Students had the chance to win free air-fare to their study abroad program of choice at the Kennedy Center's study abroad fair. Photo by Lucy Schouten.
The Study Abroad Fair displayed most of BYU's dozens of international study programs and internships to students interested in going abroad.
BYU sent 1,421 students to 57 countries, including England, China, Malawi and Brazil in more than 132 programs during 2012-2013. Most programs are open to students of any major and this year; the BYU Kennedy Center has 70 open applications for study abroad programs for Spring, Summer and Fall semesters in more than 35 countries.
Students take classes fulfilling GE requirements and, many times, major and minor classes, while living across borders. The average cost for spring and summer programs is between $4,000 and $6,000, and for fall and winter programs it is between $7,000 and $8,000. This price covers BYU tuition for LDS students, excursions and programs fees and, in some cases, airfare.
Rebecca Bradshaw, a senior studying French, went on the study abroad program in Paris during Winter semester of 2011 and said studying abroad can broaden students' horizons because they are allowed and encouraged to travel on weekends.
'There was great value in everything that we learned,' Bradshaw said. 'Our history classes were in these world-class museums, and we saw the real paintings. You get to know other students really well and you get to travel on weekends so that was really fun.'
Cinzia D. Noble, an Italian professor at BYU, said this kind of program has great value in students' lives.
'(BYU students) open up; they broaden their horizon,' Noble said. 'They learn more about different cultures and how to adapt to a new situation, which is always a good thing in their lives no matter where they go or what they do, because life just brings us in many different situations even if we stay in our area.'
Will Kimball, an associate professor in the school of music who will go to Vienna this year said music and art students should consider going abroad because they will be able to see things that they only hear about in classes.
'This is a chance for to be able to apply what they have been learning,' Kimball said. 'They have a chance to go see a lot of these things that they only hear about.'
To apply for any international study program, go to kennedycenter.byu.edu/isp