International experiences can be one of the most rewarding experiences in your educational journey, both for personal and professional growth. Studying abroad will heighten your world view, enhance your global awareness, and prepare you for your career. Intercultural competencies and unique problem solving skills are some of the most sought after traits that employers are looking for.

 

Studying abroad helps you academically by letting you earn credits towards your degree while abroad. The different study abroad options allow you to dive deeper into your subject matter, and in some programs, even improve your foreign language skills. There are numerous studies that show that students who study abroad have higher GPAs upon return, and graduate at higher levels than those who do not study abroad.

 

Study abroad also helps you professionally by building important resume skills and help prove your ability to problem solve and think critically. It also helps improve your understanding of global issues and the intercultural competencies needed in today’s marketplace. Studies have also shown that students who study abroad get hired at faster rates and earn higher starting salaries than students who do not study abroad.    

Common Myths about Study Abroad
Myth 1: I can’t afford to study abroad.

Truth: Since these are MSU courses, you are still paying MSU tuition and fees. These are fees you would be paying whether you took the classes on MSU’s campus or abroad. Sure there are travel costs that are incurred for studying abroad,  but by the time that you apply scholarships and potential grants to the total costs, most students find that the cost to study abroad is not all that much different than what they would pay on campus.

Additionally, we have different programs that vary in length, thus giving students even more flexibility to find the right program at the right price.

Myth 2: Study Abroad is a vacation.

Truth: All of our study abroad courses are significant academic courses, with similar expectations and commitments to classes at home. While there is personal time just like during courses at home, MSU stands by the quality of academic instruction. Former students have often remarked that what they learn both inside and outside the classroom was one of the highlights of their educational career.