Study Abroad Fair Fall 2022: An Overview
By: Hannah Skinner ‘23
This past Thursday, September 8, was the Study Abroad Fair, and Trojans360 is bringing you a summary of events if you missed it! All the booths lining Trousdale were a testimony to how many different study abroad programs USC offers. According to the USC Overseas Site, these programs are located in 28 different countries and offer semester-long, year-round, and internships and research stays. Instead of floating amongst the booths with eager questions like I did in years prior, this semester I attended to represent my study abroad program: Yonsei University, South Korea.
Because I am a student under Dornsife , the things I mention may be unique to Dornsife’s study abroad process and programs. Still, there’s plenty of information here that can apply to students in any school.
At the fair, by far the most commonly asked question I received was, “When is the study abroad app due?” The answer depends on what semester you would like to go abroad. If you want to study abroad next semester, Spring 2023, it’s technically not too late to apply! The deadline is next Wednesday, September 14. However, applying now will result in a very rushed process, so it may be better to apply for Fall 2023 or Spring 2024 if possible. The applications are always due early in the semester before you intend to go abroad. You can check USC Dornsife’s Overseas Studies Website for updated information.
I also received many questions regarding major and minor credits. Different schools in USC have different study abroad programs, so, for example, a Marshall student is not able to do a Dornsife overseas program but can participate in any of Marshall’s programs. Make sure to check your school’s compatibility with your programs of interest. Furthermore, if you want to complete major or minor credit abroad and not just electives, you can search the Programs by Major to see which study abroad programs offer courses for your major.
Unsurprisingly, I was also asked,“How did you like it?!” from almost every student. I really enjoyed my time studying aborad and it will be one of the most memorable and possibly most valuable semesters of my academic career. There are many enriching experiences that are unique to studying abroad. You get to travel, immerse yourself in a new language and culture, experience student life at a foreign university, and gain new perspectives. With this comes all the amazing food, new people, spontaneous adventures, and memories you might imagine you’ll find going abroad. I felt so lucky to be studying in Seoul. It is a beautiful city with a rich history and endless places to explore. The students and faculty at Yonsei University were all amazing and the campus was stunning. I could talk on forever about how much I loved my time in Korea.
As crowds of students came in and out of the Study Abroad Fair, I was able to take breaks and chat with my neighboring booths about their own experiences abroad. One common theme when asked about their favorite part of going abroad was culture. While there, you learn about history and culture by seeing and experiencing it, which creates a fun educational experience.. You may also meet other international students and learn about their lives and culture as well. Another theme was lifestyle. Living in a new country for an extended period of time, you tend to adopt lifestyle differences and experience an entirely new daily routine. The last theme was travel. Students loved taking the opportunity to travel to different cities and landmarks outside of their new home university. There’s no time to travel like in your 20s!
All in all, studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is worth pursuing. I know it can be difficult to work a semester abroad into your schedule, but I hope that if you want to go abroad you can find a way! Thanks to everyone who came out to the study abroad fair, and if you missed it, I hope to see you there next semester.
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