Studying Abroad is a great opportunity for your student Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange Office The prevailing wisdom in higher education today is that studying abroad provides students with numerous advantages that will position them to be not only more competitive in the global marketplace, but also more globally oriented citizens and problem-solvers. Far from simply being opportunities to be extended “tourists” in a foreign country for a few weeks or months, the study abroad experience can help students develop unique approaches to their chosen fields, learn a foreign language, and gain practical training that will make them stand out from their peers when it comes time to join the workforce. “Having the opportunity to study abroad greatly influenced what I want to focus on when I graduate from the University of Illinois,” said Jennifer Garcia, who studied abroad in South Korea in Fall 2015. “I hope to return to South Korea not as a student, but as a teacher. South Korea currently has many programs that help recent college graduates have the chance to teach English at a local school in Korea. Being able to return to Korea as a teacher will allow me to show how I can adapt to a completely different culture and will help me stand out in today’s competitive job market.” Although the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has one of the highest participation rates in the country for students studying abroad,currently ranked 15th in the country for students participating in credit-bearing study abroad according to Open Doors, many students still do not take advantage of
Above, Jennifer Garcia was given the opportunity to don a Hanboks, traditional Korean clothing, when she visited Bukchon Hanok Village in October 2016. Garcia reminecses that the experience was a favorite, affording her the chance to fully immerse herself into the culture, and ultimately enhance her studies abroad. this opportunity for fear of prohibitive costs; misunderstandings about how study abroad may fit into their academic trajectory; and intimidation about the application process. The office of Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange (IAGE) aims to combat these obstacles in order to encourage greater participation campus-wide and especially to ensure that students who traditionally do not take advantage of study abroad opportunities are reached, assisted, and supported. It accomplishes this through strong coordination with Illinois’ colleges and faculty to ensure maximum academic relevance; through a robust offering of scholarships; and through a series of services it provides in person and on-line, such as the International Safety and Security resources on the Illinois International
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website and Families and Friends pages of IAGE website, which encourages students’ families and friends to support them before, during, and after their study abroad. IAGE offers a number of incredible scholarships to students who could otherwise not afford to study abroad. Each year, it provides more than $100,000 in funding to students through its general Study Abroad Scholarships Fund, its donor-sponsored scholarships, and several memorial scholarships. These scholarships offer life-changing opportunities for students who want to take their Illinois experience to the next level. Every year, IAGE hears from students returning from their abroad experiences who say that funding gave them opportunities they never thought they would have and that their career paths have been strengthened by their time abroad.