How To Budget Whilst Studying Abroad

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Abroad 101

How To Budget Whilst Studying Abroad

Your dream has finally come true – you’ve decided that you’re going to go and study abroad. You’re bound to feel a little excited about your future, but it’s important that you take the time to start planning the details and preparing yourself for your adventure overseas. As your departure date draws closer, you’ll be thinking not only about where you will be and what you’ll be studying, but also your budget too.

Budgeting may sound like you’re restricting yourself, but it will actually help you to make the most out of your time and money. We’re going to look at some simple ways you can budget your time and money in order to improve your experience whilst studying abroad. Yes, whilst studying abroad!

Your Welcome Budget

When you arrive you’re probably going to feel excitement and enthusiasm to get out there and enjoy yourself. During the first few weeks, don’t be afraid to allow yourself some extra cash to try local delicacies, go to bars and restaurants and get comfortable in your new surroundings. Chances are that you’ll be busy during this period but try to keep a daily record of how much food, drinks, and other items are costing you. As students will tell you in their study abroad reviews, save the souvenirs for later in your trip, once you find out where the best deals are.

Budgeting Week By Week

After a few weeks, you should have an understanding of the local currency, what is good value and what’s extortionate. You’ll have been to the supermarket numerous times and stocked up on daily essentials. This is the best time for you to sit down and work out your average expenditure per week. Is there anything you could cut out of your routine? Perhaps you go to a coffee shop every day, how much could you save if you had a coffee at home instead? Think about what is essential for your day-to-day life and what is a treat.

Optimize Your Free Time

Some abroad experiences like volunteer or internships don’t include much in the way of classroom time, they suggest you learn outside the classroom. There will be spare time, sometimes downtime and this time abroad is a brilliant opportunity for you to think about self-improvement. You will be around new people and you’ll be free of many of the distractions you had back at home, both of which make it the perfect time for you to improve your personal skill set. Whilst abroad, you’ll likely be spending time on a computer at some point nearly every day. Instead of just sending Social Media updates, you might want to consider an online course to keep your academic skills sharp and to advance your career potential. Have a look MOOC’s for some options, or consider onlineitcourses.com for a wide selection of practical training courses that’ll help you to confidently use your computer, and your free time, to their full potential.

Budget your Studying too!

Remember, you are still a student and you can’t just spend all of your time outside the classroom. Living in a foreign country is such an awesome experience that provides endless opportunities; just don’t loose your study habits. There’s so much to see and do you’ll need to budget your time well. By applying these easy tips above, you’ll have worry-free money to spend on whatever you see as a treat. Make a list of exciting experiences you’d love to have during your time abroad, and then write a rough price for each experience. Keep this list visible, on your wall or as wallpaper on your phone or laptop. Constantly looking at this wish list will keep you in check during your day-to-day life and it will give you loads to look forward to.

These tips are designed to help you get the most out of your upcoming adventure by ensuring that you really think about how you spend your time and money. Budgeting may seem boring and unnecessary, but when it’s done correctly, it could literally save you hundreds of dollars and hours and help you get the most out of your experience abroad and afterward. Lastly, speaking about budgets, don’t forget to budget some time after your experience abroad to complete a review and then use it to get an edge in the career market by joining “The Study Abroad Advantage“.

Guest Posting from Victoria Moretti, a professional writer from the UK who contributes to Abroad101 from time to time. Victoria loves to write about businesses and macro economic affairs that move the needle. Her other loves include travel, long walks and flat whites.

Abroad101 Student of the Week #30 – Karly Eckes

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Abroad 101

This week’s Abroad101 Student of the Week award goes to Karly Eckes, a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Karly is an applied science major who plans on one day becoming a physician assistant. She currently works for Elite Medical Scribes where she is a medical scribe and gaining invaluable experience in the medical field. Once she graduates from UWS, she hopes to move on to a two year program at a PA school.

Karly has been given the opportunity to study abroad in Nicaragua where she will learn about health care in a foreign country. She is also excited to explore a new country and learn about the culture.

