11 Common Study Abroad Regrets (and How to Avoid Them)

Have you ever daydreamed about studying abroad, only to hear disappointing stories of missed opportunities and epic fails? While studying abroad can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience full of adventure, cultural immersion, and academic growth, many students find themselves grappling with unexpected regrets when they finally return home after their time abroad.

From overlooking pre-departure preparations to navigating the emotional rollercoaster of homesickness or culture shock, GoAbroad is here to unravel the most common study abroad regrets and how to avoid them. Whether you’re about to board a plane or you’ve already plunged into student life in a new city, think of this as your ultimate guide to turning missed opportunities into some of your most incredible memories.

11 most common study abroad regrets

Here’s how to watch out for common study abroad regrets so you can make the most of your time abroad.

You’ll never regret studying abroad, but the key to the best experience is making the most of every moment so you don’t carry regret with you at what could have been. So how can you guarantee that you won’t have study abroad regrets?

Well, the truth is—you can’t. But you can definitely do your homework to make sure you maximize all that study abroad has to offer. Here are some of the most common study abroad regrets and how to avoid them:

1. Not doing research before departure

One of the most common study abroad regrets is not doing research on your destination before you arrive. With such limited time, you won’t want to waste a single moment not soaking in everything your destination has to offer—but first, you need to know what’s out there for you to explore.

While some study abroad programs are longer than others, there’s never enough time to do it all…unless you decide to stay forever!

How to avoid it: Make sure you do your research before you leave—not only so you know what is available to you, but also to ensure you’re choosing the right destination that will give you the experience you desire.

2. Missing out on cultural and language immersion

It’s easy to fall into the international student crowd while studying abroad, spending your time with people who speak your language and remind you of home. Yet one of the biggest study abroad regrets is returning home feeling like you didn’t truly get to know the local culture, customs, or language. While it means having comfort while abroad, it also means returning home with a lack of connection to the place you called “home” during your study abroad.

How to avoid it: Maximize your cultural immersion by hanging out with local students, opting for a homestay, enrolling in a language class, and getting out and about on your own so you can truly feel immersed in the local customs.

3. Missing out on travel opportunities

Trust us, now is the time to tap into your wanderlust and explore those places you’ve always wanted to see.

It’s common to arrive at your destination and want to save money so you don’t blow your budget, but study abroad is a unique opportunity to spend an extended period of time in a destination of your dreams. You won’t want to regret studying abroad and not traveling as much as possible—whether that’s around the country where you’re studying or neighboring countries that are only a short bus, train, or plane ride away.

How to avoid it: Visit the tourist attractions, go on the outdoor adventures with new friends to take in the local scenery, spend your afternoons getting lost in your new city and your weekends on mini holidays to neighboring cities or countries that are far from home.

4. Not budgeting enough

Budgeting for study abroad can be tricky. The angel in you wants to pinch pennies so your money sustains you and you don’t go home with zero dollars to your name, while the devil in you wants to spend every last cent on all the travel and adventures. The safest way to achieve equilibrium is to save more than you think you need so you don’t regret studying abroad and missing out on opportunities because of your limited budget.

How to avoid it: Start planning your budget in advance and doing your research on the cost of living, as well as on how much it costs to travel and participate in the activities you don’t want to miss—and then increase your savings goal to make room for the unexpected expenses that might pop up along the way.

5. Not reaching out for help

Studying abroad has its highs and lows. While it’s definitely a grand adventure, it’s also common to experience stress, culture shock, and homesickness when you’re far away from your support system.

A common study abroad regret is not reaching out for help when you feel down—whether that’s from your university or losing touch with family and friends at home—and spending too much time in a funk instead of enjoying your time abroad.

How to avoid it: Make a point of keeping in touch with family and friends from back home to keep your support system strong, and don’t be afraid to reach out for help from your local university or new friends because it’s guaranteed you aren’t alone in your feelings.

6. Missing out on local connections

Challenge yourself to get out of your bubble and meet some locals. You never know where your new best friend is waiting!

