The coffee is stronger. No one wears white tennis shoes. People take two hours off in the middle of the afternoon to nap and lunch.
These are a few of the amusing observations that students often report after a semester or year abroad. And while these cultural details have an impact, the entire experience of living in another country can deeply change a student’s perspective on the world.
Studying abroad during college is a unique and exciting experience, allowing students to immerse themselves in a new culture while continuing their education. You might imagine that spending a semester or a year living and taking classes in another country would delay graduation. It turns out the opposite is true.
A recent study from the University System of Georgia found education abroad had positive effects on graduation within four and six years and on cumulative GPA. It also revealed that students who study abroad earn slightly more credits, but it takes them less time to complete a degree.
The study compiled semester-by-semester records from 221,981 students across 35 U.S. institutions. Of those students, more than 30,000 had studied abroad.
Study abroad opportunities
The University of Georgia offers a wide variety of global learning experiences, including faculty-led programs, student exchange programs, and independent experiences. The top 10 most-visited countries are the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Austria, Costa Rica, Australia, Germany, Greece and Portugal, but there are programs in 72 countries this year alone.
In 2019, a total of 3,706 students, participated in one of these programs. And the Office of Global Engagement expects these numbers to rise as we recover from the pandemic.
Additionally, UGA maintains two international centers, UGA at Oxford and UGA Cortona.
UGA at Oxford
UGA at Oxford has been in existence for over twenty-five years and offers courses in a wide range of disciplines. All courses in the program have the benefit of direct UGA credit, in-state tuition and use of financial aid. Students live in the UGA at Oxford Centre, which is housed in a 19th century Victorian mansion in north Oxford that has been renovated with modern amenities.
Oxford University uses tutorials, small group or individual meetings with an academic member of staff, rather than U.S.-style lectures. These weekly, one-on-one sessions encourage critical thinking on the student’s part as they directly engage with the professor on course-related issues, learning how to both construct and defend their arguments.
UGA Cortona
UGA Cortona is one of UGA’s oldest study abroad programs, having been in existence for over 50 years. Both the Cortona program and UGA Classics in Rome were founded in 1970. The campus, which consists of living quarters, classrooms and studios, sits on 4.5 acres of land above the small town of Cortona, Italy.
UGA Cortona offers courses in art and art history during the spring, summer and fall academic terms. Its Maymester programs are more specialized and include classes in Italian, business and culture, viticulture and enology, and theater.
Learn more about studying abroad
With over 130 study abroad opportunities, the University of Georgia is one of the top public universities for international engagement and enrichment.
Questions regarding Study Abroad can be directed to studyaway@uga.edu
Questions regarding UGA @Oxford can be directed to oxford@uga.edu
Questions regarding UGA Cortona can be directed to cortona@uga.edu