What Are the Benefits of Studying Abroad?

You’ve heard it all before—studying abroad is a can’t-miss experience that’ll become a highlight of your time in college and maybe even change your life. It’s easy enough to chalk up the hype to a collection of platitudes, especially if you’re struggling to convince yourself (or your parents) that taking time away from your regular classes is worth it.

Spoiler alert: The personal, professional, and academic benefits of studying abroad are SO worth it. With everything from shorter summer and winter programs to semesters and academic years out there, it’s also easier than you might think to find a program that fits in with your schedule.

But what are the benefits of studying abroad? You’ll get to travel and learn about yourself as you add to your academic and career credentials, no matter if you’re planning a traditional college study abroad term or want to go abroad some other time (hey, it’s never too early or too late to study abroad). Here’s why studying abroad is an investment in yourself and your future.

What are the Benefits of Studying Abroad?

Unlock a world of opportunities that enrich your education and personal growth.

Studying abroad benefits students in so many ways. From the personal to the academic to opportunities that advance your career, studying abroad will benefit you now and far into the future. Yes, you’ll get to travel, but you’ll also learn about yourself as you study new subjects, taste new foods, and meet new people.

Academic benefits of studying abroad

When you study abroad, you get to diversify your education with classes at top-notch institutions as you explore topics that interest you from different perspectives. The academic benefits of studying abroad range from specific skills, like adding proficiency in another language to your transcript, to harder-to-define perks that make your education more well-rounded. Studying abroad lets you:

1. Explore your major from new perspectives.

Getting exposure to different perspectives is one of the top study abroad benefits overall, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to academics. You know what it’s like to hit the books and ace your tests at home. Now it’s time to hear from professors and peers who bring in perspectives you might not get at your home institution.

Whether you enroll at a prestigious university across the pond for an academic year or sign up for an intensive summer deep dive into your major, you’ll learn about subjects that interest you from local experts and expand your knowledge of your field. While you’re at it, you’ll get an inside glimpse into different styles and systems of education.

2. Learn beyond the classroom.

Studying abroad is a great idea no matter your major. You can take courses abroad that fulfill major requirements or explore interesting electives you might not have the chance to take back home (or maybe do a little bit of both!).

Don’t just read up on art history, check out the museums and historical sites in Italy. Instead of only studying environmental policies, explore sustainability practices in the stunning biodiversity of Costa Rica. Learn about wildlife conservation in South Africa, or Thailand, or Australia.

Whatever you study, you’ll have the unique chance to get up close and personal with academic subjects and go far beyond what you get from your textbooks back home.

3. Add another language to your transcript.

Immerse yourself in language and culture for a truly transformative learning experience.

You can’t beat going abroad if you’re hoping to improve your language skills. Immersing yourself fully by living and studying in the local language is one of the best ways to strengthen skills in a language you’re already studying or build a solid foundation in something entirely new.

Of course, you don’t have to study a language to study abroad. You’ll find plenty of programs around the world that let you take classes in English! Still, if you have the chance to take a beginner-level class or use the language in your day-to-day life, you’ll only improve your academic record (and life skills).

4. Improve your graduate school applications.

Looking to continue your education? A future resume boost is just one more benefit to studying abroad. Whether you’re applying for a master’s degree or PhD in a subject you explore abroad or have something like law school or medical school on your radar, admissions committees value the experience your time abroad brings.

By studying abroad, you’ll show graduate schools you’re curious and committed to your education. They’ll see you aren’t afraid to leave your comfort zone or take on new challenges. You’re doing future academics a big favor by studying abroad now.

Professional benefits of studying abroad

There are many ways study abroad benefits students, but the career perks alone prove it’s a worthy investment. Just taking the plunge to sign up to learn in a new environment means you’re ready to become more adaptable, more resilient, and better prepared to make decisions and juggle priorities. When it comes to your career, studying abroad will:

1. Give your resume a boost.

Stand out in the job market with valuable international experience and skills.

More and more, employers are looking for candidates with international experience and language skills—as well as a range of soft skills you develop when you get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself by studying abroad. You’ll set yourself apart as a job candidate when you list a study abroad experience on your resume.

