EDITORIAL: Mission improbable
Study abroad programs unrealistic for many
Last year, only about 3 percent of Central Michigan University students studied abroad. International studies are valuable for several reasons, but the average study abroad program is not realistically attainable for many students.
Studying overseas is the perfect way to enrich any education, but is especially important for those majoring in a foreign language. Not only does learning outside of the U.S. broaden a student's worldview, it also makes that student immediately more competitive in the job market following graduation.
These benefits are hard to reap when studying abroad comes with such a large price tag. The average cost to study abroad for one semester was $17,785 in the 2012-2013 academic year according to the Institute of International Education. A semester at CMU including 15 credits, room and board, the unlimited meal plan and an estimate for books and supplies costs $10,665.
CMU allocates about $150,000 for scholarships to fund these trips and students are free to pursue program-specific and external awards. Students also can apply their financial aid awards to help pay for study abroad programs, but that means those with lower awards will be at a disadvantage.
Even if they win the scholarships they qualify for, students will still be left with a relatively large bill.
In addition to being expensive, extended international trips are difficult to fit into a four year career at a university.
Because study abroad programs seek to serve as many students as possible, it follows that the specific, upper level classes needed for some majors will not be offered by many undergraduate programs. The Office of Study Abroad provides programs for juniors, seniors, graduate and doctoral students, but they are severely outnumbered by more general undergraduate programs.
This means students in their final years of school who have completed most of their general education will have a harder time finding a program with classes they can use to satisfy their remaining requirements.
For that matter, students who do not think seriously about studying abroad until their junior or senior year will find it almost impossible to do so and graduate on time.
CMU has joined the Institute of International Education's Generation Study Abroad initiative which aims to double the number of American students studying internationally by the end of the decade. While this display of commitment is admirable, more concrete changes need to be made before more students will be able to afford studying abroad or fit it into their college career.
Making more financial relief options available to students, more advertisement for the shorter, less expensive trips abroad and pushing for earlier awareness of all the Office of Study Abroad has to offer would be steps in the right direction.
