cause and effect essay studying abroad

The impact of studying abroad - and of being made to return home again

David mckenzie.

Studying abroad is becoming increasingly common in many countries – with almost 3 million students educated each year at the tertiary level in a country other than their own. For developing countries in particular, studying abroad offers many of the promises and fears of brain drain (both of which I think are overblown). But understanding the causal impact is hard, because people self-select into whether or not to study abroad, and there are no lotteries or other experiments we can turn to for easy answers. Three recent non-experimental papers succeed to varying degrees in providing some convincing causal evidence.

The most convincing of the three studies is a recent paper by Matthias Parey and Fabian Waldinger which has just appeared in the Economic Journal. They consider the impact of studying abroad due to the European Erasmus student exchange program on whether German students live abroad in the first 5 years after graduating. They find studying abroad for a year during undergraduate studies (after which they return to finish their studies) increases the likelihood of working abroad early in the career by 15 percentage points, and provide some suggestive evidence that one of the channels for this might be through meeting a foreign partner, in addition to the more work-related channels.

The Erasmus study uses instrumental variables for identification. They rely on the fact that the Erasmus program was rolled out slowly through German universities and departments within universities. Controlling for a student’s entry cohort, subject, and university, they argue that the fact that, for example, there were scholarships for political science at University X but not for economics, whereas for University Y there were scholarships for economics but not political science, was due to idiosyncratic reasons such as particular faculty connections. What is very nice about the paper is that they take threats to the exclusions restrictions very seriously, and have more than 2 pages carefully discussing possible threats to identification, checks they can do to rule these threats out, and a whole lot of sensitivity analysis. They also note that while IV allows them to only estimate a local average treatment effect (LATE), this LATE is precisely the parameter of policy interest- the effects of studying abroad for those people who only study abroad due to the Erasmus program.

A second approach is used by Oosterbeek and Webbink in a paper just out in Economica . They consider Dutch students who apply to a scholarship program to study for year abroad of graduate study. The selection committee ranks all students, and only those whose rank is above a certain cut-off get a scholarship. This naturally leads to a regression discontinuity approach, which compares outcomes for students just above and just below this threshold. The downside is that the scholarship is pretty exclusive, so even pooling together multiple years of entrants still only gives 25 students just below the cutoff and 51 just above. They find for this group that studying abroad increases the likelihood of living outside of the Netherlands early in their career by 30 percentage points.

The identification idea is sound in this paper, but the small sample size makes it more difficult to do a number of the best practice smoothness checks around the discontinuity with any precision. Moreover, as is well-known, regression discontinuity designs only identify the treatment effect in the neighborhood of the discontinuity. In this case the sample is pretty specialized – talented Dutch students who apply for this particular scholarship, in a context where to apply for the scholarship they already have to have a definite plan of where they will study abroad, that it may be more difficult to generalize these findings.

A further challenge both these studies face is a common one in migration work – of actually being able to track migrants. Both surveys only look at people relatively soon after graduation, and tracking rates seem to still be only 51% in the Dutch survey and 25% in the German surveys. This points to the need for better systems of tracking migrants.

The third, and least convincing paper, is also the one that is likely of most direct interest to developing countries. In a paper appearing in a recent NBER volume, Kahn and MacGarvie try and examine the impacts of the U.S. Foreign Fulbright program on knowledge creation in sciences and engineering. The Fulbright program provides scholarships to enable foreign students to come to U.S. graduate schools, but then requires that these students return to their home countries for 2 years after graduation. [Fun fact: apparently working for the World Bank or other international organizations is a loophole]. The question then is whether and how forcing people to go back to their home countries after graduate study impacts on their careers. The authors find Fulbright recipients in sciences and engineering have significantly fewer high-impact publications and overall citations, with this result strongest for people from the poorest countries – i.e. being made to go back to a poor country is a career killer.

