The Popularity of Studying Abroad and International US StudyBy Amanda Thurston

Introduction• Experienced sales associate Amanda Thurston was

fortunate enough to study abroad for a summer. Amanda Thurston studied and lived in Spain for several months, during which time she also took trips to other nations such as Holland, England, France, and Italy.

Every year nearly 300,000 American college students spend time studying in another country as part of a study abroad program. Most colleges and universities that provide study abroad options do so through third-party coordinators or in connection with an affiliated university in a foreign country.

Studying Abroad• The more than 289,000 US students participating in

study abroad programs over the course of the 2013-2014 school year represented an increase over the prior year.

As well, the trend of international students studying in the US continued on an upward trajectory; over the same time period, the international student population in America grew by about 8 percent to almost 890,000. The figure represents an increase of over 72 percent since 2000, and 2013-2014 was the eighth year in succession that has shown expansion in terms of international students seeking higher education in America.