Villanova offers a wide array of study abroad programs for its students. Whether it’s a full semester or month-long program, there is a multitude of study abroad options for Villanova students to choose from. On Wednesday, Oct. 25, Bartley Hall hosted a Study Abroad Fair to allow students the opportunity to ask detailed questions regarding how to navigate the variety of programs and where they can get started.  

On average, around 50% of students at Villanova participate in some facet of studying abroad. This is largely a result of the many options provided that allow students to choose the duration of being abroad, as well as which type of program they would like to participate in. The options of duration include semester, summer, intensive, embedded and partner-study abroad programs.

The different programs were assembled across tables so that students could walk around and see the possible options for going abroad. Representatives for each program stood behind the tables in order to answer any questions that students had and provide more information as there is much that goes into each individual program. Some of the tables that were in attendance included FiE Unrivaled Study Abroad Programs in the UK, Ireland, and Spain; Instep programs; Office of Education Abroad; SIT Study Abroad and IES Abroad. Each program stood readily available to provide information and answer any questions students may have. Giving students a chance to ask questions is essential, because most of the time there are an abundance of them. 

Often, students can get overwhelmed with the array of options and the experience of going abroad as a whole. There are many things that go into deciding on where to study, such as what program will satisfy major requirements, what scholarships are helpful and if there are places where safety is of concern. Getting the opportunity to ask about information is necessary for all students somewhat interested in going abroad, and is especially helpful for those in the works of the application process. 

Giovanna Mayo is a sophomore student at Villanova who is looking to go abroad. 

“The selection for a study abroad program is difficult because of the ample number of options available to us,” Mayo said. “Having the opportunity to go to this fair and ask questions was extremely helpful. We got to ask each program questions to clarify any misconceptions and truly see how it all works which is crucial to making my decision for going abroad.” 

One of the programs, IES Abroad (ranked in the #1 top study abroad organization) offers 34 different destinations to potentially explore. The representatives informed students of what is offered through their programs and what steps students must take in order to undergo the process smoothly. Heath Thompson, one of the representatives, described how they are able to provide a variety of featured programs for majors that will make it convenient to decide what can work best for students. 

There are some limiting factors that can concern students, like provision of financial aid. 

“IES provides six million dollars in total for scholarships and aid,” Thompson said when asked about financial expenses. “We do everything we can to help out students with the costs that inevitably come with traveling abroad.” 

“We firmly believe that financial limitations should not prevent a qualified student from studying abroad,” the IES Abroad website reads. 

Villanova ensures that they provide inclusive programs who work diligently to make sure all capable students can participate in the righteous experience of going abroad. 

The abundance of programs is not to overwhelm students, instead, they are simply meant to strongly encourage Villanova students to seize the once in a lifetime opportunity of studying in a different country during their college years.