Benefits of Study Abroad

Study abroad provides one of the most impactful and rewarding learning opportunities of your academic career.  Experience the world, gain new perspectives, make new friends, and challenge your way of thinking while earning credits towards your degree and enhancing your job prospects after graduation. 

Gain a global outlook

When you study abroad, you are much more than a tourist—you take classes, shop in local markets, speak a new language, taste new foods, and visit culturally significant sites you learned about in class. In short, by immersing yourself in a different culture, you experience daily life in a way you could have never imagined before. Your perspective on the world and your own culture is transformed. 

Achieve personal growth

Students who study abroad often report increased confidence, independence and adaptability. Moreover, study abroad has been shown to improve leadership, problem-solving, and intercultural skills.

Enhance your academic experience

Studying abroad offers the chance to hone your foreign language skills, participate in an international internship, or get involved in the local community through volunteering or service. Bring new meaning to your classroom: imagine studying marine science at the Great Barrier Reef, immersing yourself in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, or studying Mayan archaeoastronomy in Mexico through stargazing.

Advance your career

A growing body of research suggests study abroad can lead to career success. Characteristics that employers look for are often gained through studying abroad: international experience, initiative, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, responsibility, and the ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. In today's interconnected society, the need for cross-cultural understanding is greater than ever. See below for several resources and articles.

Hear from the experts on the value of studying abroad

"How Study Abroad can Benefit College Students" (US News, September 2023)
"The Four Career Competencies Employers Value Most"  (National Association of Colleges and Employers, March 2019
"Gaining an Employment Edge: The Impact of Study Abroad" (IIE, October 2017)
"What Statistics Show About Study Abroad Students" University of California, MERCED
"The Study Abroad Advantage: Study abroad alumni have better career outcomes" (Inside Higher Ed, February 2016)

Get a student's perspectives

Race and Black Identity in Italy (Doriana Diaz, Fall in Rome, Italy)
A Queer Community in Russia (Sam Trilling, Summer in Moscow, Russia)
Japanese Edo Glassblowing (Gemma Hollister, Summer in Tokyo, Japan)
How Studying Abroad Prepared me for a Fulbright Research Grant (Academic Year in Taipei, Taiwan)
Connecting Study Abroad & Career Success (International Insight 2020, featuring Temple study abroad alumni and 30 Under 30 award recipients)

Find more student perspectives on our blogs, in Alumni Stories, or connect with a Peer Advisor.