Whether you consider yourself a future economist, presidential candidate or P.E. teacher, you should highly consider studying abroad at some point during your time at the University.
Unlike many schools around the nation, the University offers over 50 sponsored programs. These programs vary in location and intensity, thus offering every student an attractive opportunity. For example, aspiring artists can explore the history of Florence, and future stock brokers can scrutinize the complicated financial markets of Hong Kong. Furthermore, the University also offers students the ability to explore external programs. Through the University’s Education Abroad website, students can not only pick from the 50 sponsored programs but also from an endless host of programs sponsored by other schools.
Some students neglect to study abroad because they fear the monetary cost outweighs the benefits however this would be an ignorant ideology. The truth is the cost of studying abroad is one of the benefits.
Out-of-state tuition for a student staying on Grounds at the University of Virginia costs roughly $29,749 per semester. This number includes tuition, room and board and an estimated total for personal expenses.
On the contrary, consider a student studying abroad for one semester in the Valencia, Spain program. According to financial services, the University estimates the total cost of the semester to total roughly $8,732. This number includes tuition, room and board and personal expenses.
A similar disparity, though not as profound, also exists between tuition estimates for in-state students. An in-state student studying on grounds is expected to spend roughly $14,476, while the same student in Valencia will only spend $7,820 for a semester.
Obviously these numbers fluctuate depending upon how much students spend on their leisure, but the gap between the two is undeniable. Most students travelling abroad spend far less they would on Grounds. Additional, if $7,000 or $8,000 still seems too high, students can apply for scholarships and other forms of financial aid through the Education Abroad website. Students can also transfer their financial aid on Grounds to their desired program abroad.
Apart from the low cost of tuition, studying abroad also grants students a more worldly perspective. Students traveling abroad encounter completely novel situations, customs and cultural idiosyncrasies. Moreover, students must learn to conquer these obstacles in order to live comfortably. For example, foreign transit systems often befuddle travelers at first, but in time students learn to navigate these with ease. Additionally, students often face complications with buying food, locating stores or even adopting the correct vernacular. These circumstances might appear mundane, but experiencing them in a foreign country undeniably forces students to utilize and implore new techniques and knowledge. I would argue that handling these circumstances forces a student into becoming more accepting, sociable and intelligent — this, in turn, sculpts students into more successful individuals.
Most employers, according to CNN, cite creative problem solving skills and ability to work well with others as two of the top 10 qualities they look for in employees. As I have already mentioned, studying abroad certainly helps students expand their problem solving skills because it places students in a foreign setting with little to no knowledge of the area. Secondly, studying abroad helps students strengthen their communication skills mainly because the novel situations students face require good communication. For example, in the case of the foreign transit system working well with others helps students understand the routes, buses, stops etc.
Countless other reasons exist which should motivate you to travel abroad, from well known GPA boosting classes to amazing party scenes, but my favorite reason is quite simple and probably redundant: I believe we have an obligation to ourselves to see the world. We have an obligation to experience others’ cultures and communities. Traveling is a way of listening, a way of connecting with the entire human race and becoming more well-rounded. What better time to travel then during school when you’re receiving credit, you’re with a group and you're paying less than usual.
Nate Menninger is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at n.menninger@cavalierdaily.com.
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