I studied in Bilbao, Spain, and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I learned about an entirely new culture to me, improved my Spanish, made many new friends, and learned a lot about myself. It was truly an invaluable experience, and I would go back in a heartbeat. – Jamie R. 

I studied abroad in Barcelona my entire junior year. It was the best experience of my life and I learned so much about the world and myself. – Maggie O. 

I studied in Bologna, Italy for six months and it was the best time of my undergraduate career. It was challenging to say the least, but I was really able to learn the language, the culture, and made so many great friends in the process. – Emily S.

Studying abroad was definitely my most valuable experience because it encouraged me to think more critically about my identity, the U.S., the world, and the University of Illinois. – Crystol D.

I spent a good year overseas in East Asia and about two weeks in Peru. It was the best part of my undergraduate experience. I learned a lot about the coursework, the language and culture of the host country, and even more about myself. – Joanne M.  My study abroad experience in Japan was probably my most valued experience. In that year, I got the opportunity to interact with a lot of...

I think my most valuable experience was being able to study abroad for a semester, and I think it's good that Global Studies requires it as a part of the degree program. I have been studying French since my freshman year of high school, so I was happy to have a chance to be able to use my language skills over a prolonged period of time. I also felt that I experienced a lot of personal growth...

I studied abroad in Senegal for 15 weeks for the fall semester of my junior year. It was a life changing experience. Senegal is not the typical study abroad destination, but the people and the genuine experiences and conversations I had is what make it a beautiful destination. I’m so glad that studying abroad is a requirement. – Shawny V.

Studying abroad was the best experience of my undergraduate career. I thought that I was going to miss out during the semester I would be gone, but instead I gained something so much more than others who did not go abroad. My experience as a student in Paris was much different than if I had been a tourist. My favorite aspect of studying abroad was experiencing the everyday life: going to the...

I had a great time not only attending school in a new place but experiencing new cultures, languages and customs I had never seen before. – Allison L.

My most valuable experience was going abroad, hands down. I was able to explore the world, be completely independent and see life from a different perspective. – Tara G