The result seems intuitive enough, but the identification is not very convincing. The authors employ a matching approach , attempting to match each Fulbright recipient to another foreign student in the U.S. on a few basic characteristics such as ranking of PhD institution, field of study, year of Ph.D., gender, and log GDP of the home country. This is not convincing for several reasons. First, it assumes that people who got Fulbrights would have been able to study abroad if they didn’t get them – whereas a regression discontinuity based on comparing those who just miss out on the Fulbright to those who get it might be more compelling. Second, matching is on the basis of variables which themselves might be outcomes of getting the Fulbright, not ex ante determinants. Third, matching is more convincing when there is a rich set of variables to match on, which definitely doesn’t describe this case. And finally, this is a case where I would find it hard to find matching convincing – given how important this Fulbright requirement to return is, I would expect to find people self-selecting into whether they apply or not (and whether they take it up or not) depending on their desire to return home.

The return requirements of the Fulbright and other scholarship programs certainly warrant further study. John Gibson and I have studied emigration from Papua New Guinea, and find many high-skilled individuals there who appear to have returned to PNG after studying in Australia because of a 2-year return requirement, and that few of these then seem to have subsequently left again. So I believe that these requirements may have large effects – but don’t think we know much about what the cost in terms of career prospects are of such requirements.

The impacts of policies to spur or hinder international student mobility are important to learn about, so it is great to see some papers starting to look at these issues – and to see plenty of scope for further work which builds on this. To get a broader view of new research in migration, take a look at the program for the 4 th Migration and Development Conference which was held a week ago at Harvard: lots of interesting new studies were presented.

Lead Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank

Join the Conversation

Share on mail
comments added

Why Study Abroad

Globalization has changed the way the world works, and it is increasingly critical to have cross-cultural competence and cutting-edge technical skills in the market for today and in the future..

PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that by 2050, the E7 (China, India, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey) will be more than 50% larger than the G7 countries (the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan) when measured by GDP at market rates. The National Intelligence Council’s “Global Trends Report 2030” projects that China will surpass the United States as the world’s largest economy by 2030. A study by the British Council, entitled Culture at Work , shows that employers are under strong pressure to find employees who have both technical knowledge and “soft skills” such as critical thinking, problem solving, time management, and communication, deemed necessary for success in a global workforce.

Many employers feel that “graduates are leaving school unequipped with the skills necessary to function successfully in the workplace.” Many reported gaps in technical skills and soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork – key skills that study abroad develops. IIE’s Gaining an Employment Edge study found that over 70% of students reported that their study abroad experiences significantly helped develop their intercultural skills, flexibility and adaptability, self-awareness, curiosity, and confidence.

Study abroad is one of the best ways to acquire global skills and access personal and professional opportunities.

Study abroad is a life-changing experience for many students, opening their eyes to different ways of life and promoting understanding and tolerance. From elementary through post-graduate education, global engagement and exposure can profoundly change a student’s life. By looking at research on the more directly quantifiable aspects of study abroad impact, studies show students who study abroad have better grades, experience less attrition, and graduate from college at higher rates than students who do not study abroad.

An analysis by the Consortium for Analysis of Student Success through International Education (CASSIE) found that those who studied abroad were 6.2% more likely to graduate in 4 years and had an average GPA 0.16 point higher than those who did not study abroad.
Study abroad can be particularly impactful for first-generation students and underrepresented minorities , with those who study abroad 11.6% more likely to graduate in 4 years and earn a 0.12 higher GPA than similar students who did not study abroad.
In a study of AIFS Foundation AYA alumni , more than 90% said that participating in a secondary education exchange program developed or improved key skills for post-secondary education and entry to a global workforce.
A study by SIT of their program alumni found that a 72% reported that their study abroad experience significantly impacted their career choices and helped when applying for jobs.

Employers also recognize the value of study abroad to develop workforce skills.

