While more research is still needed in this area, researchers who have measured the impact of study abroad and other international learning experiences have found that they have a positive impact on academic, educational, and professional outcome measures.
Study Abroad Improves Grade Point Averages, Completion, Retention, and Transfer Rates
Far from the fears that studying abroad will delay a student’s graduation, multiple large-scale studies have found that students who study abroad, especially underrepresented or “at-risk” students, are more likely to complete their degrees or certificate programs than students who did not study abroad. In addition, several studies have shown that students who study abroad have a higher GPA than similar students who stayed on campus, even when controlling for external factors. This impact is even more pronounced for minority and at-risk students.
- Education Abroad and College Completion (CASSIE) (2022)
- California Community College Student Outcomes Abroad Research (CCC SOAR) Project (2013)
- Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative (GLOSSARI) (2004)
- Effects of Study Abroad Participation on Student Graduation Rates: A Study of Three Incoming Freshman Cohorts at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (2008)
Across different subgroups of students, there is correlation between studying abroad and student success even when controlled for external factors.
- CASSIE (2020) descriptive statistical reports for:
- Taking Longer, but Finishing Just as Strong: A Comparison of Pell and Non-Pell Study Abroad Participants' GPA and Time-to-Graduation (2019)
Study Abroad Improves Language Learning
According to the Pew Research Center only 25 percent of American adults can speak a language other than English and only 7 percent of those adults learned that language in school rather than in their childhood homes. Compared to the 90% of European high school students who are learning English, U.S. students are woefully underprepared to meaningfully interact with colleagues and competitors from around the world. Studies have shown that students who study abroad made greater gains in language proficiency than students who studied the same language domestically.
- A Longitudinal Study of Advanced Learners' Linguistic Development Before, During, and After Study Abroad (2021)
- The High Impact of Education Abroad: College Students’ Engagement in International Experiences and the Development of Intercultural Competencies (2013)
- Enhancing Language Learning in Study Abroad (2011)
Study Abroad Fosters Intercultural Understanding, Provides a Global Context, and Builds Enlightened Nationalism
Studying abroad is a unique and transformational learning experience. Students who have studied abroad are better able to work with people from other countries, understand the complexity of global issues, and have greater intercultural learning. One study found that students returned from their study abroad experiences more tolerant and less fearful of other countries, but with a greater sense of nationalism—a phenomenon they called "enlightened nationalism."
- Exploring the Microfoundations of International Community: Toward a Theory of Enlightened Nationalism (2015)
- The High Impact of Education Abroad: College Students’ Engagement in International Experiences and the Development of Intercultural Competencies (2013)
- The Effect of Study Abroad on Intercultural Competence Among Undergraduate Students (2013)
- Beyond Immediate Impact: Study Abroad for Global Engagement (2009)
- Assessing International Learning Through Introspective Accounts (2005)
Study Abroad Increases Employability and Career Skills
It is hard for any study to definitively state that one experience leads to a better job or higher income. However, multiple surveys have shown that the skills gained while studying abroad are the same skills that employers value and that employers recognize the importance of cross-cultural understanding in an increasingly global economic environment.
- Developing a Globally Competitive Workforce Through Study Abroad (2020)
- Career Integration: Reviewing the Impact of Experience Abroad on Employment (2020)
- The Value of Study Abroad Experience in the Labor Market: Findings from a Resume Audit Experiment (2020)
- Investing in Study Abroad and Cultural Engagement: A Win-Win for Career Development (2020)
- Gaining an Employment Edge: The Impact of Study Abroad on 21st Century Skills & Career Prospects in the United States (2017)
- The Impact of Study Abroad Experiences on Vocational Identity among College Students (2016)
- Does Study Abroad Increase Employability? (2015)
- Understanding the Early Career Benefits of Learning Abroad Programs (2015)
- U.S. Business Needs for Employees with International Expertise (2014)
- QS Global Employer Survey Report (2011)
- Culture at Work (2010)
- International Experience and Graduate Employability: Stakeholder Perceptions on the Connection (2009)