Studying Abroad: How and Why?
By Cierra Buchholz
Studying abroad is something you’ll hear whispers about throughout (and possibly before) your college career. But the process of deciphering what to actually do and what will be best for you can feel long and confusing. In my experience, getting started was (almost) the hardest part. Remember to keep in contact with a Study Abroad advisor. You can find the advisor best fit for your interest right here!
Before you can pick your dream destination, you first have to understand the different study abroad options NAU offers. The program you pick can alter what schools/cities will be available to you! The lengths for being abroad can be vastly varied—so if you’re not quite ready to be away from NAU for too long, no worries! Some programs are as short as a couple of weeks! If you’re ready to settle down in a new place, other programs go for the full academic year, fall semester, or spring semester. After you lock in how long you want to be in exchange, now you have the task of picking what type of exchange you’ll be a part of. You can get all the details here. You can choose between either a Bilateral Exchange or an ISEP program. The key difference lies in what type of payment you’ll be making and to who it will go to.
Now it’s time for things to get exciting! You can start researching all the locations that fit your specifications! Start city shopping here! Narrowing down all these options can seem overwhelming, so it may be best to start considering your list of non-negotiables. What weather do you like? What languages do you want to be surrounded by? Are you wanting to see a big city or try out life in a small town? Once you have narrowed down what you are really looking for in a new place, it will become much easier to decide on a new home. Once you pick a destination, you’ll contact your designated (by region) program advisor. They will help you through the rest of the online steps to complete your application.
After Application
While your program advisor will be there to help you through a lot of the confusion that comes with a lengthy process like this, there is a lot you have to figure out independently. Make sure to get your passport and take care of your visa requirements – these can take awhile to get! After sending over your university application, you’ll be receiving an acceptance decision from your new university. These things vary by institution, but you will most likely now be able to access some of their online resources to start applying for things such as housing and classes!
It may seem tempting to pick ‘easy’ classes, but you have to remember that even though you’re somewhere new and exciting, these credits do count towards your goal to graduate. Keep in contact with your NAU academic advisor so you have a clear understanding of what credits you still need to reach graduation in your desired timeframe. At some universities, you can only take credits specifically for your major – so make sure you have enough time before/after your time abroad to complete any necessary elective or minor credits! You’ll need to send the selected class at your abroad university to your NAU advisor so they can approve that they can be converted to NAU class credits.
Why go through all this work?
Don’t let the process of getting signed up for abroad scare you! NAU will be able to help before, during, and after your planning journey!
Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity for personal, academic, and career growth. Putting yourself in a new country will open yourself up to so many new places and people you may never have seen otherwise. Immersing yourself in a new culture is not only fun, but a unique way to change your outlook and learn far deeper than you can just reading or hearing about a place. You’re not only seeing a new way of life—you’re living it! Since you’ll be navigating this major life change alone, your independence and problem solving skills are also going to be accelerating. Your friends and family will most likely be in an entirely different time zone, meaning you’ll be pushing out of your comfort zone doing things solo.
Learning how to handle and push through tough situations independently is an invaluable life skill only learned through experience. These new experiences will give you more confidence to walk through life knowing you can always rely on yourself. (But when things get hard, don’t forget you DO still have support! Reach out to your abroad advisor with any concerns and they can give you appropriate abroad advice or set you up with NAU mental health resources. Communicating the time difference before you leave with those close to you and setting up a plan on when you’ll be able to communicate can also help avoid loneliness or homesickness).
If you’re thinking more career oriented—studying abroad looks fantastic on applications for jobs and grad school! Adaptability, resilience, open-mindedness, and confidence are all assets employers and educators look for, and you’ll be gaining all this and more in your journey!
Now, I won’t sugar coat it, studying abroad is going to be hard. I wanted to cry along with the baby in the back of my plane – I’m scared too! But an experience like this won’t come around often after college. Being able to go after what you want even when you’re scared not only looks good on paper, but it’s going to make us feel good too. If you’re interested in starting your study abroad journey, or just need to read and kill some time, keep your eyes on this blog to see my upcoming study abroad adventure this semester in Nottingham!
