Of the numerous opportunities available at colleges and universities in the U.S., study abroad programs are one of the most exciting and beneficial. Learning and understanding new cultures, improving your foreign language skills, studying your discipline from an international perspective, and seeking out new challenges are byproducts of engaging in a study abroad experience.

During the 2002–2003 academic year, the number of higher education students in the United States receiving credit for study abroad programs increased by 8.5 percent from the previous year (Open Doors 2004, Institute of International Education). Study abroad is highly valued by employers internationally. In fact, both the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology have included global perspectives in their accreditation standards. Many institutions actively seek schools with which to form exchange programs. As a result of this collaboration, in most cases students pay their U.S. universities' tuition and fees before they leave and don't pay tuition to the school abroad.