With some planning, studying abroad can be a profitable experience

Last summer, Ashley Hernandez was excited to sign up for a travel-study program in Spain.

But the fourth-year international development studies and Spanish student ended up on the program’s wait list, and had to ditch her travel plans.

“You pretty much don’t get off (the wait lists),” she said.

Hernandez experienced one of the many potential pitfalls Bruins hoping to study abroad may face, from logistical issues involving paperwork to personal planning for leaving the country.

But students and university officials say the right planning and knowledge can help avoid such problems.

After her travel-study in Spain fell through, planning became a top priority for Hernandez. Last fall, she began planning to go on another travel-study program in Costa Rica over the summer.

“I got on it right away when school started,” she said.

Vito Grillo, a study abroad counselor in UCLA’s Education Abroad Program office, said students should typically start planning about a year in advance.

He noted that many programs have limited space, and under EAP’s new application guidelines, some programs give priority to students who apply earlier.

“Early planning is crucial,” he said. “It’s not too early for students who are freshmen to come in (to the EAP office) and start planning their classes.”

Different types of study abroad programs may require different levels of planning though. UCLA students have three main options ““ summer travel-study, the education abroad program, and outside programs or internships.

Summer travel-study typically lasts about a month, and students complete coursework while either participating in home stays or living as a group.

The UC’s Education Abroad Program allows students to study at a foreign university for a longer period of time during the regular academic year, anywhere from one quarter to a full year.

Grillo noted that coursework students complete while participating in travel study or EAP automatically transfers and counts for UC credit, though it may not always fulfill major requirements.

Students who study abroad through an outside program, or who choose to do an internship abroad, are not guaranteed credit for coursework they complete, and may have to withdraw from UCLA in order to enroll at a foreign school.

Danielle Ryan, a third-year English student, has participated in two summer travel-study programs in England, and said the planning process was relatively quick and simple.

“The travel-study Web site was pretty easy because they really walk you through it and send you lots of e-mails,” she said.

Ryan said the only time she ran into a logistical problem was when she was planning her first travel-study trip and needed to apply for a passport.

With just over a quarter remaining before her departure, Ryan said she worried she should have applied earlier. Fortunately, her passport arrived with time to spare.

But Grillo said paperwork ““ especially passports and visas ““ should be taken care of immediately.

In recent years, processing times for passports and visas has increased due to new rules and heightened security.

Bruce Hanna, director of communications for the UC’s EAP office in Santa Barbara, said in general it has taken longer to get passports since Sept. 11, because increased security has slowed down the process.

As a result, EAP officials now ask students who need passports to expedite the process, which costs an additional fee but typically ensures that necessary documentation arrives in time.

Hanna noted that only a small number of students are prevented from studying abroad each year because of paperwork delays.

In addition to passports and visas, there is other paperwork students must complete, Grillo said.

Students participating in EAP often need to supply recommendation letters from professors, and all students must clear a health check.

Grillo also encouraged students to iron out non-university logistics, such as ATM and credit cards, and health care and medications.

Ryan said she believes that doing some advance research and planning, such as finding out the monetary exchange rate and booking flights and accommodations, is also important.

She discouraged students from trying to make last-minute arrangements once they get to their destination country, since it may be more difficult to book tickets and accommodations abroad.

“Make reservations ahead of time,” she said. “It’s not quite as consumer-friendly (abroad) ““ unless you’ve got all your stuff together, they’re not exactly raring to help you.”

But both Hernandez and Ryan agreed that once students arrive in their destination country, logistics should take a back seat to enjoying the experience.

Hernandez, who stayed with a family in Costa Rica, said she attempted to settle into the native lifestyle as much as possible.

“I told myself, “˜I’m just going to live like a Costa Rican,'” she said. “Keep an open mind and try everything.”

Ryan said students should take advantage of being in another country, and should take side trips and explore whenever possible.

“Once you’re really comfortable you can go out on your own. Go off the beaten path. Talk to local people ““ they have way better advice.”

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