According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report (2020) , employers rated critical thinking and analysis, problem-solving, and self-management as the most critical skills for the global workforce moving into 2025.
Employers increasingly see international internships as a key recruitment pipeline and way to identify globally aware and competent employees. In 2018/19, approximately 25,000 U.S. students worked abroad or completed an international internship for credit.
85% of study abroad alumni of IIE-administered programs list their international experience on their resume and 73% discussed aspects of their experience during job interviews.
AIM Overseas reported “61% of employers agree that an overseas study experience is [positive] on a resume. Additionally, 72% of employers agree that knowing a second language adds to the appeal of a prospective employee. The same study reported 95% of students found the exchange experience as useful with regard to their future career plans.
Based on responses from 13,0000 hiring managers and CEOs, the 2020 QS Global employer survey found that 25% of respondents said that international experience was a recruitment priority.
Study abroad alumni have better job prospects. Based on a survey conducted by IES Abroad , 67% of study abroad alumni found their first job within six months of graduation.

IIE’s Generation Study Abroad provides resources to students, parents, and international education professionals who are engaging in study abroad and making the case for its significant value. We must ensure that this generation and future generations of the U.S. workforce possess knowledge of other countries and cultures and are competent in languages other than English . It is more important now than ever for students to gain global competency skills so that they can succeed in the global marketplace.

From IIE’s A Student Guide to Study Abroad

“The ability to work across cultures is no longer a nice-to-have skill set for elite executives; every year it becomes more essential to finding any job at all. A machine operator at a plant in Topeka that exports aircraft parts to Brazil needs to know how to interact effectively when Brazilian customers come to visit. A nurse’s aide at a Houston hospital that serves a large Hispanic community has to communicate with family members in ways that encourage rather than discourage patient compliance.” Stacie Nevadomski Berdan Co-author and international careers expert

“The beauty of studying abroad is gaining a broader understanding of other cultures. Having access to other people and building relationships with those people on their home turf enables one to think more creatively and flexibly, necessary skills in today’s competitive work environment. If a student can bring that understanding and knowledge back to the USA, the sky’s the limit!” Frank Abate Division Manager, JM&A Group

“As a 35-year old, I believe that my generation is the last one to be able to use global experience as a differentiator. Globalization has now become a requirement to compete and succeed.” Adam Michaels Principal, Booz & Co.

College Study Abroad
College Study Abroad Blog

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Studying Abroad?

April 17, 2024

Authored By:

@cieestudyabroad These are the pros and cons of studying abroad! #cieestudyabroad #studyabroad #studyabroadadvice #studyabroadprograms #wheretostudyabroad #howtostudyabroad #college Sunshine - WIRA

Studying abroad is a big decision. On one hand, studying abroad has endless advantages and is a life-changing opportunity that only comes around during your college years. On the other hand, it can feel like a total leap of faith.

If you’re on the fence about taking the next step with CIEE Study Abroad , keep reading! W e’ve created the ultimate list of the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad . Why? So, you can make an informed decision about whether studying abroad is the right choice for YOU.

EXPLORE CIEE PROGRAMS

Read More: Is Studying Abroad Worth It? 10 Outcomes of Studying Abroad

The Pros of Study Abroad

Studying abroad opens the door to a world of new possibilities. We couldn't be more passionate about that. The benefits of living and learning in a new culture will impact all parts of your life, from the day you enroll to every day thereafter.

You will be surprised at the impact this one experience will have on you. And you will be so glad you took that leap of faith, after all.

The Top 6 Advantages of Studying Abroad

As you weigh the pros of studying abroad , add these to your list:

1. You will learn to think more broadly.

By immersing yourself in a new culture, you will be exposed to a new language, new perspectives, foreign foods, and life-changing experiences. All of this will change the way you see the world and your role in it.

