IIEPassport Student Guide

How do I select the right program?

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
http://suabroad.syr.edu/

Rated among the top academic programs abroad! Syracuse University is synonymous with quality coursework, world class internships, and superb student services. Why choose anyone else?

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
http://www.nyu.edu/studyabroad

NYU has a signature system of academic and student support services in place to keep you thriving abroad both in and out of the classroom. We offer semester-long and academic-year undergraduate programs on 3 continents - Africa, Asia, and Europe - in addition to other summer study abroad and international exchanges. Experience the world with NYU.

Several of the primary factors in selecting the right program include the subject you will study, the language you will be taught in, and the academic credit available for the course. Many people are looking for courses either to expand their knowledge of their primary field of study or to expand their knowledge of a particular language. Most people also want to earn credit that will count at their home university. If these are not concerns for you, it gives you more freedom. These factors should probably be primary ones in your decision, however.

The next set of factors will probably be location, timing and duration. Location is a logistical issue, but it tends to have a direct impact on the language and subjects available. If you want to study in Germany because you want to explore your German heritage, you may have to work a little harder to find a program offered in English if you don't speak German. However, if you are willing to be a little flexible and work to find options, you can study almost anything anywhere in the world. Timing and duration are decisions related to how much time you can take off from you program at home as well as what programs are offered that meet your needs.

In order to find the perfect program, you need to know the answers to the following questions:

What do you want or need to study?
Do you need to earn credit while abroad, or would a work abroad program not for credit be possible?
Are you fluent enough in a foreign language to take classes in it, or will it be necessary for you to take some or all of your coursework in English?
How much time can you afford to spend abroad, in terms of academic time and economic resources?
Where do you want to go? Why?
How structured or open of a program are you looking for?
Do you want to live in a dorm with other Americans, stay with a local family, or have some other housing option?
How much money can you spend on tuition and fees? On housing and food? On international transportation?
Will you need to apply for financial aid? Is it available?

We have information in our Student Guide that will help you answer these questions.

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