Education Abroad’s informative meeting on Sept. 14 left students with enticing reasons to go outside their comfort zone, giving them an opportunity to discover new places, build lifelong friendships and increase employment marketability.
Julio Castro-Bello is the Education Abroad Adviser at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). Castro-Bello walked guests through updates, scholarships and program offerings during the virtual gathering.
Semester and year-long programs are available for all majors, with over 100 partner universities in 30 countries in Asia, Europe, Oceania, and North and South America.
Students eligible for study abroad scholarships can receive up to $5,000 for regular programs and $8,000 if studying a critical language. The study abroad fee is $350.
Students will pay CSUMB tuition and housing at the partner university. The next cycle begins in Spring 2022.
There are also virtual international passport programs available for students with travel concerns. For virtual study abroad, there is a course fee payment required for the foreign university, but no Education Abroad fee. The length of the programs varies depending on the university.
An exciting lineup of winter programs is coming in 2023, a smaller selection including Germany, Costa Rica, France, Japan and Australia.
The National Student Exchange is an additional option for students looking to stay within the United States, allowing applicants to study in a different state.
Castro-Bello advises applicants to avoid studying abroad during their first and final semesters. He recommends researching options, meeting with one’s academic advisor and applying for scholarships.
Virtual advising appointments are available for students with questions and concerns.
Students can experience a range of different cultures and expand their knowledge by studying abroad.