No matter who, what, or where you get advice about college, odds are that studying abroad is an experience that is highly recommended. However, a lot of community college students count themselves out of study abroad because of stereotypes about what it means to attend a two-year college.
Now is a great time to get rid of those assumptions and find out why now is actually the best time to study abroad as a community college student!
Friendships: It's been said that humor binds and study abroad is a great place to experience this truth. Many community college students who choose to study abroad say that the friendships they made during their time abroad really made it worth it and they see it as one of the main benefits of choosing to go on a program like this.
Time: Two years isn’t a lot of time. I get it. Lots of community college students are aware of how little time is available before transferring to other schools, but not as many students realize how study abroad can turn these short years into something unforgettable. Study abroad programs are usually one semester-long and always feature transferable classes that allow you to work towards your degree while traveling the world.
Cost: Sure, you could wait until you transfer to go on a study abroad trip, but community college programs are much more affordable than four-year university programs and that's a huge advantage to consider. Not to mention the scholarships available for two-year students that can reduce the cost even further!
Language: As a world traveler, you're bound to encounter other languages and study abroad allows you to combine in-class instruction with spontaneous interactions with native speakers in their home country.
Personal Development: For many students, choosing to go to a two-year means staying close to home. Study abroad offers a chance to venture out into the world and experience independence with the familiar faces of your classmates and professors. It’s said that we learn more about ourselves the more we travel, so think of study abroad as a chance to learn about the world, your classes and yourself all in one trip!
Transfer Applications: Do you remember how your eyes lit up when you read about the study abroad programs this year? That’s exactly how admissions officers feel when they review the transfer applications of students who have studied abroad! Having that experience shows that you’re a citizen of the world and someone who engages with coursework outside of the classroom, traits that schools are always looking to recruit and bring out in their own student bodies. By studying abroad, you show that you bring something special to the school you want to transfer to.
Education: Opening your eyes to new experiences is crucial to the learning process and nothing accelerates that experience faster than studying abroad. Imagine how much time you can save studying Italian when you’re practicing every day, all around you in Rome. Deciding to study abroad allows you to really engage with a subject in the place where it has the most impact.
So whether you want to travel to Rome or to Paris or across the Pacific to Tokyo, study abroad programs are a great opportunity for students like you to learn about the world and yourself. Being at a two-year school while you study abroad also gives you a chance to open your mind to new experiences and could even help to shape what degree or career path you go on, not to mention inspire you to study abroad long-term in higher education. No matter what you hope to get out of study abroad (even just one cool photo), now is the best time to get this incredible experience of being a community college student studying out in the world!
Interested in the programs offered by SBCC? Every spring new programs get developed by the office and by fall that year, program details are published for the whole school year ahead. Visit the program page and sign up for email updates to get all the latest information in your inbox.