With more than 300 locations and more than 40 programs of study, UND’s study abroad program is great for students eager to travel while in school, understand a different culture and make worldwide connections.

UND students found out last week of the opportunities to study abroad available to them at Around the World with Study Abroad Students, an event hosted by Student Leaders International in the Memorial Ballroom.

One of the major concerns with study abroad is cost. Traveling alone is an expensive endeavor. But most financial aid can transfer over when studying abroad, and there are plenty of scholarships available to study abroad students. Scholarships are a great way of getting a little extra money. You will find that with a scholarship, study abroad expenses can be quite comparable  to UND.

All you have to do is take a few hours to apply. When I have nothing to do on a weekend, I sometimes find myself filling out scholarships and asking for letters of recommendation. It’s surprising how few people apply for scholarships that are worth $1,000 or less.

Another concern for many study abroad students is the language barrier. Ideally, a student in another country will know the predominant language of the country. However, studying abroad allows or complete immersion of a new language.

Immersion is the best way to learn a new language, as it allows the learner to understand the language 24 hours a day. Additionally, immersion encourages a cultural understanding that often is lost when learning a language from a classroom.

The most popular countries for study abroad include England, Spain, Norway, Italy, France and Greece. Our own sports editor, Alex Stadnik, spent a semester in Rome. Throughout his trip, Stadnik was able to visit Ireland, Greece and London.

What convinced Alex Stadnik to go was when a friend of his friend said, “When the hell are you going to have another chance to study in Rome for four months?”

Some will save their traveling until after they graduate from college. I’d say if you have the desire to do something as crazy as study abroad, finances  for your trip shouldn’t stop you from going.

Study abroad programs are available through UND to many countries. A 2.5 GPA is required for most programs. For more information on the study abroad programs at UND, visit UND.edu/studyabroad.