IU has been sending students abroad for generations. Each one has had an individual and unique experience learning about the countries and cultures in which they lived, and in learning about themselves. Our alumni profiles highlight the experiences of students who left campus ten or more years ago. Read some of their stories.
“It was the single best decision I made at IU. It allowed me the freedom away from my comfortable surroundings to take academic risks and think for myself.” - Canterbury, England
"I have never met anyone who has regretting studying abroad during their time in college...but I have met many people who regret not participating in a study abroad program." - Nagoya, Japan
“The experience of living in Lima for a year gave me insights that I never could have gained from books or television. I came back a changed person, and I like the person I became.” –Lima, Peru
“Overseas study is a totally transformative experience that broadens an individual and enriches every minute of your life afterwards, not just the few hours a day spent working.” - Canterbury, England
“My approach to life, family and diet has changed from my time abroad. I feel that I am more able to connect with people different from me and make time for the good and important things in life. Living abroad opens your eyes to the wider world around you. ” - Bologna, Italy
"It was a perfect experience, and I would not have changed the courses I selected, the summer internship at a Korean chaebol, or the weekend excursions I took nearly every week or so. They were all so memorable." - Seoul, S. Korea
“I am 56 now, but the memories that I gained when I was 20 are as fresh as then. To those considering foreign travel, I say, DO IT! You will not regret it. It is an investment in youth that will give you pleasure until the day you die.” – Bologna, Italy
“It's really become a part of who I am. I took my wife to Spain for an extended visit a decade later, and we've always had a very international life.” – Madrid, Spain