Studying abroad has always been something that I have been interested in. I love to travel, and I think by earning college credit your adventure abroad is a much more valuable experience. However, the only downside to studying abroad is that there are so many options. I mean pages and pages of different programs, different timelines, different places to explore, different experiences, and different finance options. For me, this was difficult because I am so terrible at making any sort of decision. The only thing I was sure of was that cost was going to be a major factor for me. While being determined to go abroad, I wanted to make sure what I was paying for was worth it. I knew I wanted to experience new things in a completely new country. Also, I knew it was going to be a huge investment for me and I wanted to make sure I was getting my money’s worth. I wanted to make sure the program I chose was going to give me so much more than just a few weeks abroad. This is how I knew an IBS seminar was for me.
First step in the Study Abroad Process
My first step in this process was planning out a budget for my trip. Since the cost of my seminar was billed through my school I had more time to raise the money. Making a budget was important for saving enough money. I needed to know about how much money I was going to spend while on the trip. I also found that having a budget in my head made it easier to know what I could splurge on and where to save.
Saving Up
Saving up was easy when I simply cut back on what I spent while at home and at school. I used my meal plan way more instead of going out, and you would be surprised how much money I saved. I also asked for more hours babysitting. When I got paid for babysitting, I put all that money away for my trip. I even made a separate bank account so I would not be tempted to spend my savings. However, while working more, saving money, and making a budget was important and it did help, my biggest relief was the scholarships I applied for through the International Business Seminars company itself.
IBS Funding Opportunities
IBS provides so many scholarship opportunities, and that is one of the reasons I was so drawn to them. They offer scholarships for everything from writing to making videos for the trip and they give out lots of different price packages. My biggest piece of advice would be to apply to all of the scholarships. Even if you have no experience making a video, still apply. However, applying for scholarships does take some time and a well-thought-out application. In the end, though, you are getting free money to get to travel abroad so it is well worth it. I know that the planning part of a study abroad trip is super exciting and everyone wants to plan out places to visit and things to do in their free time, but if you work hard, submit a killer scholarship application, and stick to a budget, then your trip will be so much more fun and you will have a lot fewer concerns about money while being abroad!
