Study abroad offers UW students an opportunity to break out of their comfort zone
UW’s faculty-led trips offer an accessible way to experience the world without upending work, finances, or family life.
By Ella Walken
College encourages us to step outside of our comfort zone in many ways. Students flee the nest and start their own life. Others may have their beliefs changed by learning about different perspectives in an academic context or creating a found family with new friends. Studying abroad gives a student the opportunity to break completely out of their comfort zone of college itself.
When many people picture studying abroad, they think of a months-long period in which a student moves their entire life to another part of the globe, often enrolled in an entirely different university than their home school. While a great opportunity for some, this type of study abroad experience is not for everyone. Important limitations such as work and finances are prohibitive.
For years I never gave studying abroad much consideration. I would not be able to afford to spend a quarter or semester abroad without taking out student loans, which I knew would take many years to pay off. Especially because I wouldn’t be able to work while abroad, this was not a sacrifice I was willing to make. I also knew I would likely get horribly homesick if I was alone and away from my family and friends for months on end.
Thankfully, the University of Washington has opportunities for students who can’t commit to starting a new life abroad. There are UW faculty-led programs which last anywhere from one to six weeks, opening up the possibilities for those of us with less time and more financial limitations.
These shorter-term faculty-led programs generally run students anywhere in the $5,000-$10,000 range for multiple classes before financial aid is applied. In comparison, longer term programs usually cost $20,000-$40,000 before financial aid. While still costly, the Rome program I participated in ultimately did not cost much more than an average quarter.
In TFILM 388 taught by Dr. Jennifer Myers-Baran during Spring quarter of 2025, the professor mentioned a study abroad program she was hosting in fall 2025. The program sounded right up my alley. It was a two-week trip to Rome focused on film and literature about Italian life and tourism.
In the lead up to the program we had several meetings and three weeks of class. We hit the ground running and spent three weeks immersed in Italian art, history and culture.
Nearly every day I found myself utterly floored by the beauty that the eternal city has to offer. I found new favorite foods and fought back tears in front of Caravaggio’s “David with the Head of Goliath.”
As an American, standing among ruins that precede the signing of the constitution by 2,000 years, changed my perception of the passage of time. I walked away from the experience with a renewed sense of passion for learning and travel.
Though studying abroad was a positive and transformational experience for me, it is important to note that there is no shame if you don’t feel compelled to try it out. In addition to homesickness and financial strain, traveling abroad, especially alone, truly is not for everyone. It’s exhausting, and the kind of discomfort it brings may be more harmful than constructive in some circumstances.
That being said, if you have even the slightest interest in embarking on a study abroad adventure, you won’t regret sending in an application or two. Between all three campuses, there are currently opportunities in dozens of fields of study across six continents. Maybe you want to study art in Amsterdam, wildlands studies in Nepal or maternal health in Ethiopia. There are options for any student with the desire to work towards their degree while exploring a different corner of the world.
For more information, visit the Office of Global Affairs website and find a program that’s right for you and what you’re looking to experience.
