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Yale College
Center for International and Professional Experience
55 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT
06510

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Getting Started

Identify Goals

The first step in planning a meaningful and successful study abroad experience is to take time to set goals. Questions to consider:

  • Why do I want to study abroad?
  • What do I hope to gain from this experience?
  • What is my learning style? Do I want a structured environment?
  • Do I want to re-create a Yale-type experience abroad, or try something completely new?
  • Do I want/need a high level of support? How comfortable am I with true independence? With jumping right in and figuring things out for myself?
  • What type of location do I want? Urban? Rural? Will I be put off by a lengthy commute time between home and class?
  • What do I mean when I say that I want to be immersed in local culture? Living with a local family? Immersion in the university environment abroad?
  
Study Abroad

Download a Study Abroad Worksheet to help you determine your goals for your study abroad experience.

Meet with an Adviser

Before selecting and applying to a program, we encourage you to meet with a study abroad adviser. Advisers can help you identify goals for study abroad and guide you through thoughtful program selection. Advisers will also go over the application, credit transfer and financial aid processes with you.

Research Program Types

There are four major program types in study abroad, though there is plenty of variation within these types:

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  Study-Center Direct Enrollment* Hybrid Field Based
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Fellow Classmates: Other study abroad and/or international students
 		 Host-country students Both study abroad and host-country students
 		 Other study abroad and/or international students
 
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Location: In a study center classroom which may or may not be near a university Courses at a local university Usually you would take classes both in an off-site study center and at a local university
 		 In classrooms or in the field
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Academic Culture: Similar to US education system; Regular assignments, more frequent exams, seminar-style teaching Learning is often self-directed or independent; Wide variety of classes; Course information may be less accessible prior to arriving; More weight placed on final assessment
  		Offers the chance to experience both study-center and host-country academic culture Experiential, interdisciplinary learning; Taught by a combination of professors, local experts and working professionals
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Calendar: Usually follows US academic calendar Program follows host-country academic calendar. Semester may begin earlier or later than Yale's
 		 Varies Usually follows US academic calendar
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On-site Support: Usually a high-level of support May be limited; Students are expected to be fairly independent and to be pro-active about asking for assistance
 		 Usually a high-level of support is offered by staff from the US study center; not university
 		 Usually a high-level of support
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*Students who are interested in directly enrolling also have the option to apply through a study abroad provider. This option would allow you to attend regular classes with students from the host country, but also receive an additional level of support. For more information on this options, please see a study abroad adviser.