The Abroad101 Student of the Week initiative awards a student who created a Mission for a study abroad program on GoEnnounce with a donation to their fundraiser. Learn more about this partnership from Abroad101 CEO Mark Shay and GoEnnounce co-founder Melissa Davis here.

We’re making weekly donations to studyabroad fundraisers! We hope you can help us assist these students in reaching their goals to make their travel dreams a reality. . To find out more about studying in Nicaragua, like Karly, visit the Abroad101 program page.

Stay tuned for our next Abroad101 Student of the Week!

– See more at: http://blog.goennounce.com/abroad101-student-of-the-week-0030-karly-eckes/

Abroad101 Student of the Week #29 – Ashley Broadus

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Abroad 101

This weeks Abroad101 winner is Ashley Broadus from Georgia State University. Ashley is a senior who is studying TV/Film and hopes to continue working with this medium for the rest of her life. She has already started making her way into the world of TV/Film by being the post production lead/manager of her university’s television station. Ashley also is an aspiring artist, having an art minor and practicing a form of art called printmaking. On top of all of this, in her free time, Ashely draws comics!

Ashley has always wanted to study abroad and finally has a chance to do it. And what better place for an artist to go then to Europe, Florence to be exact! As a filmmaker and artist in her final year of college, basking in the culture of Europe for several months is just what she is looking for! We think this experience will benefit her future career, don’t you?!

We’re making weekly donations to studyabroad fundraisers! We hope you can help us assist these students in reaching their goals to make their travel dreams a reality. To find out more about studying in Florence, like Ashley, visit the Abroad101 program page.

Stay tuned for our next Abroad101 Student of the Week!

– See more at: http://blog.goennounce.com/abroad101-student-of-the-week-0029-ashley-broadus/

Top 4 Ways to Include High School Study Abroad on Your College Resume

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Abroad 101

So, you’ve come back from your amazing high school study abroad program, and now you’re basking in the glow of all your wonderful experiences and memories – the places you saw, the people you met, and (let’s be honest) the many, many crepes you devoured for both breakfast AND dinner. And while you may not exactly be ready to think about those pesky impending college apps yet, it’s likely that the time to fill them out will come much sooner rather than later. But, luckily for you, did you know that high school study abroad can really set you apart from the crowd when it comes to college admissions? It’s simply all about how you translate your experience into practical terms that look resume-worthy – for instance, stating that you “took a language course in Spain” isn’t as impressive as saying that you “improved oral proficiency in Spanish and gained a higher level of overall fluency”. Read on for the top 4 ways to include high school study abroad on your college resume!

You acquired the ability to speak a second language. Second language acquisition is rapidly becoming the norm for college applicants everywhere – when French is the official language of 35 countries, nearly 45 million Americans speak Spanish as their first language, and Mandarin easily has the most native speakers worldwide, it’s no surprise that this would be the case. The fact of the matter is, admissions boards are getting more and more used to seeing applicants that have intimate knowledge of second and even third languages, so including this on your resume is a no-brainer (just be sure to go into detail about your rate of improvement during your time abroad, what you specifically studied and how this contributed to your knowledge of the language, etc.)
You’re now on your way to becoming a true global leader. Whether you realize it or not, study abroad imbues you with some truly valuable global leadership skills – other than being proficient in a foreign language, these include acquiring necessary cultural empathy and the ability to make decisions through a global lens (all of which are note-worthy buzz words for college admissions boards). Get ready to ride the global leadership train all the way to your top school pick when you include these skills on your resume!
You increased your level of cultural awareness and tolerance. One of the best things about study abroad is that it forces you to become open to other ways of life. In today’s globalized world, this level of heightened cross-cultural awareness and tolerance is crucial – admissions boards want to see this demonstrated, in print. Immersion programs in particular (so, programs in which you live with local families and speak and hear the language constantly) are excellent ways to acquire these skills.
You overcame language and cultural barriers. Learning to successfully navigate your way through a conversation in Italian (rather than, ahem, faking it) is a huge victory in itself – and, bonus, this is also something that can translate into some serious communication skills development on your resume! Think about it: overcoming different cultural and language barriers likely required you to use communication skills you didn’t even know you had. Intercultural communication is in itself an in-demand skill, but learning to communicate across cultures also results in a higher level of assertiveness and self-confidence – hello, leadership skills!).

