| Study Abroad - 4 Steps To Choosing The Right | | | | |
| Program | | | | - What facilities are offered? (on-site |
| | | | cafeteria, computer lab, library). |
| Choosing a study abroad program is not easy. | | | | |
| Don't get trapped into selecting something | | | | - What are the housing options? |
| that's not right for you. Take control of the | | | | |
| process! To help you with the process of | | | | - What out-of-class activities are offered? |
| researching, choosing, and applying for a | | | | |
| study abroad program, AmeriSpan is happy to | | | | - What excursions are included? |
| share "4 Steps To Choosing The Right Study | | | | |
| Abroad Program". Following these simple tips | | | | - Are volunteer or internship opportunities |
| can help ensure that you have the best | | | | available? |
| possible international study abroad | | | | |
| experience, whether you want to study Chinese | | | | - What other services are included? (travel |
| in China or learn Portuguese in Brazil. | | | | protection program, mobile telephone). |
| | | | |
| Step 1: When & What Works For You? | | | | - What type of transcript is provided? (US |
| | | | college or foreign university). |
| Write down your goals and constraints. In | | | | |
| order to find a study abroad program that | | | | One of the best tools for researching and |
| meets your academic, financial, and personal | | | | comparing study abroad programs is the |
| needs, you need to clearly define your goals | | | | Internet. There are also study abroad blogs |
| and constraints. What is it that you want to | | | | popping up where you can pick up helpful |
| accomplish? When can you go? What can you | | | | tips, such as |
| afford? While your dream may be to study | | | | |
| Spanish in Barcelona, does it make more | | | | Step 4: Who Puts It All Together? |
| financial sense for you to learn Spanish in | | | | |
| inexpensive Guatemala at this moment, and try | | | | Find the right study abroad provider. |
| out that new knowledge while taking a | | | | Independent organizations and private/state |
| semester abroad in Spain next year? | | | | universities both provide study abroad |
| | | | programs at foreign institutions worldwide. |
| Step 2: Where To Go? | | | | In your research, you may find that the |
| | | | program you want is offered by several |
| Select a location BEFORE you select a | | | | organizations. Therefore, you should select |
| program. AmeriSpan strongly believes that | | | | the one with the best service and value, and |
| atmosphere is a key ingredient in the overall | | | | that you feel the most comfortable with. |
| learning recipe ( You will learn more in an | | | | Remember that you will be studying far from |
| environment where you feel comfortable. Are | | | | home, or even overseas. You will have a |
| you a big city person or do you prefer small | | | | better time learning Spanish or studying |
| towns? What do you like to do outside of | | | | Italian in a foreign land if you are |
| class? Do you prefer a busy nightlife or | | | | confident with your agent. Here are some |
| fewer distractions from your studies? Are you | | | | issues to keep in mind when evaluating |
| interested in Latin American indigenous | | | | different study abroad providers: |
| cultures, or are European cultures more | | | | |
| enticing? For example, if you love the beach | | | | - Are they reputable? Ask for references, how |
| and water sports you might want to try a | | | | many students they send, and years in |
| program to learn French and surfing in | | | | business. |
| Biarritz, France, but if you love museums and | | | | |
| shopping, you might rather study French in | | | | - Are your inquiries or concerns answered in |
| Paris. | | | | a complete, friendly, and timely manner? |
| | | | |
| Step 3: Which Programs Meet Your Needs? | | | | - Do they demonstrate a good understanding of |
| | | | the location and the finer details of the |
| Research and compare program details. Not | | | | program? What exactly do you get? |
| every international study abroad program is | | | | |
| right for every student. When evaluating | | | | - Do they provide extra services? |
| different programs, we recommend that you | | | | (excursions, mobile telephone, in-country |
| answer the following: | | | | transportation, extra activities, other |
| | | | lodging options, etc.) |
| - What are the deadlines, start dates, and | | | | |
| payment policies? What are the requirements? | | | | - Are the payment and cancellation policies |
| (language, grade point average). | | | | flexible? (credit cards, late registration, |
| | | | postponements, etc.) |
| - Are the elective courses taught in English | | | | |
| or the local language? | | | | These are your 4 basic steps. Sure, there is |
| | | | more to think about before you study abroad, |
| - How large are the language classes? | | | | but if you follow the above advice you are on |
| | | | your way to selecting an excellent study |
| - Where is the campus located? (near a city | | | | abroad program. |
| center, public transportation., etc.). | | | | |