Planning your study abroad can be an exciting, yet overwhelming time. There’s so much to decide: where will I study abroad? How long do I want my program to be? When do I want to go? And there is a lot to do: apply for visas and passports, submit your scholarship applications, pack… The list goes on and on.
Well, lucky for you, you are not alone! We’ve helped thousands of students find the answers to their most pressing study abroad questions, and we’ll help you do the same. USAC offers a variety of study abroad resources to help our future students plan their study abroad. Keep reading to learn more about some of the resources we have available.
Virtual Advising Hub
Did you know that we offer drop-in advising and program-specific appointments where you can talk to a USAC Program Advisor or University Relations Coordinator about your study abroad dreams? Whether you have specific questions about the application process or visa requirements, or you just want to learn more about study abroad in general, we’ve got you covered. You can schedule an appointment here.
USAC 101 and Program-Specific Info Sessions
If you’re less of a one-on-one learner and would prefer to get your study abroad information in a webinar-type setting, check out our Info Sessions. Offered multiple times a week, our Info Sessions focus on a variety of topics from choosing the right USAC program to culture and cuisine in Chengdu to general study abroad information.
They’re a great way to start learning more about USAC and study abroad experiences and programs without the commitment of one-on-one interaction. (We get it, COVID and quarantine impacted our in-person interactions, too!). View the Info Sessions calendar here.
P.S. You can check out past sessions on YouTube.
Program Search Tool
With 50-plus programs in more than 25 countries, we know how hard it can be to narrow down your study abroad choices. To make things a bit easier, we’ve organized our programs into four main categories: area of study, location, program term and program model.
Using our Program Search Tool, you can sort programs by these four categories to find the right program for you. If you’re only concerned about one category, such as your area of study, leave the rest blank and our tool will do the rest! You can start your program search here.
Budgeting and Financial Planning Tools
We know that the cost of study abroad plays a major role in your decision-making process. That’s why we aim to be as transparent as possible about our pricing and what is included in our program fees. To help you plan for your study abroad expenses, before and during your study abroad, we’ve created a variety of resources:
- Program Pricing Page: As a nonprofit, USAC strives to provide you with the most affordable, quality programs possible, and part of that experience is knowing exactly what you’re paying for. Our Program Pricing Page features our Speciality and Partnership Programs’ starting prices so you can quickly find programs within your budget. You can also search program pricing by term to help you determine your ideal study abroad journey.
- Interactive Budget Sheets: Every USAC program has non-negotiable fees along with add-on offerings and customizable features, like Optional Tours and housing. Our Interactive Budget Sheets, available for every program, allow you to play around with your program’s customizable options to create a study abroad experience that fits within your budget. Play around with this sample budget sheet for our program in Florianópolis, Brazil to get an idea of how these budget sheets work.
- Scholarships and Discounts: To help fund study abroad for hundreds of students every year, USAC offers scholarships and discounts for every program. Funding ranges from program-specific scholarships, like our Regional Scholarships, to student-specific scholarships, like our STEM major and community college scholarships. To apply, complete one simple application and answer a few personal essay questions, and we’ll consider your application for each scholarship you are eligible for. And, we also accept external scholarships and financial aid!
Health and Safety Hub
Safety abroad is our top priority at USAC, and it should be yours, too. You might have questions like: how can I manage my mental health while abroad? What safety precautions are USAC taking to during the COVID-19 pandemic abroad? How will USAC help me if I experience a safety incident while I am on my program? Our Health and Safety Hub answers all of these questions and more in resources for prospective students and parents in regards to mental health, accessibility abroad, COVID-19, safety abroad and more. You can explore these resources and meet our Health and Safety team here.
The Students Beyond Borders Podcast
One of our favorite things to do is talk about study abroad (who would’ve guessed?), so we launched the Students Beyond Borders (SBB) Podcast to keep the conversation going. Hosted by the USAC Communications Department, the SBB Podcast features guests from all aspects of USAC study abroad life including alumni and current students, Central Office staff, program Resident Directors and more.
Popular episodes include:
- S1 E5 – Money, Money, Money – How to Land a Study Abroad Scholarship
- S1 E6 – How to Choose Your Study Abroad Destination
- S1 E10 – Taking A Leap As An Underrepresented Student
- S2 E1 – Looking Ahead With USAC CEO: Study Abroad in 2021
- S2 E4 – Internationalize Your Education Through A Peace Corps Volunteer Experience
You can get caught up on the Students Beyond Borders Podcast here and on the USAC website, or by searching “Students Beyond Borders” on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
USAC’s YouTube Channel
Whether you’re trying to figure out where to study abroad or are doing some research on your chosen program, the USAC YouTube channel is a great resource. Featuring a wide variety of student videos and staff creations, our channel highlights what daily life abroad looks like. No matter where you are in your study abroad journey, we recommend binging our program-specific playlists to explore your future host country or city and learn more about the special activities your program offers. Check out all of our videos here.
USAC Social Media
Of course, we share about all of these resources — and more — regularly on our social media channels. For the latest blogs, podcast episodes and program updates, you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter. If you’re looking for real-time student photos and day-in-the-life takeovers, check out our Instagram. Once you’re abroad, you can (and should!) share your study abroad content with us by tagging us @studyabroadusac or #studyabraodusac.
To start your study abroad journey, explore programs and more on the USAC website.
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