About the Author: Justine Harrington is the Admissions Director for SPI Study Abroad, a leading provider of language and cultural immersion summer programs for high school students. She is also the author of the SPI Blog.

Abroad101 Student of the Week #28 – Courtney Seyl – Studying in London England

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Abroad 101

Abroad101.com Student of the Week, Courtney Seyl.

This week, our Abroad101 Student of the Week award goes to Courtney Seyl! Courtney is a sophomore at the University of Puget Sound with a double major in theater and psychology. Her passion for theater runs deep and she stays very busy at school by directing and designing lighting for shows! Her favorite part of theater is behind the scenes and she hopes to pursue a future career in directing, lighting, or dramaturgy. She does love her psychology courses though, so is also considering going to graduate school for forensic psychology or social psychology.

To help see if theater is the right carer choice for her, Courtney is planning on heading to London, England to study theater and theater history. She will be attending the IES London Theater Studies Program where she is hoping to enhance her skills in the theatrical world. Even though her trip is not until next fall we had to admire her determination to get ahead, which only proves to how badly she wants this experience. Happy filming, Courtney!

We’re making weekly donations to #studyabroad fundraisers! We hope you can help us assist these students in reaching their goals to make their travel dreams a reality. To find out more about studying in London, like Courtney, visit the Abroad101 program page.

Stay tuned for our next Abroad101 Student of the Week!

– See more at: http://blog.goennounce.com/abroad101-student-of-the-week-0028-courtney-seyl/

What Type of Study Abroad Program is Right for You?

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Mark Shay

At first, Study abroad seems simple enough: just pick a place to go, find someone to take you there, apply and mail some money. Unfortunately, it is a lot more complex than that because for most students, study abroad is not part of the standard curriculum at a college, but an option. Additionally, credit hours earned outside the student’s home university aren’t treated the same as normal credit hours. The process will seem a little daunting at first, but by all accounts it’s worthwhile and many students report their study abroad experience had the greatest impact on them during their entire time at college.

To accommodate the growing interest in study abroad, universities and program providers continue to introduce creative ways to work study abroad into a college experience. One way is to study abroad when students are normally on a break because that way, the student doesn’t have to disrupt their curriculum and course progression. These off-season programs include:

January Sessions, or J-Term, are 3 or 4 week mini-semesters at the start of the year designed to squeeze a single course into the end of your Christmas break
May or Maymester is a single course over a 3 or 4 week mini-semester that follows Spring finals and finish before the usual summer sessions
Summer Sessions – 4 to 10 week programs that can offer one to three academic courses, sometimes broken into two sessions (Summer 1 and Summer 2)

Another consideration is what will be studied and how that relates to an academic major. If the university runs their own study abroad programs, students are probably in luck as the academic credits come from the home university and also the grades will show up directly in the home university transcript and satisfy requirements for the major. Bringing outside credits to a university Registrar will need a course equivalency. Keep in mind that the grade for those courses will not transfer, only Pass/Fail status will.

Since not too many universities offer a full array of courses abroad, so they offer alternatives, either through exchange partnerships or ties with study abroad provider companies. In these cases, programs offered by universities overseas are packaged for American students and offer credit on the student’s home university transcript as transfer credit. Exchange programs are generally most affordable as the student has to take on many more of the program components and while overseas will generally not have as rich a support network as those programs offered through the provider companies. In the study abroad program directories from Abroad101, these exchange programs are identified with the title of Direct Enrollment & Exchange. The programs offered at that same school by provider companies can be viewed in a second tab. Those provider companies offer a host of extra services and support services and can really help students navigate the complexities of an education abroad experience. For those students willing the take the challenge, exchange programs are a great option and the foreign university will have student support. The American study abroad student will be treated like an international student and will likely find themselves in a mix of students from other countries as well as those from the host country. As a tip, try typing the names of the foreign university in the search box in the menu bar on Abroad101.

