Winni Jiang, Jingmiao Liu, Guang Yue Su (287)

Have you seen CIEE flyers popping up around the school? Are you interested but don’t know if studying abroad is worth it? You’re not alone, as many students are wondering the same. There are plenty of free study-abroad programs you might not have been aware of, and statistical data to help you determine if you should commit to it or not.

CIEE, the Council on International Educational Exchange, is a high school and college study abroad program with over forty different locations around the world and 470+ programs. However, despite the opportunity for Global National Scholarships (GNS), Academic Merit Awards, and financial aid for first-time goers whose family income is under a certain amount, it was found that one of the biggest reasons students didn’t participate was the cost of attending. According to survey participants, nearly half of the sixty-three surveyed students said they didn’t study abroad due to the imposing tuition fee, with parents or guardians not allowing them to go abroad as the runner-up. 

Beyond tuition, one of the biggest problems with studying abroad is distance from home, as Michael Smith (286) mentioned how he “struggled a lot with being homesick” during his time abroad in Rome, Italy, especially at night. However, Michael was able to cope with calls from home and friends. Despite the homesickness he felt, he ultimately had no regret for his decision to study abroad, as it was a goal of his. Not only did he learn skills such as money management and self discipline, he also made lasting friends, with his favorite memory being when they rode group bikes together around Rome. The experience itself might be tough, but, as Michael expressed, “My friends opened my eyes to new perspectives and took me places I would not have thought to go while also making the experience ten times more fun.”

If tuition is a deal breaker for you, have no fear, because there are free study-abroad programs. For those who are in a Chinese language class or in the International Baccalaureate program the “Flying Tigers Friendship Summer Program” offers the opportunity to travel and immerse yourself in Chinese history and lifestyle. Previous destinations students went to include the Chinese provinces and cities of Beijing, Wan’an in Jiangxi, Wuhan in Hubei, Urumqi in Xinjiang, and Yan’an in Shaanxi. While discovering the different cities of China, participants went to about ten museums, but the most memorable one, according to Shamsud-Din Abdul-Rahman (287), “was the one with the mummies… they had preserved people, but definitely right behind [it would be] the sword. That was supposed to be a gift for his lover.” However, flaws in the program that students noticed were the itinerary for each day was changed, and the organizers didn’t keep to the original plans. Additionally, it has not been confirmed if the program will take place in the future. Generally, when traveling to different countries, students go through challenges and are rewarded by the memories, friends, and lessons learned.

On the other hand, a more inclusive program is the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). Despite NSLI-Y being widely unknown to the student body, it is a merit-based scholarship program, a free study-abroad language program where students must apply to participate. They offer programs for Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, and Russian with homestays included to provide the most efficient language learning experience.

Ultimately, there may be a lot of negatives to the thought of studying abroad. However, after hearing about the trials and tribulations others have gone through, the idea of studying abroad has become much clearer. Keep exploring, and happy traveling, Central!