Major Advising Pages (MAPS)

• Avoid programs in popular urban destinations and opt for those that might be a short train ride away from the city center. For example, if you’re thinking of studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland - consider Limerick or Galway instead. You will likely save a lot of money, and chances are you'll have a much more immersive experience.
   
• Consider studying abroad on an exchange program! Many of our exchange programs allow you to pay the cost of in-state tuition, even if you’re an out-of-state student!
   
• Pick a non-traditional location like Uruguay or Thailand. Many of our partners have wonderful programs in destinations you may have never considered. By choosing one of these programs you are giving yourself a scholarship to study abroad ✈️ !!
   
• Choose an academic year or calendar year - longer programs are the most cost-effective way to study abroad.
   
• Get started by using our guide to Pay 'In-State' or Less to Study Abroad!

• Check out our resource with recommended programs for GURs. If you need a refresher on what GURs you must take for your degree at WWU, take a look at your Degree Works or information from the WWU Registrar's Office.

• Our GUR Major Advising Page is a great place for you to start to research study abroad opportunities!
   
• Remember, you can’t study abroad in your first quarter at WWU unless you are participating in the Honors College program in Greece.

• Check out our guide for transfer students.

A student visa is your permission granted by a foreign government to live and study in that country. The type of visa required is specific to the length of your stay, citizenship, and the type of activities you will be engaged in (study, tourist, work, etc.). This may be an important factor for you to consider if:

1. You plan to travel to Europe and study in the Schengen zone. Your stay cannot exceed 90 days.
2. You don’t have the time necessary to get the required visa/immigration documents.

If this is you, take a look at our resource on visa-free or visa-light programs, but keep in mind visa requirements vary based on your nationality. If you are not a United States citizen, these recommendations may not apply to you.

WWU operates on a quarter calendar when the rest of the world is on semesters. That means it can sometimes be challenging to find programs in the winter or spring quarter. If you can only go abroad in the winter or spring quarter, don't worry! We have programs for you. 

• Check out our guide on quarter programs 
• Search for them in the EdAbroad Portal by selecting the term you want to go abroad. This will give you the most up-to-date list of programs available when you want to go abroad. 

There are a lot of study abroad programs that focus on social and environmental justice. Check out our guide to get started. 

Many programs have internship opportunities built into the study abroad experience. You may be able to intern or volunteer weekly or at the end of the program, depending on the program. If this is important to you, prioritize programs that have an internship or service learning as an option. 

For example, you may be able to build a CIEE Open Campus experience that has a part-time internship opportunity. Provider programs often have internship opportunities and you should focus your search on CIEE, Global Experiences, ISA, TEAN, and USAC, and even some exchange sites offer practical learning opportunities. To research potential programs use the filters in the Program Search feature of the EdAbroad Portal. 

If you're interested in only doing an internship experience abroad - check out our guide.