The Four Program Types

Key Questions to Ask Yourself

Narrowing Your Choices

Using the Program Self-Assessment Worksheet as a Tool

Additional How to Choose Tools

Set goals
What do I want to accomplish by going abroad?
What are my academic and personal goals?

Define and describe the experience
What part of the world am I drawn to?
Am I willing to consider a place that is off the beaten track?
Do I want minimal cultural adjustment or am I seeking something different/challenging?
Are my choices influenced by others or am I deciding what's right for me?
Do I want to study with other Americans, other international students, or alongside students from the host country?

Choose the right time - when and for how long?
When should I go? An academic year, semester, summer?
If I go for a semester, should it be fall or spring?
If I go for a semester, does the program allow extension to a year?
Should I go abroad as a sophomore, junior, senior?
Can I go on EAP more than once while I am a student at Cal?

Requirements - can i qualify for the program?
Do I have the minimum overall GPA?
Do I have the foreign language prerequisites?
Do I have the minimum GPA in the foreign language?
Will I be able to fulfill other requirements for my program? (pre-requisite courses, etc.)
How many units do I have? Enough? Too many? Unit ceiling issues?

Content and credit
Do I want to study in another language or do I want courses taught in English?
Must I fulfill major, minor, college, or general education requirements?
Can I choose electives for my course work?
Do I want field work, an internship, or a research project to be part of my program?

Cost
How will I finance the program?
Can I afford it?
Will the cost influence my choice of country or program?
What financial resources are available to me?

Jump to Program Information on the University-wide website of EAP

Jump to the Latin America Program Reference Grid

Jump to the Spanish Language and Culture Program Reference Grid

Jump to the France Program Reference Grid

Jump to Videos Available in the EAP Reference Library

Click here to sign up for EAP emails!