2. You will make lifelong connections.

By sharing new experiences, you can’t help but connect deeply with other students in your cohort and at your partner institutions. And trust us, you will share many new experiences while studying abroad. These are the kind of friendships that last a lifetime.

ciee study abroad excursion in the middle east

3. You will gain a competitive edge.

Ninety-seven percent of students who study abroad find employment within 12 months of graduation and 25 percent earn higher salaries than their peers. How’s that for standing out in today’s competitive job market?

Bonus : You can even boost your resume by gaining real-world experience through a global internship ! We offer full- and part-time international internship opportunities across a wide variety of industries. So, if it’s a competitive edge you want, then a competitive edge is exactly what you’ll get.

Read more: How to Put Study Abroad on Your Resume: 4 Steps

4. You will build your language skills.

Whether your goal is to master a new language or just get by with a conversational understanding of the local language, studying abroad will help you do it. There is nothing quite like cultural immersion for optimal language learning.

Do note , however, that most CIEE programs are delivered in English unless you’re in a language class or program for advanced speakers, like our Summer Intensive Spanish Language program in Alicante or our Advanced Arabic Language program in Amman.

student learning chinese from a language tutor abroad with ciee

5. You will step out of your comfort zone.

Trying new things helps you learn how to adapt to new situations. A key life skill for our rapidly changing world.

Just think, you will be working with new professors, new peers, a new currency, a new language, a new transit system, new food, and more – you get the idea. And just know, CIEE will be there to support you every step of the way, 24/7. Our program is a truly great way to safely take that leap of faith.

6. You will be better for it.

We hear it all the time : “study abroad changed my life.” And it’s so true. Studying abroad teaches you leadership, cross-cultural communication, adaptability, and so much more. Mark this down as a key advantage to studying abroad.

advantages and disadvantages of study abroad

The Cons of Study Abroad

Charting new territory is not in everyone’s comfort zone. And studying abroad, for many students, is definitely classified as uncharted territory. We know the unknown can be intimidating, and we also know studying abroad comes with a bit of sacrifice.

This is why we’re sharing some of the disadvantages of studying abroad so you can make the most informed decision possible.

The Top 5 Disadvantages of Studying Abroad

Here are the cons of studying abroad you should address when weighing your decision:

1. Studying abroad can be expensive.

It can be . But there are scholarships and grants available to help you make studying abroad a reality . Your college or university may offer their own scholarship and grant options. Others you can apply for at CIEE directly in your CIEE Study Abroad application . We offer millions each year for students with demonstrated financial need, proven academic merit, or who’ve enrolled in specific programs as well.

On average, a semester with CIEE costs $18,861 . A little less when studying abroad in Latin America ($17,291) . A little more when heading to Europe ($19,968) .

Our Open Campus Block program option, in which you can choose one, two, or three consecutive six-week study abroad sessions, costs about $18,750 but drops significantly to a little over $6,000 for students who choose to pursue only one block (6 weeks) or about $12,000 for two blocks (12 weeks).

Bear in mind, too, that CIEE tuition provides a high level of student support. Not every program can say the same. Our program fee covers most of the essentials, outside of airfare and meals, and typically includes:

Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure advising
Orientation
On-site staff + 24/7 emergency on-site support
Cultural + co-curricular activities
Travel protection

students on cultural excursion at throne hall korea

Read More: How Much Does it Cost to Study Abroad in 2024?

2. There will be language barriers.

Even for the most advanced speakers, immersion into a new culture will stretch your language capabilities. We see that as a really good thing. And we believe that if you go abroad with us, you will, too.

But there’s no getting around the fact that there will be a steep language learning curve as you make your way through the program. We bet you’re up for the challenge. Plus, most of our classes are taught in English, so you will still make big gains academically.

3. You may experience culture shock.

The food will be different. The language will be different. The architecture will be different. The style of communication will be different. The local customs and social norms will be different, too. You will have to adjust. But isn’t that at least some of the point? You will return home with a new perspective!

Read more: What is Culture Shock? 4 Examples and Tips to Adjust

4. You might get homesick.

Most of our students are traveling for the first time without their family or friends. And that’s a huge step that may cause homesickness .

