Study Abroad vs. Intern Abroad vs. Volunteer Abroad – Which Trip is Right for You?

So you’ve decided that you’d like to travel abroad – but how do you decide what type of trip to take, what organization to travel with, what you want to focus your travels on, and how long you want to go? Traveling abroad is a big decision – and because there are so many options and routes you can take to fulfill your journey, it can be seriously overwhelming when you first begin planning!

Luckily, with so many options available to you, you can tailor your trip to your interests, goals, and life situation in order to gain the most from your experiences and reap the benefits of your journey far into the future. Below, we discuss study abroad, intern abroad, and volunteer abroad trips, and who might benefit most from each.

Would you like to spend a good chunk of time in a foreign country, immersing yourself in the language and culture? Are you also a student who can’t take time off from school? Then study abroad might be the choice for you. This unique opportunity, usually geared toward college students, allows you to continue your studies abroad for a semester or entire school year.

Study abroad is a fantastic option for students studying or majoring in international relations, world history, or political science, to name a few. However, any academic discipline can be greatly enriched by learning in a different country. Are you studying a foreign language? Immersion in a culture that speaks that language is one of the best ways to become comfortable speaking it yourself. Are you an architecture student? Studying abroad in Rome, Greece, or countless other architecturally significant locations can provide you with perspective you might not otherwise get. Are you a sociology student? Perhaps studying abroad in a location with drastically different cultural ideals will broaden your mind to different concepts.

This type of trip is ideal if you need to gain academic credit or work toward your degree while traveling, as it allows you to have your adventure abroad without taking time off from attending school. Furthermore, it is a great way to complement your curriculum, and can even fulfill cultural or geographic academic/degree requirements!

Once you have decided to study abroad, there are still a lot of choices to make. Many different types of programs exist, from direct enrollment in foreign university classes, to study abroad programs designed for international students, to academic internships abroad, to working on a research project in a foreign country. Sound confusing? Don’t worry, the study abroad office of your current college, university, or other educational institution will be able to inform you about all your options in detail. They can also help you determine what program is the best fit for you, at which point in your academic career you should plan your trip, and can help you straighten out credit hours and ensure that you will receive credit toward your degree.

Study abroad is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you are serious about your academic career and would like a new perspective on your education, then study abroad is a perfect choice for you.

An internship is a great way to gain real-world job experience before striking out into the workforce on your own. Internships are also excellent opportunities for high school or college students who are still figuring out their career interests – it allows you to shadow and learn from a working professional, and to decide for yourself whether their profession is something you would like to pursue in the future. Doing an internship in a foreign country carries the added benefit of introducing you to cultural ideas and practices that may differ from your own.

Internships abroad are ideal opportunities for gap year students or students looking to supplement their academics over the summer or winter break from school. Forging international connections can be extremely beneficial for your future career, not mention personally rewarding in the present! If you are deciding between study abroad and interning abroad, consider whether you would like your time overseas to be focused on acquiring specific skills and working in a one-on-one setting, or to be a broader educational survey. If your interests are focused, an internship will help you further hone your goals and figure out what to pursue upon returning home.

If you are enrolled in school, your study abroad office may coordinate internships abroad, so this is a good place to start if you would like to intern. If your internship is unpaid, you may also wish to find out if you can receive academic credit for participating. There are many third-party companies that coordinate internships as well, so do your research and figure out which programs are reputable and suit your needs.

United Planet will soon be offering internships abroad – if you’re interested in non-profit internships that focus on global issues and community service, then a United Planet Internship could be a fantastic choice for you. Check back in the coming months for more information about this opportunity!

Volunteering abroad is a fantastic experience for anyone – young, old, families, individuals, working professionals, and students. A volunteer abroad trip allows you to immerse yourself in a foreign culture while giving back something real to a community in need. Many overseas volunteers return home feeling as though they’ve changed as a person – a volunteer abroad trip can be that powerful!

You can take a volunteer abroad trip whenever it is convenient for you, which is why they are a great experience for anyone who wants to make a difference. If you have specific time constraints on your travel abroad, then volunteering is a good choice for you.There are many organizations that offer trips abroad for varying lengths of time. For example, when you volunteer with United Planet, you can choose to travel and volunteer for as little time as a week, or as long as a year.

The multitude of volunteer abroad organizations out there allows you to choose exactly how you’d like to structure your trip. When you volunteer with United Planet, we help you tailor your journey to meet your specific needs and interests, with options such as language lessons, cultural classes, and sight-seeing excursions on weekends available to pick and choose from. United Planet, and many other volunteer abroad organizations, will also organize your lodging and meals, so you are free to focus your trip on volunteering, cultural immersion, language-learning, or other specific interests.

Although volunteering abroad is not directly education or career-focused, it is a fantastic way to gain real-world experience – not to mention it looks great on a resume. A volunteer trip shows that you are motivated, compassionate, and hardworking, and that you want to affect real change in the world. Furthermore, living in and interacting with a foreign community provides you with perspective and insight that you might not have acquired while volunteering in your home country. Many gap-year students and career-breakers choose to volunteer abroad for these reasons – it is a great way to keep your mind and body active and to do something meaningful while taking a break from school or work. Some schools and universities may even offer academic credit for a volunteer abroad trip – and United Planet is happy to work with you and your school to make sure you meet the requirements to receive credit.

Volunteering abroad is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who is looking for an unforgettable life experience. If you are interested in volunteering with United Planet, click the button below or contact us at 1-800-292-2316, or quest@unitedplanet.org.

No matter whether you study, intern, volunteer, or simply travel abroad, we are sure you will return home with a new perspectives and new friends. It is never too late to travel – so think about where you might like to go today!