By Brooke Adams

As a University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) student, there are many opportunities and resources available to you in order to enhance your study abroad experience. Participating in a long-term study abroad program can be so beneficial for your education and personal growth. “I have always wanted to travel and this experience has shown me that I can travel anywhere and everywhere,” says K’Onie Warren, a junior at the Herbert College of Agriculture studying animal science. In 2022, she spent two semesters studying abroad in Seoul and Gwanju, South Korea through the University Studies Abroad Consortium program. Extended study abroad programs can be life-changing experiences because they allow students to fully immerse themselves in a new environment and culture. Through this program, she experienced life at two different Korean universities. For the first semester, she enrolled at Kookmin University, and for the second she studied at Chonnam National University.

K’Onie Warren immerses herself into the culture in South Korea while studying abroad.

“My semester abroad was the most impactful thing that I did as an undergraduate student,” Gracie Pekarcik, study abroad coordinator for the Herbert College, reflected on her own experience. “The longer you are abroad the more immersive the experience and the more you get out of your comfort zone. When studying abroad for a short period of time you experience the country as more of a tourist, but when you go for an extended period you begin to experience real life in that country.” Studying abroad can make such an impact on not only a student’s education, but also on their personal growth . It is extremely beneficial for young adults to experience different cultures and learn more about what their specific field looks like globally.

UT offers many resources for students wanting to study abroad, these include the Center for Global Engagement (CGE), the Programs Abroad office, and the Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture. While studying abroad, you are also still a UT student, so any campus resources are available to you even while you are in another country. There are many different types of extended study abroad trips and each of them will have different safety measures, medical resources, and program resources. When studying abroad long-term, you will also utilize more in-country resources as you become more familiar with your surroundings.

Some benefits to studying for an extended period are that the programs are more flexible, there is more independence, and you become fully involved in the culture. Two of the more common types of extended study abroad programs include direct enrollment and affiliate programs. A direct enroll program is where you directly enroll and take courses at a certain university. With this experience you will usually live in a dorm or with a host family. Direct enrollment is usually more independent and you have more freedom to explore as much as you want while in the country. A program affiliated study abroad is when you are with a cohort of students and you all take similar courses and have a slightly less independent experience. With this type of program you will usually live with a host family and it is slightly more structured with your cohort of students.

Another thing that is so helpful when studying abroad is the financial aid and scholarships that you can receive because of being a student. There are several scholarships for study abroad programs within the university and outside of UT. Some programs can even cost less than UT tuition! “My semester abroad was my cheapest semester of college,” says Pekarcik. The Smith Center offers scholarships for $500 or more, Herbert offers up to $1,250, and CGE offers up to $1,250 for long-term study abroad experiences. Students can also use their current financial aid package, FAFSA, and scholarships toward their long-term programs. 

Gracie Pekarcik was able to experience and learn so much during her semester abroad in Kenya.

When starting to plan your semester or year abroad remember to follow these steps:

1. Meet with your study abroad advisor to discuss options and opportunities.
2. Find a program or university you would like to apply to.
3. Meet with your advisor to discuss the courses you can and cannot take at the university or in the program; make sure all your courses will transfer back to UT.
4. Meet with OneStop to discuss financial aid and scholarships available to you.
5. Apply to the program or university!
6. Request for transfer credit form here at UT with your advisor.
7. Travel abroad and ace those courses!

There are many ways for you to get involved in international agriculture and study abroad through Herbert College. The Smith Center is one of the many resources students can utilize to find different international opportunities. To get started in planning your study abroad experience, schedule a study abroad advising meeting to discuss any international opportunities that might be a good fit for  you!