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HOW TO FINANCE YOUR ADVENTURE
Just as there are costs for taking college courses and living on or near campus in the U.S., there are costs for doing those things in another country. But here’s the good news: “A number of organizations recognize how valuable going abroad can be, and they want to help you pay
for it,” says college counselor Rebecca Sa er of the website Student Loan Hero.
One funding source Sa er recommends is the CEA Study Abroad Scholarship program. The Phoenix-based organization devotes more than $2 million to nancial and scholarship programs that help fund study abroad for more than 4,000 students each year, in 21 destinations across 12 countries. CEA’s offerings include need-
based, merit-based, and diversity scholar- ship programs with award amounts ranging from $400 to $3,000. They also offer grants, travel vouchers, and other funding resources. (For more information, go to ceastudyabroad.com.)
Experts on the Diversity Abroad website emphasize that if you
already have a nancial aid package, you may be able to apply some or all those funds toward your study abroad. When you talk with your nancial
aid advisor, ask about what kinds of aid — for example, state, federal, and school-funded nancial backing — are
transferable for education in another country. Once you receive funds, be sure to check into the rules about how you can spend the money (some aid is restricted to expenses such as tuition and textbooks).
While much of the guidance on nancing international study is practical, there’s a human component as well. Thinking that study abroad is too expensive is a “myth,” if you ask Trixie Cordova, a former international student and former associate director of diversityabroad.com. In a 2015 article she challenged students to “throw out any ideas or preconceived notions you have about what it takes to see yourself in another country, and just think differently about the entire process.”
As you move through that process, there is a great deal of digital help:
qA wide range of funding-related and other information to help you prepare for international study at gooverseas.com
qA searchable interface at diversityabroad .com that can match you with funding opportunities for minority, low-income, and rst-generation college students
qA database at scholarshipportal.com where you can search scholarship opportunities by country and eld of study
qA portal at fastweb.com that can link you to study abroad scholarships as well as other nancial resources that could help you throughout your college career
Experts agree that if you want to study abroad, you should dedicate yourself to making it happen. Talk to advisors, do your research, and keep sending in those applications for scholarships and other funding sources. Study abroad might just be a great move for you and your education. ■
20 WINDS OF CHANGE • 2018–2019 SPECIAL COLLEGE ISSUE
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ALL IN ABROAD: ENROLLING AS A FULL-TIME INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
An increasingly popular academic path for U.S. students is attending all four years of college out of the country. According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), nearly 50,000 American students are now pursuing a full degree abroad.
“Students in the U.S. apply to foreign postsecondary institutions for a variety of reasons, including monetary consider-
ations,” observes Sean Nyhan of the National Association for College Admission Counsel-
ing. That’s right, tuition for schools outside the U.S. can actually be cheaper than it is at home.
Enrolling as a foreign student could also save you
time and, as a result, reduce your tuition investment.
According to the group StudyLink, in Europe it can
take as little as three years to complete an under-
graduate degree, and some postgraduate degrees
can be earned with a year of study. There are more
than 4,000 European universities and colleges to
choose from, in over 30 different countries. And at a number of schools, you can either opt for language immersion or choose to learn in English.
In addition, some countries o er other signi cant advantages for foreign students. In France, many international students are eligible to take part in the country’s universal health care coverage. And there’s this: The website Student Loan Hero reports that there are three European countries — Germany, Norway, and Luxembourg — where you can nd colleges that will allow you to enroll tuition-free as a foreign student.
But before you pack your bags, there are important factors to consider. As Nyhan points out, “Tuition isn’t the only nancial consideration you’ll have to make.” Beyond room and board, you should evaluate the necessary travel expenses, sometimes pricey international calling plans, and the overall cost of living. You should also look into your options for health care, as well as any restrictions on your ability to earn money while you’re away. And if you rely on campus resources for Indigenous students or academic support, you may have to source those on your own.
One more thing: You don’t have to cross an ocean to become an international student. The number of U.S. students enrolled in Canadian colleges has grown to nearly 10,000, with roughly 85 percent of them pursuing undergraduate degrees. The draw? According to a recent report from the national not-for-pro t Universities Canada, “American students who choose Canada as a study destination do so for two main reasons: the relatively lower tuition fees at Canadian universities — especially at the undergraduate level — and the fact that they can experience another culture while remaining relatively close to home.”
The only country with more full-time U.S. students than Canada is the U.K., where IIE says more than 16,000 Americans are pursuing degrees. The next four most popular countries on the list are France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.
The bottom line: Earning a degree abroad is more than a trend, it’s a viable option. If you are interested, get going on your homework! A few sites where you can kick-start your research into programs and nancing are iie.org, studylink.com, and studentloanhero.com.
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