Studying abroad is on the bucket list of many students, yet often gets put on the back-burner. Many students will say “I just don’t know how” or “Where and when do I even start?”

To help this process, the Office of Education Abroad has created six new-year’s resolutions that will launch students into their journeys abroad in 2022!

1. Define Your Goals and Research Program Options

The first resolution is to look around at the options. This gives the students a feel of what opportunities they might have abroad! We recommend our “advanced search” to help shuffle through program options.

Students can select a major, a language, a preferred location, and more in order to find the programs that best meet their needs.

2. Meet with the Office of Education Abroad

Once a student has determined what country and program they are interested in, we recommend meeting with the Education Abroad staff to discuss their plans.

We are ready to support each student through all their questions about costs, timing, culture shock, making friends, and everything in between. For students who are ready, feel free to schedule a meeting.

3. Talk with your Academic Advisor

While our office can do a lot to help with classes, we want to ensure that students are in the best classes to meet the requirements of their major. Meeting with their academic advisor is a great next resolution to ensure that the selected classes are the best choice.

To ensure that classes transfer properly, both our office staff and the academic advisors can also help with the pre-approval process.

4. Apply for a Program

The next resolution is when things get real: the application! Students apply on the Education Abroad Website and (if going through a provider program) on the provider’s website too. As part of the application process, students will submit a budget worksheet.

Once complete, students are eligible to meet with Financial Aid to see what aid and scholarships look like while abroad. We recommend also applying for the appropriate Education Abroad College Scholarships (The Summer and Fall 2022 scholarship deadline is April 1st).

5. Final Preparations

Once accepted to your program, students are required to attend the mandatory pre-departure workshop. This is also the time when students work through the details of their passport and visa, review our “Health and Safety While Abroad” page, as well as begin the petition to travel process if necessary.

6. GO!

This final resolution is bound to be the highlight of the year! Studying abroad is an incredible experience unlike anything else in college.

Students could be riding a camel by the Dead Sea, cheering on Real Madrid at a soccer game in Spain, doing research in Australia, ziplining in Costa Rica, or much more.

All the while, they get to see their academic field through a unique new lens that will forever set them apart in their career fields.

Together, we can all resolve to turn long-time dreams into an exciting reality. We are determined to make 2022 a year full of memories while student expand their education abroad.

(Submitted by Hannah Kassing, Graduate Assistant, Office of Education Abroad, https://international.missouristate.edu/educationabroad/)