Are you a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) student who wants to study abroad but isn’t sure how to fit it into your program schedule? One of the challenges that STEM students face is a demanding, highly-structured curriculum, and it may seem that there is no way to fit in study abroad.
As a matter of fact, there are many opportunities for students in these fields to gain international experience — including study abroad programs, international internships, research abroad, and even participating in humanitarian outreach or field study opportunities—all while fulfilling their degree requirements. There are also interesting ways to fund research and learning around the world. So, what are you waiting for?
Before selecting your university, investigate which study abroad options are available to STEM students. Check with professors in the appropriate departments to ask whether they are involved in international education. Ask college student-advisors about opportunities for undergraduates in your field to study abroad — and be sure to mention research abroad! Ask to speak with STEM students who have pursued these opportunities to learn about their experiences.
It’s not too late! Ask your professors whether they participate in international educational opportunities through your university, or ask them for recommendations about programs applicable to your field. Definitely visit your school’s study abroad office to determine which options are available to STEM students.
This is an efficient way to fulfill your general education requirements—and can be much more fun and adventurous than sitting in a classroom on campus! You’ll be exploring a new culture while completing coursework outside of your STEM major that your university requires. Many general education study abroad programs run in the summer, so you won’t be missing any STEM courses that are only offered during the academic year.
This is another smart way to fulfill core STEM courses—organic chemistry and math are the same around the world—and you’ll be connecting with international students and faculty, increasing your global knowledge and potential employability.
Don’t worry! There are lots of ways to study abroad, including going through independent study abroad providers, like API and IES. From there, you can typically transfer credits you earn back to your degree-granting university.
You could also do a student exchange to another university for a year. This would give you the opportunity to work and learn with global faculty, many of whom are leaders in their fields. It would also grant you the ability to attend universities that are on the cutting edge of STEM research and to connect with students and scholars from around the world.
This is a great idea if you’ve always wanted to study at an international university, or if a professor you’d love to work with is based outside the United States. It's a bit more difficult than going through the traditional American college system (finding the right university, living in an unfamiliar place, dealing with possible language barriers, and not being eligible for U.S. financial aid), but the lifelong benefits are enormous. It's also worth noting that it can be very cost-effective to earn a degree internationally—much of the time it is cheaper than a degree from an American institution.
There are also other ways for STEM students to gain international experience beyond studying abroad. Here are a few:
Sometimes, study abroad can be less expensive than studying on your home campus! But it still costs money, and many students are unaware that extensive resources exist to help them.
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