So many 91¸ŁŔű students assume that studying abroad won’t be right for them. But that’s not necessarily true! We send many students abroad who are:

• From rural areas
• First-generation college students
• Pell-Grant recipients
• TRIO students
• First-time travelers
• English-only speakers
• From families and communities where traveling isn’t the norm

So if you’ve never pictured yourself as someone who might travel as part of their college education, you might wonder if you’re too late to the party. The answer? You’re not! They keys are planning ahead, being open-minded, and getting help. With these three things, you can absolutely add this once-in-a-lifetime experience to your education.

How are students like these still going on programs abroad?

By doing some research, planning, and reflecting ahead of time, the Education Abroad Team can empower you to find a supportive program that can meet your needs, address your concerns, and talk to your family about going abroad. The guide below will list some helpful questions any student can ask themselves to help navigate barriers they might encounter when considering whether to go abroad.

We’ve had many stories of students who never thought they’d be doing this, and then find that they are going to a fascinating new place to learn and become an experienced adult.

So what’s the real reason I should think about this?

Education abroad is a great way to expand your life experience and stand out when you go into the workforce. Skills that you already use as someone with a disability in the United States can serve you well when navigating a foreign culture, such as:

• Adaptation
• Resourcefulness
• Communication skills
• Navigating between different communities/cultures

Education abroad can be a great way to stand out when beginning your career and a means to build your self-knowledge, which can make an impact when applying for jobs and promoting yourself. We think everyone deserves to achieve these advantages if they want them. This isn’t just about having fun overseas – it’s about economic equity, too.

Download our guide below and feel free to contact the Education Abroad Team or the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with questions or concerns.

Last time we talked about making a priority list when choosing a hostel. Now, we’ll go into things to consider when choosing one. I hope that this list, and my experiences, will help you with finding the perfect hostel for you in the future.

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  • I knew I’d want to take a shower when I arrived at my hostel because of my lengthy travel getting there. So, I realized how important it was to consider what I needed to be comfortable in the hostel showers. For me, I didn’t care if the shower was hot or cold, or whether it had shampoo for guests, but what was big for me was whether the stalls themselves were individual. Luckily, this wasn’t an issue in Bath, but I struggled with the fact that I brought the wrong towel. I had one of those microfiber towels which saves room, but I wished that I’d just brought a regular towel because of how long I had to wait in the stall for my body to dry off. 

• What if I am a light sleeper?: 
  • If you’re a light sleeper, make sure you bring ear plugs and eye masks. This wasn’t an immense problem for me, but there were people inside of the room who would wake up in the middle of the night and turn on their flashlight as they sorted through their things. This woke up the person who slept on the bunk bed beside me, but I was completely fine. Mostly, people are very considerate throughout normal sleeping hours and won’t be screaming or playing loud music inside of the room when they know that people are sleeping. (The sleep mask also works wonders when you’re on the bus and the lights are on but you’re exhausted from sightseeing all day). 

• Padlocks will keep you safe: 
  • Make sure you bring a padlock. A lot of hostels will have lockers for you to put your precious belongings in. This is important for people who are afraid of their passports being stolen. But, not every hostel will supply the lock for the locker, so if you plan on using one, make sure that you bring a lock. 

• Sticky notes are an invention from God: 
  • Hostels oftentimes have kitchens that you can put food in while you stay. And like everything else on this list, they rarely provide the most important part of storing your food: sticky notes. Which, right? Sticky notes are important? Sticky notes are important because they help people label their food so others won’t eat it. It’s also a good way to label expiry dates, ensuring that anything left behind gets thrown away. 

• Pillowcases in hostels can be a nightmare: 
  • If you have sensitive skin like me, the pillowcases for beds will be the worst thing ever. But if you’re unlike me, you’ll actually care about taking care of your skin. It might be useful to bring a small pillowcase that you can pull over the pillow. So that your skin doesn’t cry itself to sleep as you slam into bed exhausted at the end of the night. 

