When choosing a study abroad program, there are a lot of different factors to consider. After many decades in the field, countless CET students, study abroad advisors, and student service coordinators have provided advice and insight into how they made their decisions.
Think about your academic goals.
Are you seeking to quickly build your fluency in a foreign language? Consider a program with a language pledge. Are you an experiential learner? Seek out a program that gets you doing things—from interviewing locals to learning about art through classes that take you to galleries and museums. Are you looking to test out your academic skills in the job market? Look for an internship program.
Identify other reasons you wish to study abroad.
Are you hoping to reconnect with your family’s heritage? Look for a program that focuses on the region’s history. Want to seek out new perspectives? Find a program in which you live and learn with locals.
Visit your study abroad office to understand your options.
You may find that your school only approves certain programs. There may be a list of programs with courses that count toward your major. If your school doesn’t have any options that meet your study abroad goals, check to see if there is a petition process for other programs.
Get advice from students who have studied on your top-choice programs.
Want to hear what studying with CET is like from someone who’s been there? Reach out to our Campus Ambassadors to hear from CET program alumni ready and willing to share their experiences with you. You can also read reviews of our programs on GoOverseas.com and see student quotes on all of our program pages. Listen as former students describe their experience to find out if the program they attended would be a good fit for you. How much did their language skills grow? How rigorous were the classes? How much money did they spend? Was there a balance between time devoted to academics and time for exploring the host country? Be sure to filter their advice—a program that did not work out well for another student may actually be the program you are looking for.
Types of CET Programs
Intensive Language: All language, all the time. In intensive language programs, your sole focus is improving and using your language skills in the local environment. You engage in a challenging intensive language curriculum, live with a local roommate, and abide by a full or limited language pledge. Examples of this program type include CET Beijing, CET Jordan, and CET Japan.
Internship: Start building the foundation of your international career with an internship abroad. You dedicate a significant portion of your study abroad to working at a local organization where you gain practical work experience, build intercultural communication skills, and explore your interests outside the classroom. These programs are typically internship-focused, but are typically paired with electives or language courses. Examples of this program type include CET Shanghai, CET Prague, and CET Jordan.
Research: Deep dive into a topic of your choosing with a guided research component abroad. You work with faculty to hone your topic, and on-site staff use their local networks to connect you with the people and resources you need to accomplish your academic goals. Outside of the research component, the curricula usually includes other thematic courses, electives, and basic language courses. Examples of this program type include CET Jordan.
Humanities and Social Sciences: Head to your host country ready to dive into a specific academic theme. These programs could focus on anything from international development to social justice and inequality, and have curricula that are built to provide you with a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the topic at hand. Other than core courses, you might take language classes and electives. Examples of this program type include CET Brazil, CET Prague, and CET Siena.
Studio and Performing Arts: Whether you’re taking on a full-fledged studio arts program in Japan, or beefing up your demo reel in Prague, these study abroad programs afford you opportunities to get hands-on experience in the arts that interest you. Examples of this program type include CET Prague programs at FAMU, and AICAD in Japan.
Jointly-Offered Direct Enroll: Get the best of both worlds—directly enroll in classes at a local university and get robust student support from CET. These programs put you in classes alongside local undergraduate students for an unadulterated learning experience. Examples of this program type include CET Colombia, CET Brazil: Business in São Paulo, and CET Prague programs at FAMU.