Studying abroad allows students to educate themselves, and it prepares them to educate others in the future.

Anne Seitzinger, assistant director of the Study Abroad Office, said early planning is the key to success when considering to study abroad.

NIU offers a variety of programs in different countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Thailand and the United Kingdom, among others.

Ines De Romana, assistant director of the Study Abroad Office, said students are able to develop new skills, gain independence, resourcefulness and self-confidence.

Students return after their study abroad experiences with skills they can’t acquire on campus, De Romana said.

“Students also will develop a deeper understanding of our global marketplace and [will be able to] demonstrate to prospective employers, graduate and professional schools that they are internationally aware and informed when understanding the cultures of other people,” De Romana said.

The office sponsors a wide variety of programs during Winter Break, Summer Break and the regular academic year.

Those who study abroad provide glowing testimonials about the positive personal growth they underwent and the positive impacts the experience has had on them as individuals and professionals for the rest of their lives, De Romana said.

Financial aid can make the study abroad experience affordable, Seitzinger said. More than half of the students who participate in NIU study abroad programs receive some form of financial aid.

General program costs (tuition, room and board, required student medical insurance) can range from $1,700 to $11,000, depending on the term and the type of program, De Romana said. Specific information about program costs is available at the Study Abroad Office.

Application deadlines vary, and students interested in studying abroad should talk to the Study Abroad Office for specific deadlines.

For information about studying abroad, go to the Study Abroad Office’s Web site at www.niu.edu/niuabroad, or visit its office located at Williston Hall, Room 417.