Alternative Study Abroad Plan

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>So I want to go abroad, but don't care much for the options the university has provided (*see note below if interested in my reason). Thus, I was considering just going to Europe or somewhere solo and, with a few thousand dollars at my disposal (cheaper than study abroad) travel around backpacking and reading and staying in hostels/my tent (if in nature). </p>

<p>Has anyone done this in alternative, or in addition to, a formal study abroad? How does it compare? </p>

<p>*So there's basically two study abroad locations at my university where I can get a class for my major taken care of. The two locations are Moscow and Berlin, neither of which sound that appealing to me (I can do them, though, because instruction there is in English). Since Spanish is my best language, I'd like to do one in a Spanish speaking country, but all those are Spanish instruction (yikes!) with no classes for my major.</p>

2

<p>bumpity bump bump!</p>

3

<p>What’s your major? What year are you? And why must you take a class in your major when you’re abroad?</p>

4

<p>you don’t have to take a required class abroad</p>

5

<p>I figured I’d maybe get a class for my major done because I’m in engineering with a polisci minor and I don’t want to like cram a schedule full of classes during the year. Even if I don’t want to get a class for my major/minor out of the way I don’t think the options increase that much. My real beef is that I wanted to go to a country that speaks Spanish, but then I’d be in a Spanish only program which seems over my head.</p>

<p>btw I’m an incoming sophomore.</p>

6

<p>There’s no reason why you can’t just go travel on your own. But it won’t count towards your degree.</p>

<p>If you’re looking for an actual program to do (which may or may not count as credit), look into BridgeAbroad.com (language classes or teaching English) and [Estados</a> Unidos](<a href=“http://www.educacion.es/exterior/usa/en/programs/us_assistants/default.shtml]Estados”>http://www.educacion.es/exterior/usa/en/programs/us_assistants/default.shtml) - you’re funded by the Spanish government to help teach English.</p>

7

<p>If you enroll directly at a Spanish university instead of through a study abroad program, tuition is much much much cheaper. For example, the University of Barcelona offers an 80 hour summer language course for 796€ (about $1,000). If you choose to enroll as a visiting student, a semester’s worth of tuition should only be around $500!!!</p>

<p>You could just take a summer language course abroad instead of spending an entire semester abroad, or you could take the language course in preparation for a semester at a Spanish university. After a summer in Spain you will be able to take academic classes in Spanish - trust me on that.</p>

8

<p>

This might be fun if you are extremely outgoing and can make friends in a matter of minutes. Otherwise you are in for a very lonely time.</p>

9

<p>Thanks pandem and borlum, I’ll definitely look into those options. As far as the summer course goes, 500 dollars wouldn’t be bad, but I’d have to eat and find a place to stay. Maybe I could supplement the class with a job, though. That’d be kinda cool. </p>

<p>I’m not too outgoing, so yeah it would probably be a bit lonely. I’ve traveled and done things alone before, but I realize now those have been only a few days max. I’m gonna maybe drive back to school and do some camping along the way, so I’ll see if I can bear the loneliness for ten days or so.</p>

<p>Thanks for the help so far guys!</p>