This study, a survey of participants of a summer STSA in Italy, now the most common study abroad programs in the most popular geographical area, complemented with five in-depth interviews, sought to understand how students see their experiences and most specifically the importance of out-of-class traveling every weekend. Data revealed that…

This study investigates the self-reported motivations, expectations, challenges, and successes of 147 students participating in semester or year long U.S programs in Europe through a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative survey analysis. While international education remains pivotal in shaping global perspectives, the student experience has…

A cohort of American students came to Prague for their Study Abroad in spring 2020. They signed up for a Czech language course but had to leave the country in the middle of the term and continue learning from homes. At the end of the term, they were asked to write a short reflective essay on how their motivation to learn Czech transformed…

The impacts of COVID-19 on Study abroad (SA) are deep and widespread and potentially affect the factors that guide US undergraduate students' choices as they relate to SA. To investigate them, the present study relies on the MSA (Motivation to SA questionnaire: Anderson & Lawton, 2015) and adds two new groups of factors: language learning and…

Some colleges, departments, and study abroad offices have developed cultural development courses and study abroad opportunities designed to help improve students' cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. Some evidence suggests combining these approaches can be effective at helping students increase their Cultural Intelligence (CQ). This study…

The objective of the research is to investigate if certain demographics of students help explain four areas of potential improvements in predominantly short-term study abroad programs. These areas are motivation, experience enhancement, benefits from various learning activities, and students' concerns regarding their experience. Pre-trip and…

This article presents the results of a mixed methods survey collected from male and female business students that have studied abroad and not studied abroad. The survey of business students indicates significant differences between men and women that have studied abroad regarding motivation and outcomes of study abroad experience. This paper…

Higher education literature has often documented the barriers to participation in study abroad for students of color. However, the majority of study abroad research to date employs a deficit frame, focusing on why students of color do not participate, rather than on what enables students of color to rise above barriers. Using an anti-deficit…

The present study examined differential social experiences of international students living in a residential hall called 'Nihongo House' (Japanese language house) at a Japanese university. By conducting social network analysis (SNA), as well as making use of ethnographic data collected through participant observation and semi-structured…

While there is a growing body of research on study abroad programs, as Li, Olson, and Frieze (2013) observed, "Research on study abroad has primarily focused on the effects or outcomes of study abroad participation on the students involved in these programs…Very limited attention has been devoted to studying factors affecting students'…

Several compelling rationales have driven dramatic increases in the number of students that U.S. American postsecondary institutions send abroad each year. The rationales are political, academic, cultural/social, and economic in nature and undeniably integral to developing graduates who are prepared to compete in the global arena. This study was…

To date, student motivation for electing to study abroad has not been incorporated into study abroad research as a potential factor influencing intercultural development. The authors of this study hypothesize that a student's motivation for studying abroad plays an important role in influencing the program a student selects and in determining what…

Improving the international competencies of university students is becoming an important goal for both nations and universities. On the country level, national security and globalization trends are "driving nations to place more importance on developing and recruiting human capital or brain power through international education…

Like the steady stream of colonial families of decades past traveling to their country's dominions abroad, contemporary education abroad students are similar passengers on a powerful steamship bound for lands of new sounds, sights and wonders. Although their studies may be challenging and demanding, students are exhilarated with thoughts of new…

Study abroad is the latest "must have" experience for undergraduate students according to an article in the November 4, 2007 "New York Times" (Pappano, 2007). University mission statements increasingly emphasize internationalization and employers increasingly seek graduates with experience in the global arena. This focus on international…