+ Benefits Gained Through Education Abroad

The benefits of education abroad start with the transformation that happens to the individual student but extends far and wide into their communities (both abroad and at home): their home university, employers, and to all Americans.

For Students:

• Travel and see the world
• Experience, better understand, and appreciate new culture
• Test preconceptions, stereotypes, and habits
• Skills and experience that will help in the classroom and the future workplace, such as foreign language fluency, critical thinking, reasoning, and exposure to new interests and career paths
• Valuable international professional experience that allows students to compete in the global workplace
• Personal growth: increased independence, confidence, open-mindedness and adaptability
• Enhanced global network and lifelong friendships
• Improved culture intelligence, or ability to cope with, make sense of, and integrate oneself in unfamiliar cultures
• Increased empathy to others, regardless of their culture, ethnicity, identity, orientation, beliefs, desires, etc.
• Improved communication skills, both verbal and nonverbal
  

For U.S. Institutions:

• Offer a broader academic range of courses not available at the home university
• Incorporate coursework taken abroad into the academic context of the home university
• Bring subject matter to life by teaching it abroad
• Internationalize a home campus so that students are exposed to international learning

For Local Communities:

• Create opportunities for American students to volunteer in the community
• Internationalize classrooms with American/international students to provide unique perspectives and discussions
• Allow locals to learn or practice English language skills while teaching their local language, via in person or electronically over email, through conversation partner programs, E-pal programs, and more
• Host American/international students as a homestay family, introducing locals to the American culture (mutual cultural enrichment) and allowing locals to benefit financially
• Gain assistance and an international perspective when conducting academic research
• Get help with community-based projects from American/international students participating in Service-Learning or Community-Engaged Learning programs
• Stimulate local economy

For U.S. Employers:

• Students have gained skills that are valuable for leadership development
• Bring cultural immersion in the workplace
• Students are more likely to be openminded, resourceful, and adaptable
• Possess better communication skills
• Students are more independent

For All Americans:
When all the above benefits take place, American society becomes more open, more well-rounded, more accepting of each other, and create a more peaceful, respectful, productive, and joyful world.

+ Learn more

The Exchange Visitor Program advances America’s diplomatic relations and bolsters national security by improving the perception of the U.S. in the eyes of future leaders from 200 countries and territories. There are 15 non-immigrant visa categories, ranging from secondary school student for high school exchange programs, through research scholar and other professional categories for experts in their fields. Many of the J-1 categories allow participants to offset the costs of their cultural exchange experience by working, and add significantly to the U.S. economy. Every year, approximately 300,000 international students, scholars, researchers, teachers, and young professionals visit the U.S. as part of the EVP.

The EVP is entirely self-funded and operates at no cost to U.S. taxpayers. Participants pay their own way and cover all costs associated with the program, including program fees, room and board, and travel while in the United States.

EVP Programs:

• Au Pair
• Camp Counselor
• College and University Student
• Government Visitor
• Intern
• International Visitor
• Physician
• Professor
• Research Scholar
• Secondary School Student
• Short-Term Scholar
• Specialist
• Summer Work Travel
• Teacher
• Trainee

BENEFITS OF THE EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM

Supporting U.S. national security & foreign policy priorities

Exchange Visitor Program participants take home positive impressions of America -- 9 out of 10 report a more favorable view of the U.S. These university students and young professionals move into a broad range of professions in their home countries where they are likely to be influencers. Their exchange experiences create a foundation for positive relationships and trust with our country, equipping these future leaders with favorable impressions of America, firsthand experience with American business practices and American families, and improved English skills.

FUTURE LEADERS FROM 200+ COUNTRIES

Participants are university students and young professionals from around the world. They are the future business, political, and civil society leaders of their countries.

9 OUT OF 10 HAVE A BETTER VIEW OF THE U.S.

More than 90% of all Exchange Visitor Program alumni report a more positive view of the U.S. following their programs.

6.5 MILLION+ WORLDWIDE ALUMNI

Since 2000, 6.5 million + students and young professionals from around the world have experienced American culture and values through the Exchange Visitor Program.

1 IN 3 WORLD LEADERS IS AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM ALUM

One in three current world leaders is an alumnus of a Department of State international exchange program.