The world has become one big global village. Hence, it makes sense to pursue a college education program that equips you to function well internationally. These days college students are no longer restricted to studying within geographical boundaries. There is a great big world of opportunities to explore. Nothing can compare to the rich experiences that can be garnered from studying abroad which could help to widen your worldview, learn other languages, enjoy other cultures, expand your network, increase your adaptability, and improve your employability.
The list of immense benefits of studying abroad goes on and on, but you probably already know them. There are many options available for studying abroad, but not all of them are affordable. Below is a list of 10 colleges with great study abroad programs, along with the starting costs (excluding tuition) that are quite affordable as well.
1. The University of Washington in Seattle, WA
The University of Washington in Seattle, Washington offers one of the cheapest top class study abroad programs. In fact, the study abroad programs there start from as low as $775, and this includes airfare. This university has international partnerships with various academic programs that allow students to take some classes abroad. Students are allowed to browse study abroad courses through the university’s course equivalency database in order to find the right fit.
Popular destinations for students to study abroad include Denmark, Morocco, and the Czech Republic, among others. Scholarships for studying abroad programs are available for students including external, regional, and graduate scholarships for studying overseas.
Students also have the option of applying through Foster School Kakehashi Project in Japan to study in Japan. This is a fully-funded program, supported by the Japan Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the University of Washington Study Abroad Office, that allows students to study in Japan for ten days.
2. West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV
West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV is another very affordable option to pursue study abroad aspirations. The study abroad program here starts from about $1500. It is great to note that this university assists with the costs of studying abroad by accepting loans, scholarships, and grants.
Students are offered various program types including foreign exchanges, short-term and faculty-led trips. Popular destinations for students to study abroad through West Virginia University include Chile, Fiji and New Zealand.
3. Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. offers some very extensive study abroad programs and the great news is that they sponsor nine different scholarships to study abroad. The cost of their study abroad program starts at around $5,500.
There are a variety of study abroad options managed by the Office of Global Education which includes service learning courses, nursing, language, business, and area studies programs. Georgetown University also facilitates faculty-led summer study abroad programs. They also own Villa le Balze, which is a living and learning community in Italy.
Students can also choose to study at their satellite campus in Qatar or spend a full year in Australia.
4. St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN
St. Olaf College, in Northfield, MN is another great affordable option for studying abroad. This is especially true because students who apply for international off-campus programs are considered for scholarships automatically, which value between $500 and $5000. Their study abroad programs start from around $2000, and they try to facilitate multiple trips to various countries within one semester.
Many students get to study in countries including Argentina, Egypt, Hungary, Sweden, Japan, and Chile, among others. Although students are not required to do study abroad courses in order to graduate, many of the graduates there have completed at least one off-campus study abroad program.
5. Connecticut College in New London, CT
Connecticut College in New London, CT doesn’t state their study abroad fee online, but they are a great option to consider because they automatically grant students $3000 for their internship abroad. This college offers 11 different languages, which affords students the opportunity to study in these countries for part of their education. This is done in order to increase the students’ fluency and understanding of the culture of the countries that speak these languages.
Students can browse the list of college approved study programs for a variety of programs including Film Production, Medicine and Ecology. The variety of destinations that students can choose to study abroad in includes Hungary, Ghana, Cuba, Japan, and Germany.
It is great to note that besides studying abroad, students can also pursue international internships. Students can receive up to $3000 in grants to pursue international internships in destinations including Vietnam, Australia, Chile, China, and South Africa.
6. Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA
Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA has a quite affordable study abroad program that starts from around $3000. Financial aid and scholarships are also provided for students who pursue these programs.
Students can study for two to four weeks, and they get full cultural exposure by staying with host families. Additionally, students can spend one semester or a full academic year abroad by going through the Juniata’s Center for International Education
Students have a wide variety of study abroad programs to choose from as they offer 59 study abroad programs in 24 countries. These programs include Computer Science in Germany, Spanish in Guatemala, and Geology in Gambia. Internship opportunities are also available in Germany, Spain, and London.
7. College of Charleston in Charleston, SC
The College of Charleston in Charleston, SC offers a pretty affordable study abroad program that starts from $1,350. This college accepts financial aid including loans, grants, and scholarships for these programs.
Students can choose from three study abroad programs. These faculty-led programs allow students to study within a semester, summer or spring break, and is sponsored by the College of Charleston.
The Exchange Programs involves arrangements with other universities in which students pay their regular tuition, transfer to a partner college/university and earn transfer credits upon course completion.
The Affiliate Programs include third-party study abroad programs, which permit students to take classes at a foreign institution or at an academic center administered by the host organization during a semester, year, or summer term. In this case, instead of paying the regular tuition, they pay a program fee to the third party study abroad organization.
Popular destinations to study abroad for students at the College of Charleston include France and Germany.
8. Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA
Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA is another college to consider when looking for colleges with great study abroad programs that are affordable. Their study abroad programs start from around $1,750, which could include airfare depending on the course chosen. Scholarships and travel grants are also available for students wishing to study abroad.
Emory & Henry College allows students to choose from over 100 study abroad programs in 45 countries. These courses can be pursued in the summer, one semester, or a full academic year. Students are also afforded the opportunity to work, intern or volunteer abroad in order to immerse themselves in different cultures.
Students get to study abroad at a variety of international locations including Italy, Spain, Sweden, Panama, Czech Republic, and Poland
9. Millsaps College in Jackson, MS
Millsaps College in Jackson, MS has study abroad programs which starts from as low as $4300, excluding airfare and personal expenses.
Students at Millsaps College study abroad at a variety of destinations including Japan, Italy, and Vietnam. Students have access to Faculty-Led programs, ISEP Exchange & Millsaps Direct Exchange programs and Affiliate programs.
Faculty-Led programs allow students to gain 4-8 credits and scholarships are available for these programs. The ISEP Exchange programs allow students to access over 50 international universities, and the Millsaps Direct Exchange programs connect students directly to Akita International University in Japan and Liechtenstein University in Liechtenstein.
The Affiliate programs are offered when students have already completed faculty-led programs, or aren’t suited for the ISEP Exchange. Study abroad destinations include Mexico, Spain, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Italy, and Germany.
10. Earlham College in Richmond, IN
Earlham College in Richmond, IN is another great college to consider when you are planning on studying abroad at an affordable college. Their study abroad program starts from $1200 excluding food expenses and a nonrefundable fee of $385. Students are also allowed to use financial aid to pay for their study abroad programs.
More than half of the students attending this college usually take an off- campus study course in order to learn new ways of thinking and learn about their own culture and other cultures.
Study abroad programs are offered in Ecuador, France, Germany, and Japan. Students can also participate in their EPIC Advantage Summer Research and Projects in the Bahamas, Scotland, China, India, and Turkey, among others.
If you are really interested in studying abroad, then you should consider one of these colleges to see which one is suitable for your budget. Not only are the study abroad programs at the colleges affordable, but they are of very high quality as well. All of these colleges ranked in the 30 Affordable Colleges with the Best Study Abroad Programs according to research conducted by Great Value Colleges.
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