Studying abroad is a huge choice to make but once you’ve made the decision to go out and explore how do you get the process going? It can be very daunting and difficult to figure out on your own so here’s a few steps to getting started. The first person you need to contact is Mary Jo Jetzer, Lakeland’s Study Abroad coordinator. She is your first point of contact and the person who will connect you to the resources you need.   

The next step is looking into which company you’d like to plan your study abroad program with. FIE and CEA are two companies Lakeland regularly works with to help students plan their study abroad experience. One thing to take into account when choosing which company to go for is that each has locations in different countries and they offer different classes at those locations. Choosing your destination based on where you’d like to go most is great but you should pay close attention to which courses they have available so you stay on track to graduate on time.  

Transferring European credits is another big part of the equation to be mindful of. When it comes to transferring foreign credits to an American university you should check with Kristi Vogel to see what that country’s credits equal in American credits. Once you know where you want to go, which courses you’d like to take and when you want to go you apply to the program provided by the company of your choice via their website. After applying you eventually get accepted and the company walks you through all the necessary steps to prepare for your study abroad experience.  

The three things most crucial to know are whether you have a valid passport, how to get your student visa in time, and the COVID-19 policies of the country you intend to visit. Studying abroad can be expensive but that shouldn’t be a reason to stop you from going. To help lessen the financial burden of the initial price tag talk Laura Orth in financial aid to explore scholarship and federal aid opportunities. There is always different opportunities out there, you just have to look hard enough.