Posted on Friday, April 27th, 2012 at 7:00 am

If you are one of over 250,000 US students considering studying abroad next year, determining where to study abroad will be your first big decision of many.

When choosing where you will study, it is important to know that many universities and colleges have certain destinations where students can study abroad. Before you start planning your trip, check their list of countries and schools you are able to spend your semester or year abroad in, and then go from there.

After you find a university or college that you would like to study at, you will then want to make sure they have your field of study and that your program credits will transfer back to your US school as needed. Studying abroad can be a great experience but it can also mean an extra semester or year of school if credits received overseas are not accepted by your US school when you come back. Confirm your US school’s policy on this and obtain the syllabus for the classes you still need to take. This way, when you choose your classes abroad you can come as close as possible to finding a comparable class, meaning you will have a better chance of having that credit transfer back to your US school.

If you are still unsure about where to study abroad after this process, you might want to consider a few of the locations where a good portion of other students are selecting to study abroad according to the 2011 open doors report.

The United Kingdom: With a plethora for things to do in such a small territory, there is always weekend entertainment for international students. After a short flight, boat ride or Chunnel trip, the UK also provides students with easy access to explore Europe.

Italy: With lasagna, spaghetti and pizza abound, students with a love for food might find studying in Italy compliments their studies well.

France: Those studying art or architecture will have access to first hand examples of a few of the world’s most famous pieces including the Mona Lisa, Sunflowers, Venus de Milo, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.

China: China is a good option if you are looking to be emerged in a culture different from western countries, but that still has western amenities available. This country has plenty of modern cities and traditional villages for students who are looking to explore.

Your decision on where to study abroad will impact your entire experience overseas. Before you decide, think about what you want out of your time abroad and where you will be able to accomplish that list.

Posted by Bryanna Davis

Bryanna joined International Student Insurance in 2011 after returning to the United States from teaching English in China. Her interest in international education, sparked initially by her own study abroad experience in Wales, led her to the company. Bryanna is originally from Missouri and is a graduate from the University of Central Missouri.