Zoe's Blog - I Have Always Wanted to Study Abroad
Many colleges offer a wide range of study abroad programs and offer scholarships and financial aid to make it feasible.
Studying abroad has been something that has always been in the back of my mind. Learning new cultures, languages, and seeing landmarks has fascinated me since I was a little girl. Luckily, many colleges offer a wide range of study abroad programs and offer scholarships and financial aid to make it feasible for young travelers.
For the University of Oregon, I had to watch videos to help me understand what they offer on campus. One of those videos was about GEO, a study abroad program. They have many programs you can choose from, ranging from internships, field studies, semester stays and quarter stays. They have the option of staying at a homestay where you can learn about international family life, or you can rent an apartment.
Many of these programs recommend you take 2 years of language, that way you can fully submerge yourself into the culture. They also recommend going when you are a Junior. Sophomores are able to, but you must apply in January of your freshman year, which stresses out many new freshmen. There are tons of scholarships you can apply for and they want to make it as cheap as possible for you so you don’t get student loans.
There is also a program called Semester at Sea where you spend a semester on a cruise ship and it takes you to different ports. While on the ship you take classes that will affiliate with your college, while off the ship you do field studies of your choice. You must plan where you are going to stay while off the ship, whether that is an Airbnb or a hotel. This program is a little more spendy, but they also offer scholarships and financial aid. One thing about this program is you must email them and ask if your credits will be able to transfer back to your college.
I did some research for Montana schools as well. The University of Montana stated on their website that the top 5 reasons to study abroad are:
- Increase Job Prospects
- Expand Global Awareness
- Make Connections
- Seize New Opportunities
- Travel!
Having knowledge of a second language can get you more jobs, and you can gain so many connections to get those jobs. Montana State University has over 250 study abroad programs in over 60 countries, all of which you can find on their website, which I have linked below. Both of these schools offer a wide range of scholarships for any student who may want to study abroad. I have linked both websites down below that go straight to those scholarships, in hope that everyone reading this looks into the amazing opportunities!
MSU:
UM:
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