The Opportunity Presented by Study Abroad Programs

Many people who are heavily immersed in their education have dreamed about having the chance to study abroad in a foreign country. Whether it be to support their future career path or to just experience what it’s like, studying abroad is an opportunity many wish to have. However, many of the studying abroad programs presented throughout high school and college are expensive and virtually inaccessible to those who cannot afford it. Due to this obstacle, many students who wish to pursue further immersive education in a different country are forced to disregard the option.

Despite this setback, many people are unaware of government funded study abroad programs, which give students the opportunity to gain this experience. There are an abundance of them online which present multiple options for purpose and place. The following is a list of programs that students can apply to for a chance to study abroad within the application period.

High School Students:

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange - Provides merit-based scholarships and presents the opportunity to study abroad in Germany for an academic year.

National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) - Provides merit-based scholarships for students to learn foreign languages in summer and academic immersion programs.

Youth Ambassadors Program - Offers opportunities to join a student exchange program in numerous Spanish speaking countries.

College and University Students:

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program - Provides US undergraduate students the opportunity to study or intern abroad.

Critical Language Scholarship Program (CLS) - Provides fully funded, intensive summer language studying opportunities in multiple countries.

The Language Flagship - Offers opportunities to study in ten Flagship Overseas Centers.

The Boren Award for International Study - Provides funding for students to study less commonly taught languages that are generally underrepresented in studying abroad.

These are only a couple of options available to those who want to experience overseas immersive programs. There are more listed on this website, which also lead to the official websites that provide more in depth descriptions of the programs themselves: https://studyabroad.state.gov/us-government-scholarships-and-programs

Why is it important to take opportunities to study abroad? Living in a country like the U.S. means being surrounded by different types of people and cultures. In order to learn more about the people around us, taking opportunities like studying abroad to educate ourselves allows for a more mutual understanding of the world. Learning more about different customs and traditions through immersive study programs would allow for more experienced leaders in our future workplaces. It is also crucial for students to stay educated and open-minded in order to stress the idea of inclusivity, which would further promote better working environments. Not only is it an amazing opportunity for students to experience new things, but it also provides crucial knowledge that can be utilized throughout their lives.