Advantages of Studying Abroad

So, you are thinking about studying abroad, but you are still not quite sure, what the advantages of studying abroad are? As with most things, there are advantages and disadvantages, but from my personal perspective, the advantages of studying abroad far outweigh the disadvantages. Let me show them to you to kill the last spark of doubt.

College is the best time to go abroad

Your time in college is actually the best time to go abroad. First of all, there are hundreds of programs out there that can help you organizing your study abroad, intern abroad, volunteer abroad or cultural immersion programs. This makes the organizing part much easier than later in your life, when going abroad will be harder to organize, because most of the time, you have to do it all yourself. Also, you are less tied down than after college, when you have a job, may be a family and all those other responsibilities.

And third, you can use this short experience abroad to find out, whether you are actually made for an international career and test it out, whether you like it or not. Usually the study abroad programs during college are not that long, so you can see, if this is it for you, or if you prefer to stay within your comfort zone. Once you are done with college and your company wants to send you overseas as an expat, you have to stick with your long-term assignment. So why not try it out, before the pressure is on?

Polish up your resume

Another great advantage of studying abroad is, that it gives your resume a competitive edge. Having study abroad experience will give you an advantage over your classmates that rather stayed at home. Through your experience abroad, you show flexibility, curiosity, adaptivity and pro-activity, and of course your additional language skills wont hurt you either. So why don’t you give your resume the extra plus to make up for some low grades or other small flaws to get that job you were dreaming of?

Experience the culture

Living in a foreign country is something completely different than going on vacation. I learned that the hard way 😉 I had traveled extensively all over the US when I was a child, but when I had moved here to go to High School, the country that I thought I knew so well from all these travels, was actually quite different. Luckily, I liked it! Phew! But what I mean to say with that: Living in a foreign culture and understanding it, is not only a great learning experience, but also an important personal experience. You have to adapt to other cultures, learn how to deal in a foreign environment and so much more. I know I said it before, but living abroad will make you grow!

Improve your language skills

No matter how many hours you sit in a classroom studying a language, or regurgitate the vocabulary or listen to hundreds of language tapes, unless you live in a country for several months, becoming fluent in a foreign language is almost impossible. Use the opportunity to improve your language skills and get some easy A’s once you return to boost your GPA! And speaking another language will also give your resume a big boost!

Travel and Adventure

Studying abroad also gives you the opportunity to explore and travel. I met many study abroad students in Europe who went to a different country for a quick weekend getaway at least once per month during their time abroad. Distances are short and night trains are cheap, so when you study abroad in Prague, you can hop to Paris or Berlin for a weekend, explore the Mediterranean for your spring break and explore the whole continent during your semester or year abroad. And all of that in the name of education, of course 🙂

What was the biggest of all the advantages of studying abroad for you?

Advantages of Studying Abroad

If you read through this article and got a bit overwhelmed with the decision whether you should take the plunge and study abroad or not, check out this book (this is an affiliate link, but I bought this book myself and found it very helpful): The New Global Student: Skip the SAT, Save Thousands on Tuition, and Get a Truly International Education
It is the perfect book to show you that that living abroad is a great way to spark your career and see how many advantages living and studying abroad really has.