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Today’s economy has affected how students spend their money and has limited the scope of colleges they are able to attend, but has it affected students’ decision of whether or not to study abroad?
The economy certainly has affected the number of students able to study abroad at UConn, but according to Susan Fitzgerald, assistant dean of International Education at Fairfield University, the number of students studying abroad at Fairfield has either remained the same, or has increased slightly from last year.
‘This past October, we were very concerned about the number of students studying abroad,’ Fitzgerald said. ‘There are 97 students studying abroad in Florence right now, which is pretty much the same as last year. We have either held our own, or have increased slightly.’
According to an article from UConn’s newspaper, the Daily Campus, Study Abroad Director Ross Lewin has said that the number of students studying abroad this year has declined by about five percent since last year.
However, there is hope for students who are on the fence about whether or not they can afford studying abroad. Even during these trying financial times, the exchange rate has gone down a considerable amount. During the 2007-2008 school year, the exchange rate from the US Dollar to the Euro was approximately 1.64, whereas the current exchange rate is down to approximately 1.33.
Fitzgerald wants students who are struggling with the decision of whether to study abroad or not to know that they do have the option of applying for scholarship money. She also advises students who are planning on studying abroad to be very aware of their finances, and to keep a budget.
‘Students could also study abroad during a short term program, rather than going for a semester,’ she said.
Students who have any questions about Fairfield University study abroad programs can contact the office at ext. 4332.
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