Considering Study Abroad?
Reasons to Study Abroad
Eligibility is Easy
As a Stanford undergraduate, the world is at your feet. We encourage all students to take advantage of one or more of our quarter-long or short-term study abroad opportunities. In order to participate, all you have to do is complete your freshman year on campus, meet program pre-requisites and remain in good academic standing.
There’s a Program that Fits Your Academic Interests
Are you an engineering major who thinks that going abroad can’t possibly fit into your schedule? Think again! Through extensive course offerings, including customized directed readings and independent study, internships and public service, and extracurricular activities, BOSP offers something for all majors. Since you remain enrolled at Stanford, you continue to make progress towards your degree. We welcome creativity when it comes to working out your course schedule so that you can accommodate certain major or minor requirements. Get the strategic juices flowing by looking through our course database and faculty listings (faculty lists are contained in each location section).
Who Goes Abroad With BOSP?
The demographic breakdown of BOSP participants closely mirrors that of the entire Stanford population. Approximately 50 percent of each graduating class studies abroad on a BOSP program during their undergraduate career at Stanford.
Most Stanford study abroad programs are broad enough to accommodate a variety of majors and interests. The key to making this work?? Plan Ahead! Consult an advisor or schedule an appointment with the BOSP office to start working out an academic plan that allows for study abroad
It’s the Chance of a Lifetime
So, you think you’re already an expert traveler? Perhaps you have already had the good fortune to explore internationally prior to your arrival at Stanford. It may also be true that your future career will send you jet-setting around the world. However, these experiences are not likely to match the intensive cultural and linguistic immersion you will experience with BOSP. Likewise, this is a chance to explore a location in a manner that is more or less completely facilitated for you. Our expert onsite staff will provide you with access to areas and people of your host city and country that are often overlooked by or inaccessible to tourists.
Don’t Let Cost be a Deterrent
Do you perceive the cost of study abroad as prohibitive? We’re here to reassure you that cost should not be a concern. Stanford is committed to providing the study abroad opportunity to all students regardless of their financial situation. The cost of studying with a Bing Overseas Studies Program is within a few hundred dollars of on-campus costs and the Financial Aid Office will readjust aid packages for those who are eligible. See Cost Details »
Career-Enhancing Experience
Did you know that many Stanford Overseas Studies Programs offer onsite academic and paid internship placement? We have years of success in placing students in internships that complement their core academic work, and provide them with in-depth knowledge of a foreign work environment. Plus, consider the fact that your language acquisition will sky rocket, which is always impressive to a potential future employer. Check out internship opportunities through our programs in Asia, Berlin, Florence, Kyoto, Moscow, and Paris!
Make New Friends
Are you ready to expand your network of friends and acquaintances beyond your frosh dorm? BOSP can facilitate this by offering you language partners, homestay siblings and parents, as well as connections with local faculty from top universities from around the world. You can participate in a host of social activities that are geared towards meeting locals. Don’t forget- you will also be building new relationships with a group of Stanford students who you may not have known beforehand. These peers may grow to be your best friends, given the challenges and incredible experiences you will share.
Master a Language
Are you ready to take your second, third, or fourth language to that next level? Is your roommate sick of hearing you practice your Spanish with an online tutorial? While it’s been said before, we’re going to say it again— the single best way to learn a language is to use it in its native environment. You will be amazed by how much your communication skills improve once you have used your new language to navigate a city’s transportation system or order concert tickets on the phone. As well, your classroom instruction and interactions with homestay families and other locals will further enhance your skills. And, you can always add on internship for good measure!
Get Inspired for an Honors Thesis or Research
Are you looking for that perfect honors thesis topic? Have you wanted to design an innovative independent research project? Studying overseas may be just what you need for some inspiration. Many students are able to use their time abroad to investigate an academic passion in a more intimate setting. The small student to faculty ratio will increase your confidence in conducting research and inquiry. In most locations, you will have access to rare archives and invaluable human subjects, which are the keys to conducting successful research. Check out the Research & Internships link under each destination to find out more.
Gain Academic Perspective
Are you stuck in an academic rut? Going overseas can expose you to an area of study that you may never have considered before! In a short period of time, you will be exposed to intriguing academic content, as well as new points of view and different styles of argumentation and debate. You will gain hands-on exposure to the very things you study within the classroom. When else in your academic career will you get to study British political systems and visit the House of Parliament the very next day? Take advantage of this academic energy boost!
Gain Personal Perspective
Are you stuck in a personal rut? While four years may not seem like nearly enough time to spend on the Stanford campus, you may welcome a change of environment in order to gain perspective on your personal short and long-term goals. Some students will undergo a complete metamorphosis, and some will note small, but notable changes in their approach and outlook on life. The impact may not even be evident for years to come. One thing is for certain, however, once you have studied abroad, you will never be quite the same again.
If you need further encouragement, please email [email protected] to set up an appointment with a BOSP advisor. The world awaits!