qualify. We’ve also put together the resources below to help you learn more about finding and securing funding for your study abroad experience.

• 21 Ideas for Paying for Study Abroad
• 5 FAQs on Financial Aid for Study Abroad Answered

What are the best study abroad programs like?

With so many study abroad programs available to you, how can you be sure which one is the one? To find the study abroad program that will suit you best, you’ll need to narrow down your goals. What do you want to learn? What do you want to see? Who do you want to be after studying abroad? Do you want 24/7 on-site support, pre-departure assistance, and resume writing help? And what are your absolute dealbreakers? Once you have your answers, it’ll be easy to find the best study abroad programs for you.

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Sara holds two Bachelor degrees in Tourism and Business Administration from the University of the Balearic Islands (Spain). During her studies, she went on an Erasmus+ exchange to Technische Universität Dresden - and decided to stay in Germany after graduation. At Study.eu, she plays a key role in working with universities and helping students from all over the world find the right education.

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Welcome to the International Tourism Studies Association

ITSA is unique among international associations of tourism scholars and practitioners. Its mission is to encourage interaction and cooperation between members in developing and developed countries. ITSA is uniquely devoted to scholarly exchange between researchers and practitioners focusing on the growth of tourism worldwide.

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International Journal of Tourism Cities (IJTC)

ITSA’s peer-reviewed journal, the International Journal of Tourism Cities, provides an international forum for the study of urban tourism and tourism cities. The journal aims to be inter-disciplinary in its appreciation of tourism cities and tourism in urban areas.

The Philip Pearce Trinergy Program

The International Tourism Studies Association (ITSA) is proud to announce Trinergy Program dedicated to the phenomenal contribution made by Prof Philip Pearce to tourism.

𝑷𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑 𝑷𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕-𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝑨𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒂. 𝑯𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 James Cook University 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒂 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒏𝒐𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅𝒘𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝑻𝑺𝑨 𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍!

10th International Tourism Studies Association (ITSA) Biennial Conference 2024 (ITSA Riga 2024)

We are delighted to announce that the 10th International Tourism Studies Association (ITSA) Biennial Conference is ongoing in the capital of Latvia Riga – the 3rd largest city in Northern Europe, from 17th-20th of September 2024 hosted by Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Latvia. The conference theme includes three main aspects: safety and security, changes in traveler behavior and circularity in tourism need to be addressed by education, research, and practitioners or industry. Title of the conference “Bridging the gaps in tourism knowledge and practice: The future of Sustainable, Smart and Secure tourism and hospitality (Future 3Ss for Tourism)”.

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• Study Tourism in the US

Since the 1850’s tourism has been a strong industry and popular cultural activity within the United States. Since the invention of automobile and airplanes the industry has continued to grow and still is one of the leading economic industries within the United States. There are many job options available to those who want to pursue a career in tourism as well as an abundance of educational choices for individuals who have a desire to study tourism.

In 2010 over 100 million people, including both international students and American citizens, visited and traveled throughout all 50 us states. Currently tourism is a $1.3 trillion sector of the U.S. economy. The U.S. Department of Commerce released a statement claiming that its travel and tourism forecast projects a record of 64 million international travelers who are predicted to spend $152 billion during their visit in the states in 2011. This is a 13% monetary growth from the records of 2010 and the forecast also expects this number to increase by 6 to 8 percent annually through 2016.

Due to the large number of travelers and tourists visiting the states there is a high demand for employees in this industry. Tourism is either the first, second, or third largest employer in 29 different states. There are millions of people who have a career in tourism; as of 2004 over 7.4 million people had jobs connected with the tourism industry. International students interested in a career in tourism are able to choose between hundreds of different employment options. Job possibilities can range from travel writer/blogger, travel consultant, marketing and tourism specialist, hotel or restaurant manager, travel agent, etc. and can involve working in the hospitality or service industry along with marketing and public relations as well. Furthermore, there are thousands of universities and businesses that offer degrees and training courses for individuals who want to study tourism or earn certain licensing for a specific job or career within the industry.

