Studying Abroad Almost Didn't Happen

I missed the deadline to study abroad.

My heart sank when I realized I was too late. My dreams of studying abroad for the winter semester crumbled. With a busy beginning to my first semester of Junior year, I missed the deadline for something I’ve wanted to do my whole undergraduate career. 

Luckily, the universe was on my side, and my friend texted me, saying she had found a different program in Florence through another university. Perfect. I applied and got accepted, but I realized the price of the program was way out of my budget. This happened twice more before I almost gave up on the idea of studying abroad completely.

In a last desperate attempt, I looked to Google for third-party study abroad providers, and that’s when I came across IES Abroad. I thought it was a scam. They offered so many different destinations and opportunities for financial aid, something that was another one of my biggest worries when looking into studying abroad. After digging, I realized that IES was legit and that my school has partnered with them for different programs. To be sure, I did more research on the most reliable sources: TikTok and Instagram. After seeing other students on social media talk about IES Abroad and after consulting with my study abroad advisor, I was set on applying to the Italy Today- Milan program. 

Choosing Milan wasn’t just about studying in a new city; it was directly tied to my career goals. As someone aspiring to become a public relations specialist for fashion companies, I felt that Milan was the perfect place to immerse myself in the heart of the fashion world. The city is home to some of the most influential brands and industry leaders, making it an ideal backdrop for building the connections and experiences I needed to kickstart my career. Although Milan wasn’t a destination I initially discovered during my research, I’m so glad it ended up being the one. The experience only reinforced my passion for PR in the fashion industry, and with its fashion-forward culture, Milan turned out to be the perfect place to help shape my future in the field.

Now that the anxiety of looking for a program was over, I had to move on to the other stressor- how I was going to pay for this trip.

The problem with this whole process was that I wasn’t studying abroad through the University of Michigan, meaning I would have to pay for the expenses on my own. However, if there’s a will, there’s a way. Immediately after applying to the Milan program I also applied to the IES Abroad scholarship and aid application. To stay organized, I made an Excel spreadsheet with every scholarship I applied to and updated it every time I decided to keep track of my finances. I looked up different scholarships, bugged my school’s Office of Financial Aid, and consulted with my advisor to know everything I needed to know about my expenses. 

In the end, everything worked out, and it was even better than I had expected. My key takeaway for anyone considering studying abroad: Start early and don’t become discouraged if something doesn’t go your way! Take the time to explore all of your options, as you never know what might be the best fit for both your academic and career goals. Even though I wasn’t studying abroad through my home institution, I found an opportunity that aligned perfectly with my aspirations and personal interests. Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you least expect.