How to Choose a Study Abroad Program: Questions to Ask Before Committing

Start With Your Home School's Approved List

Check your study abroad office's approved program list before you look anywhere else. Programs on that list already have a credit transfer agreement, a safety review, and a point of contact at your school if something goes wrong abroad. A program outside that list can still work, but you carry more of the vetting work yourself and may need special petition approval for the credits to count.

If you find a program off the approved list, ask your study abroad office what it takes to get it added or petitioned for credit before you apply, not after you are accepted.

Check Academic Quality and Credit Transfer

Ask for a sample syllabus from the specific courses you would take, not a general program description. Compare class size, language of instruction, and whether you would take classes alongside local students (direct enrollment) or in a separate track built for visiting students (an island program). Direct enrollment usually pushes you further academically and linguistically, while an island program offers more built-in support if that is your first time abroad.

Get written confirmation from your department on exactly how each course transfers, as a direct equivalent to a specific requirement or as general elective credit. Verbal assurances from a program provider are not the same as a written confirmation from your own registrar.

Ask About Health, Safety, and Support

The Forum on Education Abroad's Standards of Good Practice outline what a well-run program should have in place, including dedicated health and safety resources, clear emergency protocols, and on-site staff who support students throughout the term. Ask any program directly whether it has staff physically present at your destination, how they handle a medical emergency, and what orientation covers before classes start.

Ask what happens if you need to leave the program early for a health or family emergency, including how refunds and academic credit are handled in that case. A program that cannot answer clearly is a warning sign.

Look at Housing and Cost

Ask what housing options exist, homestay, dorm, or apartment, and what is actually included in the program fee versus billed separately. Confirm whether flights, visa fees, health insurance, local transportation, and excursions are included or extra, since two programs with similar sticker prices can have very different total costs once you add these in.

Ask for a full, itemized cost breakdown in writing rather than relying on a single all-in number from a brochure. Compare that breakdown against your financial aid and any scholarship you plan to apply for, so you know your actual out-of-pocket cost before you commit.

Verify Program Accreditation and Provider Reputation

Check whether the program provider is a member of the Forum on Education Abroad , which signals the provider follows an established set of standards rather than operating without outside review. Ask your study abroad office directly about the provider's track record, including how long they have run the specific program you are considering and whether other students from your school have used it.

Talk to a Program Alum

Ask your study abroad office to connect you with a student who completed the exact program you are considering, not just the same country or provider. A returning student tells you things a brochure will not, including what housing actually felt like, how responsive on-site staff were during a real problem, and whether the course workload matched what was advertised.

If your school runs a returnee panel or peer advisor program, attend it before you apply. If no one from your school has done the program, treat that as a factor in your decision rather than ignoring it, since a first-time program at your school carries more unknowns.

Red Flags to Watch For

• Vague answers about who staffs the program on-site, or no local staff at all

• No clear refund or withdrawal policy in writing

• Pressure to commit or pay a deposit before you can see a detailed cost breakdown

• No students from your school or similar programs able to vouch for it

• A program not on your school's approved list with no clear path to petition for credit

Questions to Ask Before You Commit

• Is this program on my school's approved list, and if not, what does petitioning for credit require?

• Exactly how will each course transfer, and who confirms that in writing?

• Who is the on-site staff contact, and how do they handle a medical or safety emergency?

• What housing options exist, and what is included versus billed separately?

• What is the full cost, including flights, insurance, and visa fees?

• What is the refund and academic credit policy if I need to leave early?

• Can I talk to a student who completed this exact program?