This quick post will be about studying abroad as a College of Chemistry student. My name is Samantha Marinkovich, and I am majoring in chemical engineering with a concentration in business and management. I studied abroad during the Summer of 2018 in Barcelona, Spain.
I am a huge advocate of studying abroad during your college experience. Without sounding too cliche (I hope), studying abroad is truly a life changing experience. Some of the best memories of my college career are from my time abroad. I watched a World Cup game in Portugal, met amazing people in 6 different countries, watched fireworks on the beach, visited museums and castles, and enjoyed the International Business and International Marketing classes I took. I was able to heighten my adaptability and independence by placing myself in a completely new environment (I'd never even visited Europe!), and I grew a lot from interacting and working with people from different cultures.
People have many different reasons for studying abroad. Whether it be to master a new language or learn about a new culture or any other reason, it is important to understand what you want to get out of the experience.
There are many considerations to take into account when deciding to study abroad including costs, location, coursework, duration, time of year, etc.
Firstly, you don't necessarily have to take classes abroad to go abroad. Internship programs are also offered abroad through Berkeley Global Internships and other programs. This is a useful option for students who would rather work abroad than take courses.
Studying abroad as a College of Chemistry student, especially as a chemical engineer, can be difficult during the semester. Our course loads don't offer much room for "extra" courses and breaks. I don't mean to say that CoC students studying abroad during the semester never happens -- in fact, I know someone spending a semester in London, England taking courses that will count towards ChemE requirements right now -- but the summer is a really good option for those that can't fit studying abroad into the academic year.
Your financial aid package can apply to your study abroad costs if you choose a program through UC Berkeley or another UC. If you choose an independent program, financial aid won't apply. There are scholarships you can apply for to help subsidize costs in both situations. I'd advise making a budget beforehand for extra spending money; I spent a lot on traveling, so it's important to be aware and save up!
Take into account the languages spoken where you want to study. Also, different campuses abroad will offer different courses, so not all programs/locations will directly apply to College of Chemistry major requirements or coursework. It is important to check with the UC Berkeley study abroad office and your CoC advisors that the courses are acceptable before you choose a program. It was a pretty fast and easy process to check with Dr. Ciston if my classes could apply!
Apply, apply, apply! Remember to research early on, so you can make the deadlines. For reference, I studied abroad in June, but I sent in applications early Spring Semester! Deadlines for studying abroad in the Fall can be as early as January and February.
And finally, make sure you have your passport, and get ready for the trip of a lifetime!