by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 11:09 AM ET, Mon August 2, 2021
As the pandemic has impacted many travelers' plans for 2020 and beyond, so has it affected the plans of students who had hoped to study abroad. A new study published by CollegeFinance.com can shed light on how the pandemic has impacted studying abroad, and how ready students are to once again begin traveling.
The survey was conducted with 317 individuals. Forty-four percent of those surveyed had to postpone their trips, with 32 percent canceling their study abroad plans completely last year, but that didn't stop the majority from wanting to travel even more because of the pandemic.
However, an even larger majority (62 percent) noted that their financial concerns were greater now than they were prior to the pandemic, adding an extra strain on their study abroad plans.
When students consider studying abroad, their main concern is the country in which they'll be studying, followed by safety. Europe is overwhelmingly the most popular region in the world for American students to study abroad, followed by Japan and Canada.
Safety is the second highest consideration. Students are no longer solely concerned with issues of crime in this category, but also in relation to COVID-19. A desire to study abroad where more people have been vaccinated against COVID-19, and where the regulations are in place to prevent its spread, could be top-of-mind for many students. Seventy-nine percent of students said they'd pay extra for a program that had better safety and hygiene standards.
The cost is the third-highest consideration, with students choosing cheaper programs or countries in order to cut costs, with tuition, airfare and housing being the main concerns. Studying abroad can be incredibly costly. For instance, a study abroad program in the United Kingdom could cost a student anywhere from $8,000 to $21,000!
Overall, 41 percent of students feel comfortable studying abroad this fall semester, while 39 percent would feel comfortable studying abroad in the spring of 2022.
But while studying abroad is an incredible experience, not everyone can afford it or even fit it into a busy college career. There are other alternatives to studying abroad, such as a virtual exchange program, an internship abroad or domestic study away from a student's home campus. Almost all (94 percent) of respondents said they were interested in these opportunities, with some more willing to pay for them than traditional study abroad options.
Studying abroad can be a stressful experience with changing regulations and entry requirements. While 64 percent of the respondents' colleges were either partially or fully resuming their study abroad programs, it could be a while yet before students are able to study abroad the way they have in the past.
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