How Costly is Studying Abroad?

By: William Hodges

Studying abroad has become a very popular among students just entering college. According to Institute of International Education, between 2005 and 2006 the amount of people who decided to study abroad increased by about 9.6%. Many students even make having a study abroad program an important consideration when they choose a college. Schools like Georgia Tech highly encourage study abroad programs for students because of the benefits it can have to the person. According to the Transitions Abroad Website, studying abroad can help increase personal development, help increase a students academic commitment, help a student develop a more cultured view of the world, and can help with career development. They also said that study abroad programs “will change your life. You’ll come back a new person.”

If study abroad is as meaningful and beneficial as everyone says it is then why doesn’t everyone study abroad. The biggest problem with study abroad programs is the cost. When studying abroad there are many expenses you have to take care of including the airfare, housing, food, and tuition expenses. When these add up the price can seem very daunting especially with the weakening value of the dollar compared to that of say the euro. While the costs are staying fairly static, the exchange rates are not, they are getting poorer and poorer and is a major reason why study abroad is difficult for some students. Some institutions have their own study abroad programs with campuses set up all around the world. This can make is easier to study abroad because most of the housing and tuition requirements are all built in making studying abroad cheaper. At Georgia Tech all out of state students who pay the costly sum of about $24,000 a year get to pay in state tuition during their entire time while studying abroad. This allows them to actually save about $19,000 every time they study abroad. Even though in some cases study abroad can be costly, some people believe the benefits outweigh the cost and believe that it is completely worth it and still believe that study abroad is something that every student should take advantage of.