Why study abroad?

Study abroad doesn't have to be expensive.

If you select a program run by UNCA, the state-wide UNC-Exchange Program (UNC-EP), or the North Carolina Consortium for Study Abroad, you can keep costs about the same as staying in the USA. This way, you can go just about anywhere in the world for little more than the cost of tuition, room and board at your home school!

You can apply your federal financial aid to the costs of study abroad. Most state financial aid can also be used for study abroad. You can apply for study abroad scholarships, too (contact Bonnie Parker in the Study Abroad Office for information).


You don't have to be fluent in a foreign language.

UNCA offers exciting summer programs in Cambridge as well as a semester or year program in Chester England. You can also study in other English-speaking countries like Australia and Ireland. Or you can participate in study abroad programs where courses are especially taught in English. Such programs are offered in countries like Denmark, Finland, Ghana, Greece, and Sweden.

You can also learn a foreign language from scratch while studying abroad. Spend the semester or summer studying Spanish in Costa Rica, Mexico, or Spain. Or travel to France to learn French and explore French culture.


You can study abroad and still graduate on time.

If you plan your study abroad carefully, you'll receive full home credit for all courses you take, and these can be planned so that they count toward your major, minor, or elective requirements. With proper planning, you can study abroad and still graduate on time. Visit UNCA's Study Abroad Office EARLY to start planning.


Whatever your major, you can study abroad.

It's possible for students to study abroad in every discipline -- not only in Humanities and Social Sciences, but also in Management, the Arts, and the Natural Sciences. Employers want to hire people with international experience, and graduate schools consider study abroad a "plus" when reviewing applications.

Study abroad is not just for rich kids or specialists. In our increasingly interdependent world, a study abroad experience is an essential ingredient of a complete education and an advantage in the job market. Study abroad not only allows you to learn more about the world, but it gives you a new perspective on your situation at home.

You can study abroad at whatever time is most convenient for you. You can go as early as the summer after your freshman year! Studying abroad can help you make up your mind about what you want to do with your major and your life.