Another popular option, especially in the off-season comes from Faculty-led programs operated by the home university. Faculty-led programs are growing in popularity and as the title suggests, are lead by a professor from the home university who leads an exploration of their area of interest, immersing students into a specific themed program. Think of it as an elective course on steroids. Faculty-led programs are generally groups of students from the home university and the programs often include organized travel, multiple destinations and tours. Faculty-led programs will offer home university credit, but because they are offered off-season, may not be eligible for standard Financial Aid.

Before committing to a program type, we suggest speaking with both the academic advisor as well as the education abroad office on campus. Consider all options when it comes to transfer credit, financial aid and your degree progression. Ask lots of questions so that you fully understand your options. There’s a program for everyone, once you understand what type of program interests you we suggest you use the advanced program search on Abroad101 to help find and use the reviews to better compare and understand the possibilities.

Top Abroad101 Pages

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Abroad 101

Wondering what’s the easiest way to get to what you’re looking for at Abroad101.com.

The following are a few of our top pages.

Find a Study Abroad Program –

https://www.studyabroad101.com/study-abroad-programs

Volunteer Abroad Programs –

https://www.studyabroad101.com/volunteer-abroad-programs

Internship Abroad Programs –

https://www.studyabroad101.com/internship-abroad-programs

Intensive Language Abroad Programs –

https://www.studyabroad101.com/intensive-language-abroad-programs

High School Abroad Programs –

https://www.studyabroad101.com/high-school-abroad-programs

Gap Year Abroad Programs –

https://www.studyabroad101.com/gap-year-abroad-programs

TO SPEND OR NOT TO SPEND. THAT IS THE QUESTION

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Mark Melchior

Perhaps you’re sitting there staring at the computer worried about money. I know the feeling because I just graduated school a few months ago. But if your money troubles are study abroad related than you have a unique situation to exploit. For my study abroad bound friends it’s likely you’ve discussed where you’ll want to visit that isn’t where your host family resides. One former study abroad student I know was able to meander from France, through the Netherlands, and into Italy’s Venizia (or Venice). Traveling outside of your study abroad city is definitely to be encouraged.

Every town, whether you’re traveling in the vast Australian Outback or the frigid city of Moscow, has a little bit of a different flavor. I can’t stress enough that Study Abroad is your chance to explore and step outside of your comfort boundaries. Sounds an awful lot like a college acceptance brochure, eh? In lieu of your chance to spend freely and dabble in the not-so-oft seen treasures of this world I’m offering just a few tips of how to save cash so you can spend it wisely.

First tip is to plan way in advance. Fortune was not a favor of the man who dropped everything to go sailing from Spain. Planning ahead does the favor of telling us where we’ll already be spending money so we don’t have to constantly count how much is left for fun things. Keeping a watchful eye on your particular currency exchange rates will help too.

Let’s talk about food. I love it and I love going out to eat. My Koreatown home in Los Angeles offers many Korean BBQ’s and Taco trucks that I’d love to indulge in every afternoon and night. Yet, much like most people, I must brave the kitchen and make my own confections in the interest of saving a little cash. This should be your norm as well. Just go to the grocery store instead of going out to eat every night on vacation. Let’s say you’ve made it to Paris for the week. Good luck paying for French wine by the glass and little omelets every morning without going broke. Do yourself a favor and maybe look up some localized recipes and explore the town market before opening your wallet for a little extra fromage.

So you’ve got an itinerary and a way to save on food. But where to stay? As a student you probably won’t be staying in any Trump hotels or fancy shmancy accommodations. That is, unless you feel like and can, spend the money on it. For those of us tight on a budget but oozing with adventurous sentiments we can always go to hostels. I know Eli Roth had his version of one but in reality they aren’t so bad. You’ll meet some interesting travelers, take selfies in the shared rooms, and even have a little kitchen to cook your own meals. That way when the weekend comes you’ll have fun times lined up and cash to back it.

