Benefits of a Summer Program Abroad

Traditionally, an international education usually lasts around one to four years, depending on the degree and its required units. However, aside from those, there are also short-term programs that include summer programs, which may include exchange programs, internship programs, service-learning programs, language programs, and so on.

Students wanting to study abroad have the option to take a long-term or short-term study program, depending on their needs and goals. 

Study Abroad, in General

Many students worldwide go to another country to study due to the benefits it brings them, both professionally and personally. In general, a study program abroad is a good way for students to increase their career prospects, broaden their understanding of people around the world, foster their independence and adaptability and increase their confidence in everything that they do. 

This understanding is reflected in the increasing number of international students worldwide, which according to the OECD, numbered to around 5.6 million students worldwide in 2018, which is already more than twice the number in 2005. 

Benefits of a Summer Program Abroad

Some individuals have a lot of concerns when it comes to studying abroad, hindering themselves from further pursuing it. Those concerns include not finishing their degrees on time, or not having enough money to pursue it. If you are a student who wants to study abroad but has a lot of concerns about it, then a summer program may be for you. To know more, read below on its benefits. 

Affordable 

For those worried about funding their education abroad, a summer program may work for them since it is more affordable than long-term programs. This is due to the length of most summer programs, which usually lasts one to two weeks, or at least one month, depending on the program. This means, students won’t have to think about a year to four year expenses of living in another country. Also, students will have a budget for doing other things while on a summer program abroad, like visiting other places during the weekend or buying souvenirs to take home.

Less Commitment

Some students worry that they won’t be able to finish their degrees on time if they do commit to studying abroad. For some, staying in another country for a long-time might sound scary, especially for first-time travelers. A summer program might be a good way to face those fears. 

Summer programs usually offer student flexibility, and just last for a few weeks to two months at most. Also, since it is summer, it won’t affect one’s degree being taken at home. In fact, it may even result in the student graduating sooner, as some programs abroad may qualify them to earn extra school credits. 

It Can Make Your CV Look Better

Having the chance to better one’s CV and career prospects is not limited to just the long-term study programs. In fact, even a short program can help develop one’s skills that are usually impressive for employers worldwide.

According to an Erasmus study, around 64% employers consider someone’s experience abroad to be a crucial part of their employability. Also, 92% of employers in the same Erasmus study said they usually look for students with transversal skills that one usually gets while studying abroad, such as the curiosity to take on new challenges, decision making and problem solving skills, tolerance towards other people’s values and behaviors, and confidence. 

Want to learn more about the benefits of studying abroad? Check out MSM Unify’s article on the  4 Life Skills That You Can Develop as an International Student to know more.