“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page” (Augustine). The Study Abroad Center is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity that may only be available during your university years. It’s incredibly recommended because of the funding you can use available to you for the year at Iowa State and apply to a program in order to pay for your study abroad experience. It provides an experience everyone should have in his/her lifetime. Over 1,600 ISU students studied abroad last year, whether it was a week, semester, or even a full academic year. While study abroad is expensive, the study abroad offers many programs for students regardless of their ability to pay because the programs connect with ISU’s mission statement in gaining knowledge further than Iowa, the study abroad program is a great way to gain cultural knowledge, and the study abroad offers financial aid if you apply, as well as paying the same or less than current tuition costs.

There are many programs that could fit your needs and what you want. There’s Iowa State Programs as well as Non-ISU programs and affiliate programs. Iowa State Programs are the easiest, having the ISU staff and faculty helping you every step of the way in your new adventure. Affiliate programs are programs that work with ISU but aren’t necessarily conducted by the university.  Through this program you would have to apply through an affiliate website and fill out the study abroad application through ISUAbroad. This way will also allow most of your costs to be placed on the U-bill like you would with the Iowa State Programs. Nevertheless, there’s also the Non-ISU Programs for programs that you love but just aren’t available here. It must be a U.S institution or program provider or enrolling directly in a foreign institution. Since Iowa State hasn’t reviewed this program, it’s your responsibility to look for the correct information and to research the program. The university’s financial aid can help you pay for the program too, as how it would with any other. ISU’s study abroad website offers detail into the available programs for students:

“There are five program types: The Exchange Program; “Semester in” and “Summer in” Program; Group Programs/Faculty-Led Programs; Affiliate Programs; and Non-ISU Programs. The Exchange Program is the most popular because everything is provided to you by ISU. This program, sponsored by Iowa State, is a partner institution that you attend for a semester or year – while someone from the partner institution attends ISU in your place. During the course of the program you’ll earn transfer credit towards ISU.  “Semester in” and “Summer in” Programs are Iowa State sponsored programs where you would go with other ISU students to the host institution together for either the summer, semester, or academic year to earn credits. Group Programs/Faculty-Led Programs are the programs that you take with ISU students and an ISU professor.”.

Speaking to different students across campus about their experience has opened my eyes. Studying abroad has taught others the importance of confidence, self-reliance, and leadership. Allie Polk told me the importance of working in groups and doing things that you wouldn’t normally do. Polk went to Sweden in the summer and learned the culture that it was to live a Swedish life. She earned 6 credits while having the opportunity to explore new cities.

Study Abroad’s mission of developing adventures and promoting affordable opportunities applies to Iowa State’s mission to “create, share and apply knowledge to make Iowa and the world a better place”. What Study Abroad’s mission and Iowa State’s mission have in common is that it strives to broaden our horizons and discover new things. The Land Grant Mission of Iowa State University relates unequivocally to the Study Abroad Centers’ because both there end points are to make the world an educated one for the people. The Land Grant Mission also foments serving not only the people of Iowa but the nation and the world as well as the Study Abroad Center. Universities are all about learning new information; how new could studying get while in a whole different continent?