• Should you wear more layers at a hostel?: 
  • You need the basics for your outfits, when it comes to hostels you’ll be saving money on your travels but you don’t want to make up that difference by having to pay overcharge fees for oversized luggage (ALWAYS, and I mean it, look at the luggage dimensions for whatever form of transportation you take because they will charge you if it’s too big). Also, because of taking cheaper transportation, it’s not always super clean, so what’s the use of wearing expensive clothes when it’ll be in a bag placed on a dirty bus floor? I always brought three shirts, two pairs of pants, and the basic toiletries. (Of course you can have more than that, but I’ll add the bare necessity list at the bottom of this article). When you bring so little clothing, you’ll probably need to bring your stuff to a laundromat for a longer stay. Yet, it’s totally worth it when you pay for dirt cheap tickets for the bus or train or airport. 

• Do I need a water bottle?: 
  • You need a water bottle. You don’t want to pay money every single time you want water. They don’t have free refills anywhere. 

• Policy on Shower Shoes: 
  • Bring shower shoes. That’s it. 

• Bare Necessities: 
  • 3 shirts 
  • 2-3 pants 
  • Underwear
  • Passport 
  • What toiletries you need and are under 100 mL 
  • Small hand towel (for after the shower) 
  • Flip-flops for the shower 
  • Water bottle 
  • Any medicine / doctor’s notes 
  • Small umbrella (like actually small OR raincoat OR wear a coat that doubles as raincoat (would be better) 
  • Plastic bag
  • Padlock
  • Sticky notes

Note: the less you bring the more you can buy -> wouldn’t suggest banking on buying clothes as they’re expensive, but you’ll have more room for trinkets, etc.

– Evan Carter (Norwich, England) English Major

There are a lot of horror stories with hostels. There’s even a movie franchise dedicated to depicting them as horrendous places, just waiting for naĂŻve travelers. However, they’re also one of the best ways to travel cheaply abroad. I’m sure it’s not just me that has heard of how expensive it can be to study abroad AND travel at the same time. This article will delve into the bare essentials for hostel stays and their significance. But, it will be most useful for those who have already researched and want more niche suggestions.

Topics Reviewed in this article: 

• How to Choose a Hostel? 
• Showers in Hostels
• What if You are a Light Sleeper?
• Padlocks Will Keep You Safe 
• Why Sticky Notes Matter
• Should You Wear More Layers at a Hostels? 
• Do I need a water bottle?
• Policy on Shower Shoes

At the bottom of this article will be a bare necessities list of what to bring to a hostel. 

How to Choose a Hostel?: 

Unless there’s an enormous concern with how much it’ll cost you–always make sure that your hostel is within walking distance of a bus stop or train station that is relevant towards your projected travels for the following days. Okay, so I know this might sound like I am trying to get you to go to whatever hostel is closest to the train station, but I’m not. Especially if said hostel has bad reviews. 

My point is: why stay at a hostel that’s ten miles away from your bus stop if it’s only going to save you five dollars? You don’t want to travel for two hours by bus, on a route that you don’t know, especially if the money you save by going there won’t even cover your bus ticket. 

So, if it’s hard to choose which hostel, make a pros and cons list. Well, no one likes making those. So maybe just do what I did and open every tab and have a list of priorities, which automatically disqualify a hostel for you. 

• How do you make that priority list? 

I wish I could tell you everything that you should care about. But not everyone cares about the same things. It’s annoying.

So, let’s say that you find six different hostels that each have different prices but all of them fall into a good $10-$30 range. How do you pick the best one? This happened to me more often than I would’ve liked. I was on a trip to Norway and this was the situation for Oslo and I wanted to ask ChatGPT to just tell me what to do. Don’t do that. Just consider these things: 

• What is next on your list? Does one of your plans have you waking up at 6am in order to get to a train at a specific station? Look at how far away each of your hostel options are and cross off any that have too many transfers between buses, trams, and trains (these transfers can be delayed and you don’t want to walk an hour because of a train system shutting down when you only have thirty minutes to get there)
• What are the reviews? Do you care about what people are complaining about? Honestly, I didn’t really mind when people complained about cleanliness because I knew that my other priorities would probably knock any super unclean hostels off the list. However, you might care about whether there’s always toilet paper and if they clean the couches regularly.
• What are people saying about management? If people complain about long response times, then that means if you have a situation where you’re stuck in a train and can’t get to the hostel before your allotted time, it’ll be difficult to get into contact with someone at the front desk to let them know of your late arrival. 
• Are people able to get refunds if they had an awful time? Was the hostel open and honest about their policy before other people stayed there? 
• Did the hostel quickly remove guests who were being disruptive? 

