5 Tips to Stay on Track with Your Major while Studying Abroad

By: Estefania Cardona Forero

I know that most of us when choosing to study abroad might be worried about many different factors and one of the most important ones could be credits, classes, or questioning ourselves if this will even transfer back. I think the most important part of this journey is to listen to yourself, is this what you want, or are you doing it it because it makes sense and it fills boxes that your university wants you to fill?

I study design at my home university and there was no chance that I could ever get credit by studying fashion design, however, with lots of ambition and planning, I was able to get credit and have the best time of my life, while also fulfilling those credits that I needed for my major. 

Some of the tips I can give you are: 

1. Start planning:

I know that it may sound as if you already know this one, but please plan. The last thing you want to hear is you could have done it if you planned. Why you may ask? Figuring out credits and classes is like a puzzle, and every semester fits differently and has a different stage to it. If you take all the classes you need that are for example major requirements before you leave, the chances of you having electives for study abroad will be higher, and it is easier to get credit for those mandatory classes. If you know that you want to go abroad your Junior year or Senior year for example, start planning as early as possible. I started planning a year before I went abroad to see that it would all go smoothly. 

2. Count, Count and Count:

I want you to count as many things as possible to plan everything out. How many credits have you completed, how many credits will you need to complete after studying abroad, and even how many credits will you possibly do while abroad? It's important to create scenarios, what is the best case scenario, what is the most likely scenario, and even what is the worst case scenario? Be prepared for everything and anything, and when you are abroad, all you have to do is sit back and relax and enjoy your classes because you know you have everything planned. 

3. Would you gamble?

Some of us won’t be so lucky as to know that we have time and the space necessary to study abroad, and it could be risky, it might even pop questions of what if I risk graduating. In my case, that was the case, if I didn’t get the specific credit while I was abroad, I was not going to graduate in 4 years, and I would need to stay an extra semester. Even though I gambled, and risked everything for my dream, I still made sure that I made this decision was an informed one. I made sure to the best ability that I could that things would go as planned. How? By have opened communication with everyone, with my home university, CIEE, and my study abroad university. CIEE facilitated this to the level that they did all the heavy lifting and helped me figure things out before any deadline or any decision. 

4. Meet with Advisors:

Meet with every single person who could help you figure out your study abroad journey. Major advisors, school advisors, study abroad advisors, and most importantly, CIEE advisors. You will get a personal CIEE advisor for your study abroad journey, and trust me, they will be your best friend, If you have any doubts or questions, they are there for you.

5. Permission before you go:

It might be different for everyone, but if there is any way that you could get a written document, email, or confirmation that your classes will count for a specific credit you are planning to have while abroad, get a written “permission” before you go. It's not official, but at least it will give you a sense of security when knowing that you have everything sorted and that once grades come out you will fulfill the credits you need. 

I hope this helps, and I hope you have a wonderful and easy study abroad experience!

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