The Benefits of Study Abroad:
Why It Should Be Mandatory for A College Degree
Margot Schneider
English 305W
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide concrete evidence and explanation to
support the claim that students who participate in a study abroad experience prior to
completing their college degree are more educated about the world around them, more
self-sufficient, and overall far better prepared to enter the fast paced lifestyle outside of
college. These claims will also support the argument that study abroad should be made
mandatory for certain degree completion.
Results & Conclusions: After much research, the majority of my results supported the
original claim that study abroad better prepares college individuals for the real world and
allows them to become more in touch with the ever-changing world around them. There
were several students interviewed that have never studied abroad though seemed
comparable in maturity, worldliness, and overall self sufficiency to those students that have
studied abroad. My overall conclusion remains that study abroad prior to college
graduation produces adults who are better prepared for life after college, which includes
the claim that study abroad should be mandatory.
Recommendations: I recommend that it is mandatory for certain college degrees to be
completed that these students participate in some form of study abroad experience.
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Executive Summary
Subject: Benefits of study abroad as part of a college degree requirement. Proving the
various ways that study abroad participants produces college graduates more prepared for
life after graduation than those who have not studied abroad.
Purpose: To provide evidence through interviews, research, and personal experience how
study abroad betters individuals who participate in it during their college career.
Scope: Researching and supporting the claim that study abroad produces more well
rounded college graduates and should be mandatory for obtaining a college degree can be
done on a very large scale. However, due to resources and time constraints, my research
and conclusions will come from a handful of interviews and analyzing past research done
on this topic.
Methods: Research for this paper consisted of interviews with both students who have
participated in study abroad as well as those who have not. Other interviewees included
several parents of study abroad students and the study abroad coordinator for University of
Connecticut. Other research involved information found on the Internet and in the New
York Times, as well as personal experience from my own study abroad event.
Conclusions: The conclusions reached after the research was completed matched those that
I argue within the paper, with only slight variance. The final conclusion is that students
who study abroad before completing their college career benefit greatly from the
experience in numerous ways and are thoroughly more prepared for life after college. This
said benefits from study abroad rely vastly on what the student chooses to make of their
experience.
Recommendations: Study abroad should be made mandatory for certain college degrees to
be obtained.
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Table of Contents
Sub-Heading Page
1. Abstract 1
2. Executive Summary 2
3. Table of Contents 3
4. Introduction to Paper 4-5
5. Main Body of Paper 5-13
6. Conclusion of Paper 13-14
7. Appendixes (copy of questionnaire passed out) 15-16
8. Bibliography 17
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There are few building blocks in life more important than receiving a good education. In
this day and age a solid education is imperative for attaining a fulfilling and successful life.
Upon hearing the phrase good education one can often misinterpret this as solely referring
to classroom style learning situation, something that I hope to prove to be untrue
throughout this report. Education can be obtained in a variety of ways, both in and out of
the classroom. Study abroad is an aspect of education that encompasses a plethora of
educational benefits. Throughout this paper I hope to provide an in-depth argument as to
why study abroad should be a mandatory part of the college education experience.
Although providing proof for this claim could potentially include large-scale interviews
and surveying, this report will focus on a smaller scale of study abroad and non-study
abroad participants, still offering sufficient support to the benefits of a study abroad
venture. I will also explore a large-scale study performed by The Institute for the
International Education of Students that provides more widespread conclusive evidence.
Personal experience, in-depth interviews, and past study abroad research will collectively
comprise my claim that study abroad should be a requirement for a college degree to be
obtained. I will begin by discussing and explaining the results that I acquired from in-
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depth interviews and personal experience. I will proceed to look at and summarize the IES
study done regarding study abroad benefits, both of these studies working to support my
claim. Furthermore, I will then explain any variances or opposing results that were
obtained throughout the research and discuss how these weigh into my final conclusion.
The majority of my research for this topic stems from interviewing a variety of college
students and college graduates with the hopes of using their answers to a questionnaire
(composed by me, exactly the same for all interviewees) to further support the claim that
study abroad provides significant benefits. Although there are no concrete scientific
calculations that can be formulated from these questionnaires to support this claim, by
comparing their answers I was able to make general conclusions regarding how study
abroad has or has not impacted their lives. In my study, I interviewed eight college
students, four of whom have graduated within the last year, four of whom are still in
school. Of these eight, four students have participated in a study abroad trip, while the
