British Columbia’s Ministry of Education announced that applications are now open for the Student Exchange Mobility Awards, which provides funding for groups of K-12 British Columbia students traveling with their teachers.
So, be sure to check with your school and see if they are running a Study Abroad program this year!
For more information on the awards visit the K-12 International Education Scholarships Page.
Do your homework. This goes both literally and figuratively. Many study abroad programs take academic achievement into account when selecting applicants, so hit those books. Additionally, researching the country you are applying to visit will not only help get you excited to study abroad, it will improve your understanding of the country’s culture, history and politics, as well as enhance your experience during your time abroad.
Some topics I researched before my trip to Japan:
Before I actually began packing for my study abroad trip, I felt as though I had really been packing mentally for months. I thought about which particular articles of clothing I would need during the rainy English winter, whether I would need anything fancy, and specific supplies that I would need in my dorm room.
It took me a few days to gather everything I needed, and a few more to actually pack everything into my suitcase. (Rolling literally everything you own and packing things into vacuum storage bags takes time!) Here are some items I found particularly helpful to pack from home before beginning my journey abroad:
My last couple months on exchange were jam packed with traveling to different cities, meeting new people, and cramming for final exams. I had a few weeks off after the semester was over before I had to return back to Canada and was able to travel to some of the major tourist hot spots. My first stop was Paris where I visited the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, saw the Tour de Eiffel for the first time (it’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be), and generally just ate a lot of sugar crepes. My next stop was in Amsterdam, where I ate the most delicious food I’ve had in Europe. The Dutch are notoriously known for making the best desserts and they definitely didn’t disappoint. Amsterdam had a very lively and welcoming atmosphere as well as a rich cultural heritage that was interesting to learn about. No...
