When I was a freshman in college and first heard about studying abroad, I thought it was completely out of the question. For me, I had chosen to go to Miami University which was a school that I knew was affordable. I knew that I had to think about my future in college and I thought that studying abroad would be too expensive and I would not be able to afford it. However, once I did some more research on different programs and scholarships, both through my university and outside of it, I realized that studying abroad was a major possibility. I wanted to share all the resources that I found with my university and with CEA CAPA, so people know that studying abroad is possible for everyone. 

Take advantage of free attractions abroad to save money. Like the Astronomical clock tower in Prague! 

Before studying abroad, one of my biggest financial concerns was paying for things outside of tuition. Plane tickets, housing, or application fees were financial aspects that I was worried would prevent me from studying abroad. These seemed like big purchases that I would have to make outside of tuition that I may not be able to afford. However, after doing more research, I found that both my university and CEA CAPA had opportunities for students like me who may have some trouble financing studying abroad.  

Český Krumlov: CEA CAPA has excursions that let you travel around the country in a more affordable way. 

On Campus Advisor 

When I met with my study abroad advisor at Miami, I brought up my financial concerns. My advisor showed me a scholarship list that my university provided several university specific and national scholarships that help students fund their study abroad. I learned a lot about different scholarships that can be used for a variety of different things abroad. My university also had different scholarships for smaller costs like a passport grant to help students get their passport to study abroad. This helped me to realize that there are always options for the smaller costs that can add up over time. 

My advisor was also able to help me find a list of scholarships that were CEA CAPA specific, university specific, and outside scholarships that would contribute to the different major costs. This really helped me to feel more at ease in my ability to study abroad. There are so many different scholarships that can help you pay for the costs involved with studying abroad. Many are also specific for students who display financial need through their university. With the help of these kinds of scholarships, you can greatly reduce the amount that you pay when deciding to study abroad.  

Prague has many museums that give students a discount with a student ID. 

CEA CAPA Support 

When I met with CEA CAPA, I found that they also had many options and scholarships to help students like me go abroad. CEA CAPA assigned me a financial aid advisor who was able to talk to me about different scholarships that could help me pay for tuition and housing to take off some of the pressures of paying for it by myself. I also found that CEA CAPA has many opportunities for flight credits which made me feel way more comfortable and confident in my ability to save up and pay for all the costs.  

Use different modes of transportation! My friends and I were able to travel to many different countries by bus, train, or even boat! 

Before asking for help from my advisors at CEA CAPA, I thought the process would be too overwhelming for me to do on my own. I found that throughout the entire process I always had someone in my corner who was willing to help me find the right path. Studying abroad was something that I did alone and did not choose to go abroad with any of my friends from my home university. However, I found that I was able to find both professional advisors who set me up for success before going abroad, and friends abroad who were always looking to help me in any situation that I needed help with.  

My Advice 

In the end, the cost of studying abroad is always something that you can work on. I never found someone who thought that I would be unable to go abroad due to my financial concerns. My best advice to any student who does not think it is possible to study abroad due to financial reasons would be to always keep asking questions and ask for help. Asking questions will give you answers to financial concerns that could make or break your decisions for studying abroad. Doing all the research by yourself may be too overwhelming, advisors and friends are always in your corner and that help is irreplaceable when making big decisions like studying abroad.  

Go to local restaurants! They are less expensive for amazing local food! 

Studying abroad was one of the best decisions that I ever made during my time in college. I learned about being independent while studying abroad by myself and making new friends in a completely new country. I am so glad that I kept asking for help from people and advisors because my time abroad is something that is irreplaceable to me. I loved traveling the world, learning about different cultures, and making new friends that will last the rest of my life. I would say that even with my financial concerns before studying abroad, I am so glad that I was able to take the next steps and find the path that was right for me.