If you are looking to study abroad in college, know that much of the work you put in now towards scholarship applications will impact the amount of financial aid you have to study overseas. Of course, there are scholarships you can apply to after you’ve begun your college studies, and these scholarships can be outside the university (like the Gilman Scholarship, which is study-abroad specific and awards students up to $5,000) and scholarships that your university’s study abroad/financial aid office awards. It is very possible to afford your general university and study abroad experience by paying little to nothing. I make this point because it will be much less stressful for you in the future if you apply and earn scholarships now rather than later. Many more opportunities are available for high school students than for college students. Remember that there is free money everywhere if you are willing to look for it.
Moreover, when you start to think about studying abroad, it’s wise to think about your goals and what you want to make out of your experience. Do you want to learn a language? Do you want to experience living in a specific country? Or do you want to go anywhere and live an experience foreign to you because it will change the essence of who you are? If any of these appeal to you, start there and move forward. For example, I wanted to improve my Spanish skills and travel simultaneously. I’ve also always liked the appeal of Spain, so I chose to go there! If you want to learn French but don’t necessarily have a specific country in mind, research and go from there! Your study abroad and general college experience will become the effort that you put into it. Everything is in your hands.
