Posted December 27, 2025
Newbattle Abbey in Scotland where UWRF students stay when traveling abroad.
Studying abroad has become one of the most popular ways for college students to earn credits while gaining educational and unique experiences away from home. These programs take students outside the U.S. for varying lengths of time (depending on the trip) and immerse them in different cultures and environments. This exposure allows students to expand their horizons in many ways, including trying new foods, meeting people from diverse backgrounds, sharing traditions and values, exploring new places, and gaining a global perspective.
Financial aid options and scholarships are available to help students manage the costs of these trips. Additionally, faculty and staff often accompany students to ensure their safety and well-being throughout the experience. Several study abroad options are available at UWRF and can be an option for any student.
Exchange programs are one of the most common study abroad options. College students are likely to see exchange students walking around campus, these are students sent from foreign universities, while UWRF students travel to those countries in return. These are typically semester-long exchanges that vary by major and destination.
Currently, UWRF offers exchange opportunities in Mexico, Norway, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, the Netherlands, and more. Heiner is an exchange student from Germany studying marketing who is here for the fall semester. Heiner explained that he really likes his experience at UWRF so far.
Due to the high number of education majors at UWRF, overseas student teaching is a very popular option. This program lasts one full semester and fulfills the student teaching requirement that education majors must complete to graduate. Students get to teach in diverse cultural settings in countries like Australia, Costa Rica, Germany, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and more.This experience offers future teachers a unique opportunity to work with students in a different cultural environment, broadening their teaching skills and perspectives.
UWRF also offers a semester abroad in Scotland during both the spring and fall semesters. This program is open to majors such as English, Journalism, Sciences, Art, Marketing, and many others. Students earn 15 credits: 12 credits from four 3-credit courses and
an additional 3-credit class called Scotland: Society and Globalization, which explores Scottish culture and society.
Kelsey McLean worked at the fair booth and stated, “It is at a university in Scotland, but we bring our own faculty.” She also explained, “It is a lot of school, but there are also many cool field trips that students get to go on.” The total cost for this program is approximately $15,000 to $16,000.
UWRF offers many other study abroad programs, some being major specific including
● Semester Abroad Europe (variety of majors)
● International Traveling Classroom (variety of majors)
● Programs in Germany, Netherlands, Iceland (major specific)
● Physical Education in Poland (major specific)
● Trips to Ecuador, the Caribbean, Bahamas, and China (major specific)
Students interested in studying abroad should research deeply to find trips that match their academic and personal interests. Studying abroad is a unique and special opportunity that can be impactful to any student.
The article may be found online at https://uwrfjournalism.org/2025/12/exploring-the-world-through-uwrfs-study-abroad-programs/.