Students have been crossing boarders — as well as oceans, in pursuit of learning experiences for thousands of years. They’ve evolved from serving apprenticeships to craftsmen to studying abroad to broaden their horizons in art, medicine, math and business. Regardless of what the field of study, certain benefits are enjoyed by all:

1. An overwhelming majority of college students report a sense of personal growth. As a student, they will need to stretch their comprehension skills as they learn to cross language barriers and culture differences. There’s also a general feeling that their worldview and tolerance has broadened, which leads to increased maturity at an earlier age. Friendships developed while studying abroad tend to last a lifetime which keeps the global influence alive when making everyday decisions.

2. Ambassador status. Our university students in other countries represent our country to their peers with everything they do. Such intercultural exchanges likely explain why over 98% of college students who took a world study survey claim that they returned home with a broadened perspective of the value system that they went away with. Extended periods of international travel, especially while still young and ‘open’ to the world they see, allows for introspection that might not have been as prolific at home.

3. Travel will expand your view of your career options. More often than not, college students who have studied abroad either decide to continue their education beyond what they previously planned or change their area of study to something that they feel will be more fulfilling.

Whereas international study programs used to be primarily a year long, today there are ample opportunities for ten or even six-week courses. If you can swing it, try to stay as long as possible. The longer your experience, the more likely these benefits will positively impact you.

Your advisor is the place to start. He or she will have the necessary applications for you and advise you about credit hours and even the possibility of financial aid funds that transfer. You have everything to gain.

Jim Hart has been the director of academic advising at a medium-sized university for eight years. His interests include student exchange programs, online college graduate degrees, career advising, online degrees in the sciences, and CLEP examinations.

Posted on 27 October '09, under Travel.