10 Reasons to Go Abroad

Thinking about Education Abroad? Here are 10 reasons you should take the plunge and go abroad during your UAlberta degree.

1. Get an international perspective on your field of study.

Going abroad gives you the chance to experience different approaches to education and work. You’ll learn to see study, research and work through an international lens. It could open your eyes to new academic and professional possibilities!

2. Broaden your world view and enhance your cross-cultural communication skills.

Education abroad will help you understand other cultures better, while learning to see your own cultural values and biases more clearly. You’ll come home with enhanced cultural sensitivity and a more sophisticated world view.

3. Improve your problem-solving skills.

Getting out of your comfort zone and adapting to a new environment will make you more self-reliant and confident when it comes to thinking on your feet.

4. Put your degree and your resume on the map.

International experience will make your C.V. and your resume stand out from the crowd. Employers will know you’ve got what it takes to succeed an an increasingly diverse, global workplace. Maybe you’ll even love your host country so much, you’ll decide to seek work there.

5. Experience another culture firsthand.

It’s one thing to be a tourist. It’s another to actually live there, be part of the community and discover new foods, customs, and traditions. You’ll see and experience your place of study the way the locals do.

6. Challenge yourself to discover new strengths and skills.

Whether you’re ready to dive head-first or you prefer a more gentle nudge, studying or doing an internship in a different country will take you out of your comfort zone. You’ll try new things and discover new interests you might never have tried at home — and the global perspective you’ll gain will boost your critical and independent thinking skills.

7. Gain confidence academically, personally, and professionally.

Living in another country will test your ability to adapt in every aspect of your life. You’ll come home with a new confidence that you can handle anything school, work, or life throws you.

8. Improve your language skills.

There is no better way to perfect a second (or third, or fourth) language than by immersing yourself in it. Even spending a short time abroad in an immersive environment forces you to practice every day and helps you get a head start on multilingual mastery.

9. Network and develop academic and professional contacts.

While you’re abroad, you’ll have the chance to make friends and connect with colleagues from your host country and around the world. Stay in touch. Chances are, you’ll make at least one lifelong friend. And you never know what opportunities those connections might bring in the future.

10. See the world.

Ask nearly anyone who has had an education abroad experience what it meant to them and the first thing they’ll say is, “It changed my life.”

So what are you waiting for? Have a look at our programs, tap into our funding, and go see the world!