Study Abroad 2014

Why should you go abroad? Find out in this video, and be sure to check out the rest of the Study Abroad issue.

One antidote to the harsh realities of postgraduation job prospects is interning abroad, preferably somewhere that has a thriving economy such as one of the emerging economies commonly referred to as the BRICS, the countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Deciding to study abroad can be a complicated process complete with the intimidating task of choosing from more than 40 countries and all that daunting paperwork. Luckily, The Daily Californian had the opportunity to chat with members of the Berkeley Study Abroad office, including Diane Marcus, associate director of marketing, Laura Shanks, publications and production specialist, and Barbara Tassielli, assistant director of advising, via phone and email to answer some of the perplexing questions you might have.

Before you select the program you want to attend, I highly recommend sitting down to look at your personal finances and the types of grants and scholarships out there. Many private foundations, universities and even the U.S. government are committed to making studying abroad a financial reality for undergraduate students.

Check out these upcoming Berkeley study abroad events!

There are 196 countries in the world. If you spend one month in each country, it'll take you about 16 years to visit all of them. Most students can't set aside all their responsibilities for 16 years, but students can study abroad. Find out which country you should visit while simultaneously taking courses.

Studying abroad can be an experience that can define many individuals’ time at college, but it can be difficult trying to navigate through the myriad program options UC Berkeley and outside organizations offer.

Studying abroad is about perspective, and it’s something we Americans are especially in need of. For this reason above all others, studying in a foreign country should be a requirement at more universities, and especially at globally, publically oriented ones like UC Berkeley.