What kinds of complaints make you uncomfortable? (I was uncomfortable if a complaint had to do with inappropriate advances from staff towards women travelers).

Read part 2 for things to consider when choosing a hostel!

– Evan Carter (Norwich, England) English Major

Having a disability doesn’t mean that you can’t pursue your academic goals abroad! The Office of International programs is here to help you achieve those goals and thrive in your host country. Here are a few things to consider if you’re thinking about an education abroad:

• Yes, it’s possible to go abroad, have a GREAT time, and feel safe and supported while in your host country.
• Students with a disability can face a unique set of challenges that are all dependent on their disability. Take time to consider your disability and how this might affect you abroad.
• Our partner universities and education abroad providers have resources, information, and support services specifically for students in similar situations to yours.
• Some countries may even offer better rights, provisions, and facilities for your disability.
• Ignorance about disabilities can occur anywhere, and it will look different in each culture.
• Sometimes, families and/or communities may not be supportive of their students going abroad due to fear, concern, and assumptions about studying abroad. Understandable! But we can help you have these conversations with them if needed.

Why students with a disability should look into education abroad?

Education abroad is a great way to expand your life experience and stand out when you enter the workforce. Skills that you already use as someone with a disability in the United States can serve you well when navigating a foreign culture, such as:

• Adaptation
• Resourcefulness
• Communication skills
• Navigating between different communities/cultures

Education abroad can be a great way to stand out when beginning your career and a means to build your self-knowledge, which can make an impact when applying for jobs and promoting yourself. We think everyone deserves to achieve these advantages if they want them. This isn’t just about having fun overseas – it’s about economic equity, too.

By doing some research, planning, and reflecting ahead of time, the Education Abroad Team can empower you to find a supportive program that can meet your needs, address your concerns, and talk to your family about going abroad.

Download our guide below and feel free to contact the Education Abroad Team or the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with questions or concerns.

Understanding of gender identity and sexuality varies widely in cultures across the globe. If you’re an LGBTQ+ student thinking about going abroad, here are a few things to consider:

• Yes, it is very possible to feel safe and supported and have a GREAT time studying abroad.
• LGBTQ+ students face a unique set of challenges when traveling.
• Bigotry and discrimination is going to show up in different ways in different countries.
• Our partner universities and education abroad providers have resources, information, and support services just for students like you.
• Some countries support LGBTQ+ communities more than the US.

Why should LGBTQ+ students look into education abroad?

Education abroad can be a great way to stand out when beginning your career and a means to build your self-knowledge, which can make an impact when applying for jobs and promoting yourself. There’s a whole list of transferable skills you can gain, such as problem-solving, next-level confidence, independence, and cultural awareness. Experience related to your desired career field is also a big plus!

We think everyone deserves to achieve these advantages if they want them. This isn’t just about having fun overseas – it’s about economic equity, too.

By doing some research, planning, and reflecting ahead of time, the Education Abroad Team can empower you to find a supportive program that fits your needs, address your concerns, and talk to your family about going abroad. Download our guide below and feel free to contact the Education Abroad Team or the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with questions or concerns.

If you’re a student of color at 91¸ŁŔű, you might be surprised to know that you might have some strengths that will give you an advantage while abroad. Skills that you already use while in the United States can serve you while navigating another culture, such as:

• Adaptation
• Resilience
• Knowing how to navigate between two or more cultures
• Communication skills

You’ll gain and strengthen new skills, too, such as next-level confidence, independence, and cultural awareness. Experience related to your desired career field is also a big plus!

Education abroad can be a great way to stand out when beginning your career and a means to build your self-knowledge, which can make an impact when applying for jobs and promoting yourself. We think everyone deserves to achieve these advantages if they want them. This isn’t just about having fun overseas – it’s about economic equity, too.

