How to Choose Your Study Abroad Program
For most students, selecting an appropriate study abroad site will be a challenging task, and SAF encourages students to be open-minded. First, conduct an honest evaluation of your personal and academic motivation for spending a semester or a year abroad. Do not restrict yourself to considering only the “most prestigious” or “the best” university or college. Remember that in the US alone that there are over 4,000 universities and colleges, so it should come as no surprise that there are many outstanding institutions whose names are not familiar. In Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand there may be fewer universities but the quality of their academic programs is equally as strong.
At the very minimum, students should evaluate each study abroad program on the basis of: (1) location and climate, (2) size and access to faculty, (3) cost, and available (4) English language and (5) academic programs. Students should also be aware that the SAF has purposely selected our host universities for their commitment to the success of SAF particpants.
Location and Climate
Some SAF host universities and colleges are located in large metropolitan cities where students can take advantage of the hustle of city life in addition to a wealth of campus activities. While there are many advantages to city living, there also are some disadvantages that students should consider. As a general rule, it is more expensive to study in an urban setting; typically both the SAF program fees and students estimated personal expenses will be higher. SAF participants also may find that their ability to make friends with local students is more difficult at institutions located in the heart of a large city. Universities and colleges located in a suburban or rural setting often provide significant opportunities to interact with local students and faculty. The self-contained nature of these campus communities ensures that all aspects of a student’s academic, personal, social, and athletic interests will be met by on-campus functions and activities.
To provide participants with a great deal of choice, SAF has chosen to affiliate with a wide variety of institutions – urban, suburban and rural, public and private, small liberal arts and large research institutions.
When thinking about climate, remember that the climate varies significantly across the U.S. so the SAF provides information on average seasonal temperatures for each SAF host university and college. Australia and New Zealand are in the southern hemisphere. June and July are winter months and January and February are summer months.
University Size and Access to Faculty
University or college size can also be an important consideration. For the most part, the larger the institution, the more independence and personal initiative that will be required from individual SAF participants. Smaller institutions are known for offering a more “personal” education where faculty are readily accessible to students, and student success is viewed as a cooperative student-faculty effort. In technical fields of study, such as engineering, students will often find that the large, research universities possess the most modern and comprehensive facilities.
English Proficiency
An important consideration for SAF participants will be English proficiency. The SAF program application requires applicants to provide their most recent TOEFL or IELTS scores, and the minimum scores required for admission to full academic studies at SAF host universities and colleges ranges from 500-600 TOEFL and 4.5-6.5 IELTS. Students scoring below the minimum TOEFL or IELTS requirement of their host university are encouraged to enroll in an English preparation course. Students should refer to the SAF ESL Calendar for appropriate fees and start-dates.
Please note, while the SAF and the English language program will make every effort to assist SAF students in fulfilling the host university’s English language requirement, It is ultimately the student’s obligation to do so. Failure to meet the stated English language requirement of the host university will likely prevent students from enrolling in fully integrated academic courses.
Academic Programs
Together the SAF host universities and colleges offer students the ability to enroll in classes in almost every conceivable academic subject area. Students should refer to our USA and Canada Majors Grid or UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand Majors Grid to determine which universities offer courses in their area of specialization. Students looking for a particular academic subject that is not listed should contact the SAF for advice and assistance.
Students needing to complete a specific course while abroad should submit a copy of the corresponding course description offered by their home institution, in English, with their SAF program application. When your application is submitted overseas for consideration, we will request confirmation of your ability to undertake this particular course. The SAF program application also includes a section for all students to make preliminary course selections. These preliminary selections are particularly important for assessing your preparedness for enrolling at your first-choice overseas institution.
In regards to course registration, in the US many SAF students will have the opportunity to register for courses before leaving home. Outside the US, registration will typically take place upon arrival at their host university.
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