- Immerse yourself in a new culture and experience a life-changing adventure.
- Choose from programs in 40+ countries—explore a dream destination or discover somewhere totally unexpected for class credit.
- Find options that fit your major and enhance your education, no matter what you’re studying.
- Decide how long your journey lasts—spend two weeks in a short term study abroad program or stay for an entire year.
- Step out of your comfort zone, gain fresh perspectives and create unforgettable memories.
Why You Should Study Abroad
Continue to main contentIndependence and Personal Growth
Though some find the idea of studying abroad daunting, immersing yourself in another country’s culture is a once in a lifetime experience. Jessica Farfan, a SEMO Musical Theatre major who studied abroad in Oslo, Norway, mentioned she was scared to navigate a foreign city, but moving there for a semester helped her grow not only in her education, but as a person.
"I had never flown on a plane by myself; I was nineteen years old. I wasn’t very experienced with the world, and I gained independence by going there."
Jessica Farfan
Ellyssa Polley, a SEMO Tech and Design major who spent this past summer in Seoul, South Korea, said that she discovered how a change of pace could do wonders for your mind and body.
"Going abroad is just healthy. I grew as a person and my mental health got better."
Ellyssa Polley
Immersion in a Different Language
Many students wonder where they should study abroad and are often curious if communication will be a struggle. But, a language barrier shouldn’t be a worry, as over 1.5 billion people speak English worldwide. Through SEMO'S study abroad programs, there are students who travel to places where they don't know the native language while others study where they are nearly fluent.
Trent Sholl, who is a double major at SEMO in Spanish and International Business, went to Leon, Spain. All of his classes were in Spanish and his host mother solely spoke Spanish. He spoke of the benefits study abroad has for Business and Spanish majors.
"It expanded my knowledge of Spanish. When you're in a foreign country you learn so much more."
Trent Sholl
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Megan Hoffman during her study abroad in Norway -
Trent Sholl with his study abroad host mom
Experiencing New Ways to Exist in the Classroom
Education is different in every country. Widening your perspective and engaging in different learning styles can help you excel in your studies.
In Oslo, Norway, Megan Hoffman, a Musical Theatre student at SEMO, discussed how she experienced a new way of learning things. Her material was hands on and she didn’t have any homework. Instead, all of her classes went from nine in the morning to five in the evening. Each academic year ranged from eleven to twenty people, which is who she walked to and from class with all day.
Trent’s classes were Monday through Friday from nine in the morning till two in the afternoon. He described his four professors as amazing. “They were engaged-you could tell they were passionate about what they were doing.” Trent noted that his professors made the class have an air of casualness to them. They would sit and talk in Spanish to explore the language. There were four or five students in each of Trent’s classes, and because of this, they all became close.
Expanding Your Network
Of course, studying abroad encompasses more than life in the books. The bonds you make abroad can last a lifetime. “We got close enough that I can call her 언니 (eonni) which translates to older sister,” Elyssa said about a coworker from her marketing internship. Despite the notable time difference, Elyssa and her still try to stay in touch.
“I made lifelong friends. I’m planning to go back and visit them with Megan after I graduate,” Jessica told me. “I was literally texting them yesterday,” Megan added. They both became close with their peers in Norway through their classes and rehearsals. Jessica discussed how kind everyone was, mentioning how there weren't clicks in her grade. Megan and Jessica send videos, messages, and memories back and forth to keep in contact from halfway across the world.
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Ellyssa with friends during her study abroad in South Korea
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Jessica with friends during her study abroad in Norway
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Megan with her friend Ingvild during her study abroad in Norway
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Trent with friends during his study abroad in Spain
Broadening Your Horizons
“If you never go abroad, how are you supposed to learn about the world?” Elyssa said. She advises people to consider doing an internship or taking classes in another country. “I definitely would recommend anybody to study abroad, especially if you don’t know what you want or where you want to be after graduation.” Elyssa wishes to return to Korea and has applied to go back to further her education.
Megan highly recommends studying abroad and she tries to convince everyone to do an exchange program.
"Going to Oslo was one of the best decisions of my life. If anyone asks me if they should do it, I will say yes."
Megan Hoffman
Exploring the world is one of the many things you can do during your educational experience through SEMO. Signing up to study abroad may just change your life.