So why have specific resources for students of color?

BIPOC students face unique challenges based on their identity and cultural background when considering travel:

• Racism and ignorance can occur anywhere and they will be different in each culture.

• Sometimes families and home communities are not supportive of their students going abroad.

• Some students may be the first in their families to attend higher education and may not have the early knowledge of university culture and education abroad programs that other students might have.

By doing some research, planning, and reflecting ahead of time, the Education Abroad Team can empower you to find a supportive program that fits your needs, address your concerns, and talk to your family about going abroad. Download our guide below and feel free to contact the Education Abroad Team or the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with questions or concerns.

When students contemplate taking an education abroad, a huge hurdle comes in the form of finances. Many students find themselves worrying that studying abroad is expensive and something they can’t afford. In realty, it’s much more achievable than people think. Add in some scholarships to the mix, and you’ll find yourself in another country studying at a local university before you know it. Read on below for some helpful information from Nives Dal Bo-Wheeler, Director of the Office of Major Scholarships.

What is your main job at the Office of Major Scholarships?

I support students in all aspects of the application process, from navigating scholarship portals, to working with recommenders, to writing essays. We focus on the process and help students walk away with tangible skills regardless of the application results. They can then apply those skills to future scholarship applications or to apply for graduate school.

What is some general advice for students looking to apply for a scholarship?

There are four important aspects that make students successful:

1. Students should look into opportunities early, one or two years ahead, so they’re prepared and can choose experiences, courses and extracurriculars that then enhance their application(s).
2. Students should leave ample time for essay writing and working on their application.
3. Students should try to apply for at least one scholarship a year, even if the process seems daunting. It’s always worth trying.
4. Students should believe in themselves and in all the skills they have gained. Don’t be afraid to brag a little to show that you are proud of your accomplishments. 

Are there any myths about scholarships that people seem to always believe?

Yes, several. Students often feel like they don’t have a chance at receiving the scholarship, when in reality there are some opportunities with a 30-40% yield. Others believe that they can pull an application together with little preparation, when that is never the case. Many students believe that our scholarships only apply to people who need financial aid; however, the scholarships that we work on are usually merit-based rather than need-based.

What do you think students struggle with the most when applying for a scholarship?

The application component that students most struggle with are the essays; more specifically,  in articulating their experiences and skills within the essay and connecting them to the scholarship’s mission. I find that this struggle often occurs because this is a student’s first time writing such an essay; students have never thought about connecting their passions with experiences and skills. There’s a certain degree of personal and internal discovery that a student goes through as they connect their background to their future goals. Often, students have not yet made these connections. Even when they don’t receive the scholarship, students say that articulating their life and academic experiences, and discovering their future plans, is one of the most rewarding parts of applying for the scholarship.

What scholarships in particular do you recommend for students looking to go abroad as an undergraduate? As a graduate?

A full list of awards can be found on the Office of Major Scholarships website. Click here to visit the website.

Undergraduates:

Undergraduates on a Pell Grant should definitely look at the Gilman International scholarship.

Students who choose Canada as their destination should consider the Killam Fellowship. Students who can only study abroad in the Summer should look at CLS, DAAD-Rise and the Fulbright UK Summer Institutes. But we are only mentioning a few.

Graduates:

All graduate students should apply for a Fulbright Award which allows students to spend a year abroad doing research or teaching english. Other opportunities for graduate students are the Boren Fellowship, the Critical Languages Scholarship and JET: Japanese English Teaching. 

What are some tips you have for students interested in applying for a scholarship?

Look at the website of the Office Major Scholarships and set up an individual meeting. We’ll discuss what opportunities are out there for you. Keep an eye on the website at /majorscholarships/ for info sessions and deadlines. and for updated information about scholarships and info sessions. 

I hope you’ve found this helpful. Make sure you brows around the blog for other useful information for studying abroad.