If you need additional funding to study tourism, explore financial resource options like scholarships and loans.

Schools such as University of Central Florida and George Washington University are known for their tourism and management degree programs and are a popular choice for international students wanting to study tourism. Furthermore there are online travel and tourism schools, hospitality and training institutes, and tourism and travel management schools all over the country. There are also many internships available to students who study tourism. Visit Florida for example, has a paid internship program which allows students to gain experience in several different departments of the company every semester. These departments include creative services, advertising, corporate communications, industry relations, promotions, public relations, and research departments, all of which are involved in developing tourism for the state of Florida.

After earning a degree or certification pertaining to the industry, individuals who are pursuing a career in tourism have a plethora of different work locations to choose from. Each state has its own unique features that attract tourists. New York City for instance, is home to Times Square, which as of 2008 is the most visited tourist attraction in the U.S. with 35 million visitors each year. Florida is also one of the top travel destinations in the world with an average of 70 million visitors annually. States such as Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah attract millions of tourists every year because of their breathtaking landscapes and fun outdoor activities. Cities like New Orleans, Louisiana, and Las Vegas, Nevada also attract millions of people every year because of their reputation as top party destinations in the U.S.

Tourism is a great industry to infiltrate due to the high demand for employees and numerous educational opportunities available for international students. Whether you are currently studying tourism or looking for a career in tourism you can be assured that this booming industry will continue to grow in the years to come.

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International Tourism and COVID-19

• The pandemic generated a loss of 2.7 billion international arrivals in 2020, 2021 and 2022 combined.
• Export revenues from international tourism (including receipts and passenger transport) dropped 62% in 2020 and 59% in 2021, versus 2019 (real terms) and then rebounded in 2022, remaining 23% below pre-pandemic levels.
• The total loss in export revenues from tourism amounts to USD 2.5 trillion for that three-year period.
• International tourist arrivals reached 89% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and 96% in January-July 2024.
• Revised data for 2023 shows export revenues from international tourism reaching USD 1.8 trillion virtually the same as before the pandemic (-1% in real terms compared to 2019). Tourism direct GDP also recovered pre-pandemic levels in 2023, reaching an estimated USD 3.4 trillion, equivalent to 3% of global GDP.

COVID-19: Measures to Support Travel and Tourism

Exchange Students’ Views on Tourism: The Impact of First-Hand Experiences on Transversal Skills Development and Loyalty to the Host Destination

• First Online: 04 November 2020

Cite this chapter

• Sandra Filipe 5 ,
• Belem Barbosa 5 ,
• Claudia Amaral Santos 5 ,
• Margarida M. Pinheiro 5 ,
• Dora Simões 5 &
• Gonçalo Paiva Dias 6  

Part of the book series: Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management ((THEM))

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This chapter builds on the main contributions in the literature that associate tourism with student mobility, particularly in Europe, positioning tourism both as a motivator and an enhancer of mobility’s success, namely by developing transversal skills and loyalty to the host destination (e.g. intention to return to the host destination for tourism or work and its recommendation to peers). A qualitative study was conducted with 32 exchange students that spent one or two semesters at the same Portuguese University by using focus groups for collecting participants’ views and experiences. Data was subject to thematic content analysis. Participants in this study agreed that they travel as much as they can during their mobility, being an essential part of their intercultural experience. Their narratives and dialogues evidenced that travelling contributes to developing transversal skills important for their self-awareness and for their future professional careers, such as time management, money management, and intercultural communication.

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Sandra Filipe, Belem Barbosa, Claudia Amaral Santos, Margarida M. Pinheiro & Dora Simões

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Filipe, S., Barbosa, B., Amaral Santos, C., Pinheiro, M.M., Simões, D., Paiva Dias, G. (2021). Exchange Students’ Views on Tourism: The Impact of First-Hand Experiences on Transversal Skills Development and Loyalty to the Host Destination. In: Cerdeira Bento, J.P., Martínez-Roget, F., Pereira, E.T., Rodríguez, X.A. (eds) Academic Tourism. Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57288-4_9

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Published : 04 November 2020

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