Making Study Abroad More Accessible for All Students
By Sarah Wood While some college students choose to study abroad as a way to expose themselves to varying cultures and languages, others do so to build workforce skills or prepare for a potential international career after graduation. But barriers such as cost, family concerns, limited course flexibility and lack of knowledge about available experiences prevent many students from going abroad in college. Students of color, in particular, are underrepresented in these programs: 70% of U.S. students who study abroad are white, according to the 2021 Open Doors report, which is annually produced by the Institute of International Education and the U.S. Department of State.