– Shania N Soler (Tokyo, Japan), Education Abroad Assistant

Sometimes, there are perks to have a strict major. Your options are generally between one or two programs. It takes the hassle and anxiety out of having to choose from a plethora of countries, cities and providers; however, even choosing between those two programs can be difficult. What if I regret it later? What if the courses aren’t what they sound like? This place sounds amazing but…

Well, this post is here to help you wittle away all those options and come out on top with a program you’ll feel comfortable with, assured about and excited to take part in.

How to Narrow the List

When students start out in pursuit of an education abroad, they’ll often find themselves faced with many many options–especially if their major is flexible such as English or Anthropology. While it may be fun to look at the pretty catalogues and websites of all the different countries and cities, it can quickly become overwhelming for most. We recommend that students, after glancing over some different countries take a minute and ask themselves where do they want to go. Below are a few helpful questions.

1.) Why do I want to study abroad?

2.) When do I want to go? During a semester–fall or spring? For a whole year? Maybe just a couple weeks in summer?
* The answer to this question (if you want to go during the school year) may depend on your major requirements for when you choose to go. Consult your academic advisor of courses needed during that semester you’ll be abroad*

3.) What am I hoping to gain by the end of my education abroad? Language skills? A new perspective on your major? Cultural awareness?

4.) What type of climate/area do I want to be in? Warm weather? Sandy beaches? Forests?

5.) Would I be comfortable learning a new language?
*Keep in mind, no matter where a student studies abroad, all of their classes will be in english*

Once you’ve started answering these questions, your long list will naturally shrink. Finding a program won’t be as daunting as it once was.

What to do with Your Narrowed List

So, you’ve got the list narrowed down to 3 or 4 programs (give or take a couple). Where do you go from here? This is where you start looking closely at the course offerings and working with your academic advisor on what you need while you’re abroad. Maybe you only have to worry about Gen Ed’s while you’re gone. If that’s the case, your option will be more heavily weighed on personal interest rather than academic obligation. Likewise, some students don’t mind mind staying at university an extra semester if it means going to a country they really want to travel to. You’ll have to weigh your personal interest against your academic major at this point. While 91¸ŁŔű can guarantee credit transfer no matter where you go, we cannot guarantee direct equivalencies. This means that courses are generally transferred back to the home university as an elective (ex. BIO 200 elective, WGS 300 elective, ANT 200 elective).

Look over the course offerings for your major that each program has. Make a word document or a google document and keep a list of 6 courses from each program that interests you. Make sure to include descriptions! You can take these lists with you to your academic advisor and see if they have anything to say about which program may be most suitable to you academically. This should help narrow down that list even more.

When this is over with, compare and contrast the finer details of the program. Do you like the location one is in? What about the housing situation? Is it dorm living, apartment living or is a homestay your only option? Are there any language component that’s required (some USAC programs require students to take at least one language course)? A great resource on learning more about certain countries and programs is asking the Education Abroad Advisor and attending education abroad events. You’ll be able to talk with people who have been through the same process as you–some of which may have even gone to the some country or participated in the same program!

The final factor in choosing between your programs could be cost. Depending on location and when you plan to go, certain options will be more expensive. A great way to help compare costs between programs is this .XLSX sheet we’ve made for students.

The form allows you to compare up to three different programs to see which one will be most cost efficient for you.

Tip: If you’re doing a direct exchange through the university, your tuition cost will be whatever you currently pay per semester to the University of Maine. These three costs (in-state, out-of-state, NEBHE) are reflected in the sheet already for you to choose from.

Be sure to look over this sheet with a family member and/or someone from the financial aid office as they may be able to help you choose a program appropriate to your budget.

Scholarships are a huge deal. They take time to prepare, courage to enter, and often open up a variety of opportunities to continue pursuing one’s goals and dreams. Today, we’d like to celebrated Noah Falkner, a 2020 recipient of the Critical Language scholarship.

The funds American college and university students for a summer abroad to learn languages “essential to America’s engagement with the world.”

How did you first hear about this scholarship?

I first heard about the scholarship through OMS. I chose to apply because CLS has a relatively low time commitment compared to other major scholarships.

Do you remember where you were when you found out you had received the scholarship? If so, where? Tell us the story!

