When choosing an abroad program, there are a lot of factors to consider. Whether that’s price, location, program type, living conditions or language barriers, it’s daunting to pick a program that’s right for you. This article will break down the various factors of the abroad experience as well as information from past abroad students as to why they decided on their specific program. If you find yourself overwhelmed and confused about how to pick a program, this might be the article for you!

Whether you are interested in Elon’s Short-Term Programs, Elon Centers Abroad, an Exchange Program, or a Non-Elon Program, this will hopefully provide you some clarity on the type of program best suited for you.

Program Types

Elon offers six main program types: Short-Term Programs (including summer programs and January term programs), Elon Centers Abroad, Affiliate and Exchange Programs, Dual Degree Programs, Independent Experiences, and Non-Elon Programs. And while all these program types can sound overwhelming, we will just focus on the two most popular: Elon Centers Abroad and Non-Elon Programs. We’d recommend Short-Term programs for those whose majors don't allow them an entire semester away or for individuals not wanting to be abroad for long periods of time.

Elon School Programs vs. other programs

Elon has four centers abroad, including Dunedin, New Zealand, Florence, Italy, London, England, and Shanghai, China. These programs tend to be larger in size as more Elon students choose to do Elon School Programs. These programs also tend to have more trust associated as there are more personable reviews from Elon students. Other popular programs like Paris, Sorrento, Barcelona, Copenhagen or Dublin can vary in size, but tend to have a smaller group of students as their school abroad is not affiliated with Elon.

Choosing a program that is affiliated with an Elon school can bring more comfort while abroad and more friendly faces, however, if you’re looking for a newer experience, outside Elon, choosing a program unaffiliated with Elon might be right for you. Lauren Gibbons-Neff, a Junior who studied in Copenhagen for the fall said that she chose a program unaffiliated with Elon because “Sophomore year I spent so much time within the Elon bubble and I definitely wanted to meet new people outside the Elon community”. Gibbons-Neff said that the Copenhagen program also “helped me navigate the city more independently”.

Home stays, apartment living, and dorm living

As for your living situation abroad, there are multiple options that are either available to you or chosen for you depending on the program. For example, the Florence program lives in local apartments whereas the Copenhagen, Sorrento, London and Paris programs stay in student housing. For some programs, you can opt for a home stay and live with a host family. Living in a host family allows you to truly immerse yourself in the language and culture of that location, but can be isolated for some, especially if there is a language barrier.

Language barriers vs. native tongue

Language barriers can be a large factor in determining what program may be best for you. Whether you’re forced to study a language through your program or not, language barriers can make traveling difficult and sometimes even uncomfortable. Wherever you go, language barriers will arise. We’d recommend not basing your abroad experience strictly on language for this reason. Learning to speak the native tongue of another country is so rewarding and even basic phrases will go a long way and help you to better immerse yourself in their culture.

Location

Location is of course one of the most important factors in which program is right for you. When picking a location it’s important to consider the city's safety, culture, current events, climate while there, and access to travel. For Gaby Rivas-De Leon, Paris was the perfect location for her. “For me, my favorite part was the experiential requirement. I chose to do volunteer work around Paris. I met so many locals through volunteering”, said Rivas-De Leon. “It really takes you out of your comfort zone of being just a study abroad student. A lot of the time when studying abroad, what I find is that you’re just being a tourist for four months. But, people want to really feel like they’ve lived somewhere”.

For Gibbons-Neff, she ultimately chose Copenhagen because “it was an easy place to be independent because Danish culture is so focused on the individual”. She further says “I felt comfortable doing my own thing a lot of the time”.

Katelyn Leary, a Junior who studied in Dublin in the fall says that one of her favorite aspects of her experience was having an internship abroad. As not many programs allow internships, Leary says “it was very fulfilling to work in another country. I was doing marketing with companies in various countries which was very cool and absolutely helped me get an internship for this summer”.

Advice from past abroad students

We know that making a decision to live somewhere new for a few months may be intimidating. And even after reading about the various options available to you, you might still not know what you’re looking for. If that is the case, here is some advice from past abroad students that might provide you with some clarity during your decision-making.

If it’s difficult for you to envision a location best suited for you, Gibbons-Neff suggests “you consider what your priorities are as an individual” and to ensure you’re “making these decisions for yourself”. Her biggest piece of advice is to “not think about the situational things like housing but to think about your day-to-day and the environment that would benefit you most”.

Rivas-De Leon says that she always knew she wanted to go to Paris to study abroad. “Don’t think about studying abroad just as a study experience. Think about abroad as something that will check off the boxes of your life list” said Rivas-De Leon.

Hopefully, this gave you some clarity on what you’re looking for in a study abroad program. Write to @theedgemag with your decision and send us some photos of your experience!

What Abroad Program Should I Choose?