What you should know before your study abroad

How would you like to grab an espresso in Paris between classes? Or take a day-trip to the Great Wall of China on the weekend? Through Ryerson International (RI), students can gain resumé-ready skills to thrive in a global workplace, and experience an immersive cultural exchange they’ll never forget.

With Global Learning Opportunities Week coming up, we asked Laura Morello, student mobility officer at RI, about what students should know before embarking on an international education experience.

Research, research, research

“We’re so lucky in this age that there are so many resources available that you can really choose the greatest destination for you and your needs, and find out a lot about it before you go,” said Morello. One resource that students can use is the RI Student Blog, where students share personal stories of their trips, and all it takes to learn about the full range of countries and universities is a simple internet search.

“I would recommend looking at not only the city, but also different travel opportunities you have from that location,” added Morello. “Even if you’re not located in a big city, you may have great transit to do weekend travel.”

There’s a trip that just right for you

You might take part in a semester or year-long exchange depending on what your program and the partner universities offer. But RI’s partnership with Ontario Universities International (external link)  also allows students to pursue summer placements and research opportunities at universities in China, France, India, and Germany. Many positions feature scholarship and funding opportunities, and there is a study-abroad option for every budget.

Take the time to explore

During reading week on the North Island of New Zealand, Saura Haggart-Smith (now a student exchange intern at RI) took the opportunity to discover everything the country had to offer. “I took a road trip with one of my friends on the South Island,” she remembered. “We had this giant RV on the opposite side of the road. We started at the bottom of the island and worked our way up, and got to see some amazing sights. We got to do a bus tour and a little cruise, and just seeing all the different small towns and the mountains and the millions of sheep was really, really fun.”

Budget wisely

But be careful about those weekend trips: they add up. During Saura Haggart-Smith’s exchange, she quickly realized that shopping in New Zealand was not the same as home. “Food was way more expensive than I was expecting—an avocado was six bucks,” she said. “I panicked at first, but then I logically went through how much I would have to spend, and created a budget. I spent less on travelling and more on living expenses.” RI offers a comprehensive blog post about budgeting here.

You have support

RI hosts events for pre-departure and re-entry support, and some faculties have their own informational websites and exchange co-ordinators for one-on-one advice. “We host an annual re-entry event where we go through different ways that students can adjust to returning, as well as utilize their experience for future career success,” said Morello. “You have this wonderful experience, but how can you actually use it for the future?”

You will broaden your horizons

Morello, who grew up in Canada, studied abroad in the U.K. for her Master’s. She landed an internship and full-time job, and ultimately stayed over three years. “If you’re thinking about going to grad school, it’s really great to connect with different professors abroad.”

But even if you’re only staying for the semester, you’ll gain an experience you’ll never forget. “I had never travelled outside of North America before, so I got an amazing exposure to a completely different education system,” said Haggart-Smith. “We had about 100 exchange students there, so I had a built-in group of people to travel with. It’s a great way to be immersed in a culture while doing it with other like-minded people.”

“Not only are you taught by professors that potentially have a different perspective,” said Morello, “but you’ll also have an international classroom. Your peers can be from all over the world. They would have grown up with different perspectives and values, and you can really learn a lot.”

Global Learning Opportunities Week

Running October 30 to November 3, Global Learning Opportunities Week (GLOW) is a chance for students to learn about the full range of international education options. Events include  Ryerson International Table events, town halls, mixers, faculty information sessions, a Global Learning Fair, and Ontario Universities International information sessions for China, France, India, and Germany.

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For a full list of events, visit Ryerson International. The application deadline for exchange opportunities for the 2018-2019 school year is January 31.