Congratulations! You’ve decided to take the leap and study abroad – that’s so exciting! Now it’s time to choose which program is right for you. I know this process can seem overwhelming with 170 programs and over 40 countries to choose from, but I promise it will all work out. There are lots of ways to narrow down your choices and find which program is the best fit for you.
As a general rule of thumb, there are three questions you should ask yourself to guide this decision:
- What continent/country/region do I want to be in?
- Do I want a specialized program for my major or to take regular classes?
- Do I want to study at a third party university or a UC Center?
Your answers to these questions will greatly reduce your number of choices and make the decision much more manageable. (It’s also important to note the language requirements for each program. There is a wide variety of requirements, ranging from ground zero to complete fluency).
But let’s start with the first question, “What continent/country/region do I want to be in?” Think about where you want to spend your time abroad, as well as the travel you want to be able to do during it. What kind of place do you see yourself living in? UCEAP offers programs in all kinds of diverse places around the world. Take a look at all of the locations offered; you might surprise yourself with which ones interest you!
Next, ask yourself “Do I want a specialized program for my major or to take regular classes?” You’ll notice that a lot of programs are only for specific academic tracks or majors like business, international development, biology, and more. These can be really great options for majors with little wiggle room in their schedules and students that want to go abroad but still want to graduate on time. On the other hand, UCEAP also offers completely general programs where you can take any classes you want. This can be a great opportunity to explore new interests or even take classes that you aren’t able to enroll in at home.
Lastly, think about “Do I want a third party university or a UC Center?” This basically means do you want to study at a “UC Center,” which entails learning from UC professors and alongside other UC students, or would you rather a program at a host university where the professors are not affiliated with UC and your classmates are not other UC students. Each of these choices has its pros and cons, but both are great options! With a UC Center program, you’ll be guaranteed credit for your classes, have more structure, and be able to easily live with other UC students. A third party university offers more independence, a more immersive environment, and complete freedom of study; however, there is no guarantee that your class credits will transfer, and you’ll have to petition your school once you’re back home.
I know that deciding where and how you’ll go abroad can seem like a life-altering and be-all end-all decision, but don’t stress about it too much! All of the programs will provide you with unique but rewarding experiences, and you’ll meet the most amazing people along the way. No matter what program you decide on, your study abroad will be what you choose to make of it.