Just know that CIEE offers a ton of support, including around-the-clock on-site staff. So, we’re always available. Plus, you’ll have a cohort of new friends to keep you company when those homesick feeling begin creeping up.

And remember , you can always call home when you need to hear a familiar voice. Our students love to FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, and so on to virtually connect with their loved ones whenever they want.

5. Re-integration can be hard.

This is an adjustment most students don’t anticipate.

Often, when the study abroad experience is really great and there’s a ton of personal growth, students have a hard time adjusting back into their typical routine back home. You may experience this, too. It’s a sort of homesickness for the study abroad culture.

Just know it will get better once you’ve had time to adjust to your routine again. And, for those who just can’t shake the feeling, there’s the opportunity to apply to join CIEE’s Student Ambassador Program to get paid to talk about your study abroad experience!

Learn More: Become a CIEE Student Ambassador

The Choice is Yours

Thinking through the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad is an important first step in your study abroad experience. If you have any questions or want to talk through your personal list of studying abroad pros and cons, we ’re happy to connect .

In the meantime, check out t he 170+ incredible programs we have to offer to begin planning your perfect study abroad experience!

GET STARTED

Activities & Excursions
Foreign Language
Planning/Packing
Scholarships

Privacy Notice
Terms & Conditions

Home / Essay Samples / Education / Learning / Studying Abroad

Studying Abroad Essay Examples

Studying abroad: exploring my motivations.

Studying abroad has become an increasingly popular choice for students seeking a transformative educational experience. The opportunity to live and study in a foreign country presents a myriad of benefits, both academically and personally. In this essay, I will present arguments in favor of studying...

Why I Want to Study Abroad: Exploring New Horizons

Studying abroad has always been a dream that has sparked curiosity and excitement within me. This essay delves into the reasons why I want to study abroad, the personal and academic growth I anticipate, and the invaluable experiences that I believe await me in a...

Why Do I Want to Study Abroad

Studying abroad is a dream I have nurtured for years, and it represents an important chapter in my academic and personal journey. The decision to study in a foreign country is not one I take lightly, and it is grounded in a deep-seated desire for...

Language Barrier: the Challenge of International Students

Language barrier is one specific challenge facing students in transition at the University of Bristol and in this challenges of language barrier essay I will discuss what problems usually arise in the life of an international student. As it is shown in the OECD statistics,...

The Great Debate: Studying Abroad Vs Studying in Your Country

“The art of reading and studying consists in remembering the essentials and forgetting what is not essential.” Adolf Hitler. Studying abroad and studying in your own country both have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Studying in your own country allows you to stay close...

Studying Abroad as an International Student

“So, we know that it’s not enough for us to simply encourage more people to study abroad. We also need to make sure that they can actually afford it.” ―Michelle Obama Good morning teachers and my fellow classmates, today I am presenting a topic of...

Difficulties and Benefits of Studying Abroad

With globalization, more and more students want to leave their home environment to go study abroad. These trips are most often in the form of scholarships and student exchanges. This exercise is so widespread that one wonders whether or not to advocate such a practice....

My Motivation to Pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Business in Germany

My name is Sourav Joshi, S/o Mr. Ashok Kumar and Mrs. Shashi. I hail from H NO- 1948, New Aman Nagar Salem Tabri, Ludhiana. I live in a nuclear family. I believe that family is such a strong word which means to feel secure. I...

Studying Abroad in England

If given the opportunity to study abroad anywhere in Europe, the country of my choosing would be England. The university that I would pursue would be the prestigious University of Cambridge, where I would study programming. The university, which is located in the center of...

Studying Abroad in the U.s.a

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving,” said Albert Einstein who is one of the most famous scientists. As Einstein says, life is a bicycle if you stop, you will fail. Sometimes life opens the doors when least...

Trying to find an excellent essay sample but no results?

Don’t waste your time and get a professional writer to help!