– Mark Melchior

Mark Melchior has a B.S. in Television and Film Production from the Park school of Communications, Ithaca College, and is a contributing writer and staff Sommelier at Abroad101. While he’s not telling you how to quell your travel anxieties you can find him at the local record store, stuck in traffic, or quietly eating a slice of pizza. He is based in sunny Los Angeles, CA.

Connect with Mark through LinkedIn.

Abroad 101 Student of the Week #0025 – Alexandra Van Cleef – Studying in Seville Spain

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Abroad 101

Abroad101 Student of the Week, Alexandra Van Cleef

Our abroad 101 winner this week is Alexandra Van Cleef, a junior at Texas Christian University. Alexandra is currently double majoring in strategic communications and Spanish, with a minor in business. She stays very active at TCU, being an event planner for her schools student government, highly involved in the community service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, and as a resident assistant! Her future goals include a career in International Affairs, starting off in Washington D.C. in the State Department, and then eventually moving abroad to work on policy between America and other countries.

Alexandra has recently been accepted to study abroad this spring at UPO in Seville, Spain. This trip will not only enhance her Spanish speaking skills but also will give her the opportunity to travel Europe and explore various cultures. While in Seville she will also be matched with a local Spaniard who wants to learn English, this way they can both improve their language skills. We think this educational trip is a great opportunity for Alexandra and can’t wait to see her adventures! You can check out Alexandra’s fundraising Mission here.

We’re making weekly donations to #studyabroad fundraisers! We hope you can help us assist these students in reaching their goals to make their travel dreams a reality. Visit here to help with this mission. To find out more about studying in Seville, like Alexandra, visit the Abroad101 program page.

Stay tuned for our next Abroad101 Student of the Week!

– See more at: http://blog.goennounce.com/abroad-101-student-of-the-week-0025-alexandra-van-clef/

Abroad 101 Student of the Week #0024 – Kaitlin Morrison

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Abroad 101

This weeks Abroad 101 Student of the Week winner goes to, Kaitlin Morrison. She is a junior at Castleton State College, majoring in global studies with a big interest in history. Kaitlin is a Dean’s List student and has dreams of working for the US Embassy one day! Since she has always lived in a small town, her recent acceptance to study abroad in Rome, through a program offered by International Studies Abroad (ISA), has left her ecstatic about the opportunity to get out in the world and expand her cultural knowledge! She will be spending five months in Rome this upcoming spring semester and is looking forward to enhancing her communication and leadership skills. With this trip being so expensive, Kaitlin has started a fundraising Mission (in addition to the loans she’s already taken out through VSAC) to help pay for some of her expenses.

We’re making weekly donations to #studyabroad fundraisers! We hope you can help us assist these students in reaching their goals to make their travel dreams a reality. To find out more about studying in Rome, like Kaitlin, visit the Abroad101 program page.

Stay tuned for our next Abroad101 Student of the Week!

– See more at: http://blog.goennounce.com/abroad-101-student-of-the-week-0024-kaitlin-morrison/

Abroad101 Blog

Study Abroad News

Category Archives: For Students

How To Budget Whilst Studying Abroad

Abroad101 Student of the Week #30 – Karly Eckes

Abroad101 Student of the Week #29 – Ashley Broadus

Top 4 Ways to Include High School Study Abroad on Your College Resume

Abroad101 Student of the Week #28 – Courtney Seyl – Studying in London England

What Type of Study Abroad Program is Right for You?

Top Abroad101 Pages

Wondering what’s the easiest way to get to what you’re looking for at Abroad101.com.

The following are a few of our top pages.

TO SPEND OR NOT TO SPEND. THAT IS THE QUESTION

Abroad 101 Student of the Week #0025 – Alexandra Van Cleef – Studying in Seville Spain

Abroad 101 Student of the Week #0024 – Kaitlin Morrison

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Wondering what’s the easiest way to get to what you’re looking for at Abroad101.com.

The following are a few of our top pages.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: