Define Your Objectives

There are a few questions you should ask yourself before beginning the search for a perfect study abroad program. There are no right or wrong answers. Organizing your answers may help you create a set of realistic expectations to guide your search.

Purpose
Why do you want to study abroad? 
What do you expect to gain from the experience? 
How do you expect the experience to be different from staying on campus? 

Destination
Where in the world do you want to go? 
Do you have a preference for one country or a particular geographic area? 
Do you wish to study in an English-speaking country or wish to study a language and culture where it is spoken?

Timing
What is the best time for you to go abroad?   Are you flexible?
Do you want to go abroad between graduation and before grad school/your first job? 
How much time do you want to spend abroad (semester, year, short-term, summer)?

Finances
How much money can you afford to spend abroad? 
Do you know how much it costs to go to UNI? 
Can you afford to travel before, during, or after the program? 
Have you explored information on additional sources of funding for study abroad (grants, scholarships, loans, etc.)?

Academics 
What do you want to study abroad? 
How will the credits you take fit into your academic program at UNI? 
Do you meet the minimum G.P.A. requirement for program admission? 
Do you have flexibility in the types of classes you take or you have to follow a strict sequence in your major? 
Can you handle lots of independent work and different assessment methods overseas?

Foreign Language 
Are you pursuing a major/minor in a foreign language and/or want to study a foreign language while living abroad? 
What’s the level of your language proficiency? 
Do you have the proficiency to direct enroll in classes taught in a foreign language? 
What steps are you planning to take to improve your language proficiency before going abroad?

Immersion Level 
Are you ready for full immersion in the culture of the country and enroll in the same classes with the local students? 
Do you mind being surrounded mostly with other Americans?
Do you prefer to communicate mostly with the locals?

Support System 
Do you have a circle of family members, friends, advisor, to support your decision? 
Will they provide moral and logistical support before, during and after your sojourn?

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