One of the keys to fully experiencing a new country and culture is to get to know the locals. Local connections can open so many opportunities, whether you want to work abroad, or even revisit your study abroad home in the future.

Too many students return from study abroad with the regret that they missed out on local connections. They didn’t network, they didn’t make friends, and they have very little connection to the place where they spent so much time when they settle back into home.

How to avoid it: One of the easiest ways to make local connections is by opting for a homestay and living with a local family. If your study abroad program doesn’t have a homestay program, consider breaking away from your safe group of friends and striking up a conversation with a stranger who might become your new best friend.

7. Not documenting the experience

We get it, you want to live in the present moment, rather than living your study abroad experience through the lens of your iPhone camera. But one of the biggest study abroad regrets is not documenting your experience. After all, as time passes, your memories might fade and it will always be special to have something to physically look back on, not just to show family and friends, but to help you remember your experience later on in life.

How to avoid it: Find a creative way to document your journey that feels fun for you. Whether that’s through photos, a journal, making a scrapbook, or blogging about your travels, you won’t regret having your memories recorded for later.

8. Missing out on academic and networking opportunities

The best study abroad experiences balance academic and professional growth with adventure and travel. Many students get distracted by the fun and miss out on the study experience, and while you might not realize it in the moment, it’s a common study abroad regret.

Missing out on academic experiences means you might have also missed out on courses you can’t study at your home university that could uncover hidden passions and help you immerse yourself even deeper into the culture. The same goes for networking opportunities, which can open up international career prospects—another opportunity many students bypass and regret later.

How to avoid it: Go to class. And if you can imagine working internationally in the future, it could pay off to pair your studies with an internship, volunteering, or part-time work to build your resume.

9. Not taking advantage of program excursions

Not taking advantage of program excursions to places like this? Yeah, that’s going to be one of your biggest study abroad regrets.

The truth is, there are endless opportunities awaiting you when you study abroad. Not only study, networking, and travel, but also the program excursions and extracurriculars available to you as an international student through your university.

These can range from day excursions, weekend trips, clubs, sports, or social gatherings—all ways to immerse yourself deeply in the culture, meet new people, see new parts of the country, and have fun outside of the classroom. It rounds out the study abroad experience, yet too many students bypass these opportunities and regret it later.

How to avoid it: Do the thing! If you’re not sure what’s available to you, get in touch with your local university and ask. Choose something that sounds exciting and allow yourself to get outside of your comfort zone and try something new.

10. Not letting loose

Yes, there are always stresses that come with studying abroad, whether you’re learning to cook for yourself for the first time, struggling to set up your phone and bank account abroad, wanting to make new friends, or simply settling into a new place far from home. But study abroad is also a time to have fun. One of the most common study abroad regrets is not letting loose and enjoying the ride!

How to avoid it: Reach out for help if you’re feeling overwhelmed to reduce stress and make more time for adventure. If you have trouble letting loose, choose one exciting thing to do each week that challenges you to be in the present moment.

11. Staying in the comfort zone

Growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone. Yet many students decide to play it safe while studying abroad. One guarantee is that you won’t have the fullest experience possible if you stay in your comfort zone, which is why most people regret studying abroad and not branching out.

How to avoid it: Push the edges of your comfort zone with everything you do—travel to the places that you didn’t think to go, try the food that you can’t pronounce, let yourself look silly practicing the local language, make friends who bring out different sides of you, and choose classes you might not be able to study anywhere else. You won’t regret broadening your experience.

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Doing research and preparing for your study abroad experience will help mitigate the risk of regret!

Do the things, take the class, make the friends, book the travel—you won’t regret opening yourself up to adventure.

Studying abroad is a whirlwind adventure with missed opportunities lurking around every corner. Yet with insight, research, and preparation, you can transform potential regrets into memories that will last forever.

This is your invitation to seize every moment—by immersing yourself deeply in the culture, academics, social adventures, travel adventures, and so much more. Let yourself free of your comfort zone and embark on your experience with your eyes wide open for the study abroad adventure with no regrets!

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