Lots of people want to go abroad for a semester or even an entire school year. This is to enrich their overall learning experience, particularly by immersing themselves in other cultures. A lot of people want to study abroad in Northern Ireland, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, Italy, or any other location, for instance. If you are currently looking into possibilities to do the same, you may have come across a number of things that have started to reconsider. However, it is highly likely that those things are actually myths. Some of the most common myths are addressed below to help you set your mind at ease.
Myth 1 – You Should Only Study Abroad if You Have a Language Major
If you are studying towards a language major, then you really shouldn’t miss the opportunity to study abroad. However, any major can benefit from these types of experiences. And many countries are either English-speaking, or offer an education in English, so you don’t even have to learn a different language.
Myth 2 – Only the Rich Can Study Abroad
An education, no matter where you obtain it, is expensive. Generally, however, you should be able to apply for financial aid, even if you study abroad. In fact, you may even be able to apply for financial aid in your host country. Only the rich can study without going into debt, but everyone can study abroad.
Myth 3 – If You Study Abroad, it Will Take Longer to Complete Your Degree
You have to work together with your current university to make sure that they will accept the courses you take abroad as part of your degree, essentially seeing them as transfer credits. In Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, a bachelor’s degree often only takes three years to complete. This means that you could potential shorter the length of time it takes you to complete it.
Myth 4 – Studying Abroad Is not Safe
We live in an era where everybody is afraid of everything. Unfortunately, terrorism, war, and social unrest is rife. But that is true not just for other countries, but equally for our own. Gun crime in this country, for instance, is through the roof and there are entire neighborhoods in major university studies where you simply cannot travel at night. Gun crime in Northern Ireland, by contrast, is pretty much unheard of. You cannot live your live in fear, because you are no more or less safe in a foreign country as what you are at home, unless there has been a travel alert issued by the federal government.
Myth 5 – Only Juniors Can Benefit from Studying Abroad
Anyone, in any year, of any type of study, can benefit from studying abroad. The United Kingdom, for instance, offers some of the best graduate and doctoral educational options in the world. Egypt offers studies at both graduate and undergraduate levels. It is generally recommended to study abroad after you have completed your first year, simply so that you have the foundations in place. But it is absolutely not true that only those in a particular year of study can benefit from this.