Study abroad is often a defining part of a student’s college experience. Whether you go on a program organized by your school or an independent program that has transferable credit, studying outside of the United States can offer an opportunity to learn about yourself while learning somewhere new.
When you’re looking for study abroad programs, consider whether you want options that are specific to your major, or general education experiences that offer chances to explore new subjects. Do you want an international experience that is regimented and pre-set, or do you want to be on your own a bit (which can come with complications for transfer credit? There are so many different options, and it can feel like a lot to sort through.
Below we’ve listed our ten favorite colleges for study abroad. They each offer a diversity of options, lots of support, and have a deep track record successful study abroad programs.
If you’re set on studying abroad, but aren’t sure where you want to go, send us an email. We help students chart a course to a successful future.
New York University — New York, New York
New York University is a global leader in study abroad, led by their network of global campuses and study abroad programs including physical campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. In total, NYU has 11 global academic centers and research programs in more than 25 countries. There are programs in Israel, Australia, China, throughout Europe, and Argentina, and students can even apply to spend their freshman year abroad with a tight cohort of students in London or Paris.
Middlebury College — Middlebury, Vermont
It’s partially thanks to Middlebury’s globally-recognized foreign language programs that their study abroad offerings are also considered some of the best in the country. Every year, 350-400 students study abroad each year, traveling to 40-50 countries. Middlebury encourages students to study abroad for an entire year, rather than just one semester, and operates Middlebury Schools abroad across Latin America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. At each school, the primary language of the school is the language of the country, so Middlebury study abroad programs are — by and large — language intensive offerings.
Georgetown University — Washington, D.C.
Each year, Georgetown sends as many as 1,000 students abroad for academic learning programs in over 50 countries. Whether you want to go to Florence, Italy or Quito, Ecuador, Georgetown has a program that will work for you. The programs are all overseen by the Office of Global Education, and the most popular regions for study abroad are Europe and Asia. Most students do a semester abroad instead of a year abroad.
Dartmouth — Hanover, New Hampshire
Half of all students at Dartmouth study away from campus through 30+ international and domestic study programs. Programs fall into a variety of categories, including off-campus program, language study abroad, foreign study programs, exchange, and internships & fellowships. Exchange programs allow you to enroll for a term at one of Dartmouth’s partner institutions in places such as Seoul or Milan, offering maximum flexibility for you during your experience. Funding and scholarships are available through the Rockefeller Center, the Dickey Center for International Understanding, and more.
University of San Diego — San Diego, California
Students at the University of San Diego can live and study in over 30 countries for as little as a summer or intersession and as long as a year while earning college credit through over 80 programs. The Madrid Center is USD’s international campus, which hosts 125 students at a time for intensive education and leadership programs. It also serves as a hub for international programs across the region.
Duke University — Durham, North Carolina
Duke expects a lot of their study abroad programs. Simply getting the experience of being abroad isn’t enough — international experiences also need to bring exemplary academics and intellectual rigor. The Global Education Office at Duke manages a “portfolio” of 43 Duke-administered programs, and works with over 130 external programs that are pre-approved for transfer credit. Ultimately, nearly half of Duke students study abroad.
Sarah Lawrence College — Bronxville, New York
If you’re interested in the Caribbean, Sarah Lawrence operates the longest continuously running study abroad program from the US to Cuba. There are also program in Shanghai, Florence, Japan, Leeds, London, Oxford, Paris, Zimbabwe, and more coordinated by Sarah Lawrence with guaranteed academic credit. The school offers specific study abroad advising for LGBTQIA students to assist them in finding opportunities that are safe and affirming given current global realities.
University of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois
The University of Chicago sponsors 69 study abroad programs in 30 cities around the world. Numerous programs are led by UChicago faculty, offering seamless credit transfer, and most programs are not language-specific. The college also operates international centers and campuses in Paris, Beijing, Delhi, and Hong Kong. There are also summer international travel grants available, which offer the opportunity to design your own program for studying abroad.
Northwestern University — Evanston, Illinois
Northwestern offers more than 150 programs in 50 countries. Students can access university-organized programs, co-curricular and academic internship courses, and unaffiliated programs that have been vetted for eligible transfer credit. Through the Global Engagement Studies Institute, students are able to access one study abroad program with multiple locations, and take part in an internship based on their interests. All students live with a host family in the GESI program, and it’s open to all majors and years.
Goucher College — Baltimore, Maryland
At Goucher, they’re so invested in study abroad that literally 100% of students do it. They believe that being prepared to succeed in our global world requires international experiences, and so study abroad has become an integral part of the Goucher experience. Students also have access to virtual exchange programs that bring people from different places and backgrounds into a virtual classroom to educational and cultural experiences.
As you consider where to go to college and what study abroad programs you’re most interested in, remember that transfer credit can be tricky. The best study abroad programs are often the easiest — those run by your college and often staffed by college faculty. If you choose to go the independent route and create your own experience, remember to verify that what you take will count towards graduation, as that isn’t a given.
If you are looking to spend part of your college experience abroad, send us an email. We help students like you find, and get into, their perfect fit.