Students looking to expand their horizons can find many opportunities through Ferris’ study abroad programs.
The Office of International Education (OIE), located in the Interdisciplinary Resource Center (IRC), offers a variety of programs to help students looking to study in a foreign country.
Ferris pre-pharmacy sophomore Kexin Zheng, an international student from China who has been in the U.S. for four years, said that study abroad is an important aspect of education.
“I think because later on when you graduate and go to work, you won’t have enough time to spend in a country and learn stuff. If you were to go, you would probably go travel but that’s going to be short-term,” Zheng said. “I would say if you want to go, just go. Don’t make excuses.”
Program lengths vary to accommodate everyone. A student may travel abroad for two weeks, or for an entire semester. Cost is largely dependent on program length, but on average is between $4,000 and $5,000, which includes tuition credits, airfare, accommodations,
in-country transportation and health insurance. There are summer programs, which are faculty-led, and semester programs, which are done through partner or affiliate universities, available to students. Students who participate in semester programs at partner universities pay
Ferris tuition as opposed to an affiliate program, which costs a program fee, according to the Ferris website. Financial aid can also be used
toward study abroad and there are multiple study abroad specific scholarships listed on the Ferris website available to students.
Ferris OIE Executive Director Dr. Piram Prakasam said there are three reasons he supports studying abroad, including self-discovery and developing tolerance for ambiguity.
“The third reason is the primary reason for doing study abroad, which is in the long-term: how is that personally and professionally going to help you?” Prakasam said. “To be a better lifelong learner, a better-informed citizen, a better contributor to your society… and I say your society, your community, but it’s really the global community we’re all a part of.”
Ferris social work freshman Taylor Gentle attended the weekly study abroad workshop held Friday, Sept. 14, and said she is interested in traveling to London.
“You get to know the different cultures and experience what it’s like around the world, and get experience for what you’re going into,” Gentle said.
To learn about Ferris’ study abroad opportunities, students can visit weekly workshops every Friday in the IRC and a study abroad fair in October. More information for study abroad and online applications can be found on the Ferris website. Students are encouraged to visit the OIE and can meet one-on-one with an administrator.