I was studying abroad in Uruguay when I found out. I opened the email in my apartment when I got home from class that day. I was excited to see that I was accepted, but this was in March, so there was a lot of uncertainty at the time due the unfolding circumstances of the pandemic.

Did you travel for/because of this scholarship? If so, where?

Due to the pandemic, the travel portion of the program was canceled, and CLS hosted a virtual institute instead. I was supposed to travel to Tainan, Taiwan to study Mandarin Chinese, but I ended up taking the course online while I was living in Montevideo, Uruguay. I guess you could say there was a “travel” component to my CLS experience because I was abroad during the program, but when I walked out my door, I heard Spanish, not Chinese.

What was your favorite aspect of the scholarship experience?

My favorite aspect of the scholarship experience was engaging with my classmates. CLS is a competitive program, so the caliber of people you meet is generally pretty high. 95% of engagement takes place in the target language, so the challenge is getting to know each other without using English. Part of the CLS program also includes being connected with a local language partner. We weren’t able to meet in person, but over the course of the program I was able to develop a unique friendship with my language partner, a college student from Taiwan.

Did receiving this scholarship affect your future academic and/or career goals?

Receiving this scholarship likely will affect my career goals. Speaking foreign languages is an ever more sought-after skill in the field of international affairs, in which I aspire to work. I can’t predict whether or not speaking Chinese will be a central component of my career or future job description, but it will certainly help to open doors and shine a new light on various international issues.

What advice do you have for others who may be interested in applying for this scholarship?

Just apply. Be creative in painting a picture of how the critical language you pick aligns with your academic/professional history/trajectory, and be clear and nuanced about how your participation furthers your academic/professional purposes, the purposes of the program, and American interests more broadly.

— Noah Falkner, International Security and Foreign Policy

So, we’ve discussed budgeting. We’ve reviewed the ways in which it can help clarify the actual cost of your program and how to calculate finances. Now, how can you save your money to increase the amount going into your budget? Let’s talk about some ways to save.

1.) Skip Out On That Morning Coffee or Tea

If you’re anything like me, then you know the difficulties of getting up in the morning and how a nice hot cup of coffee can make it all the more bearable. That $3 coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts? Not a bad price for some morning solace. However, those $3 add up throughout the weeks and months. Rather than going through the drive threw, put that money in your piggy bank and just make your coffee to-go at home. You’ll save money and get your morning pick-me-up drink.

2.) Get Your Gordon Ramsey On

Does this mean yell at your toaster whenever it’s going a little too slow? No. It means that, instead of ordering takeout or eating at a restaurant, make a nice meal at home. In the grand scheme of things, you’re going to find yourself saving more on buying some groceries and dirtying some pans than having someone else make your food.
In the mood for Chinese? Look up some recipes and turn the evening into a cultural experience with friends, family or your roommate!

3.) Save Your Change

Sometimes, saving some change can be difficult, especially if you don’t keep physical cash on hand. A great way to save some change is by using an app that utilizes features like round-ups. For me, I use Acorns, a saving and investing app. It uses a round-up feature where it rounds your expenses to the next dollar (6.34 becomes 7 with the .76 cents going into savings). This is a great way to start saving some cash that’ll grow in the background. No thinking needed! When you’re ready to move it to your account just choose to withdraw from the app.

4.) Keep an Eye Out for Coupons

I’m not saying you have to be an extreme couponer, but you should definitely keep an eye out for some sales at the grocery store and coupons to get some extra cash off. If you do most of your shopping online, use applications like Honey that will automatically find you deals and ways to save. You can even compare the price of certain items on different sites so that you know you’re getting the best deal possible!

5.) Find a Job on Campus!

Whether you’re a first year, second year, or even in one of your final two years, there’s always a time to find a job on campus. By working on your university campus you can save gas money for traveling to and from work along with ware and tear on your car. You’ll be able to put that extra cash towards your program abroad!

I hope these five ways to save have been helpful to you! Looking for your next adventure or more tips on study abroad? Read more blog posts by our students!

–Shania Soler, Study Abroad Assistant (Tokyo, Japan)