Simply studying abroad will benefit you and your CV, but you can enhance those career-boosting benefits even more by interning or volunteering while studying abroad. All that independent, critical thinking you do and creativity and resilience you develop offers a path to career advancement.

2. Hone your language skills.

The access to language immersion study abroad provides means making deeper connections with folks you meet and developing greater cultural awareness—reason enough to put studying abroad on your list of educational goals. But the benefits of working on your language skills abroad go beyond your college transcript.

Learning another language has some serious career benefits, too. Watch your language skills translate to more (and better-paid) job opportunities and stronger professional relationships. You’ll even treat yourself to greater creativity and better problem-solving skills thanks to the brain boost learning a language provides.

3. Teach you how to communicate across cultures.

It’s not just foreign language skills you develop when you study abroad. Even if you’re studying abroad in a place where the locals speak your language, you’re sure to encounter language differences and differences in communication styles.

That constant intercultural learning is another way study abroad benefits students. Bonus points if you intern while you’re studying abroad, as you’ll also see firsthand what navigating another workplace culture is like.

4. Develop your transferable skills.

All in all, you develop a ton of transferable skills when you study abroad that can jumpstart your career. You’ll learn about yourself, building self-awareness, resilience, and adaptability. You’ll learn about other cultures, becoming more empathetic as you become more confident navigating new perspectives with sensitivity and grace.

No matter the career field you ultimately want to pursue, studying abroad means honing problem-solving, curiosity, independence, and other transferable skills employers value. Expect to see the professional benefits of studying abroad come into play as you achieve goals throughout your career.

Personal benefits of studying abroad

Create lifelong friendships and build a global network that spans continents.

The benefits of study abroad are more than just a line on your resume. Beyond the academic and the professional, you’ll see the impact your time abroad has on all areas of your life, often in unquantifiable ways. Studying abroad means you’ll get to:

1. Build cultural awareness.

When you study abroad, you have the chance to immerse yourself in a culture different from your own. Cultural awareness is one of the best benefits of studying abroad—and it goes far beyond traveling to a bunch of places.

Understanding and respecting cultural differences and practicing cultural sensitivity will make your time abroad more meaningful. As you hear from new perspectives and learn about a culture’s social norms, religions, languages, and more, you’ll connect with people on a deeper level.

2. Make friends and build your international network.

The connections you make are some of the biggest personal benefits of studying abroad. From random roommates to locals at the café near campus to international students in your classes, you never know who might turn into a lifelong friend.

You’ll also have the chance to grow your international network while you study abroad. Professors, classmates, the host family you live with—they’re all people you can turn to personally and professionally in the years to come. Whether you’re looking to build an international career or just want a friendly face to meet on your future travels, studying abroad means invaluable connections with folks in different places.

3. Figure out the future.

Studying abroad is an amazing experience at the moment, but it also helps you chart a course toward the future (and maybe figure out what you want to do with your life after college). You’ll try your hand at speaking Korean, discover a love of British literature, or uncover a talent for surfing off the Australian coast.

Whatever new interest awaits you, your time abroad is the ideal opportunity to test the waters and find your passions. You might find a path you don’t expect to take—or find out you were on the right path all along.

4. Travel the world and find a home away from home.

Discover new cultures and find a second home as you explore the world.

Though traveling on its own offers a wealth of benefits, seeing new places through the lens of study abroad makes for a more immersive, meaningful experience. Whether you study abroad in multiple countries or stay long-term in one, you get to check destinations off your bucket list. But you do it while going slowly and experiencing what life in a place is really like.

You’ll live with a host family or hang out with students at your dorm. You’ll find a favorite izakaya or pâtisserie around the corner. Along the way, you’ll learn to feel at home away from home.

Studying abroad will benefit you in numerous ways

No matter if you choose a popular study abroad destination or take yourself a little further off the beaten path, you’re setting yourself up for an experience that will add to your academic knowledge, distinguish you as a job candidate, and let you grow as a person as you see a little more of the world. It’s hard to argue with benefits like that!