Students going abroad look to economize

By LANCE FULLER
Special to The Sun

Published: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, June 9, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.

With a weak dollar and the high price of oil, many University of Florida students are finding their plans to study abroad more expensive than originally intended.

So with the high cost of living in countries with the euro or pound, students planning to go abroad are considering exchange rates and other economical programs when they decide where to go, said UF Study Abroad Adviser Kirsten Eller.

In the last couple of years, the UFIC created programs in China, India, New Zealand and Fiji to provide students with less expensive alternatives. According to its Web site, UF has a three-month-long program in Beijing, China for $6,795, which is roughly the same price as the program in Rome for six weeks for $6,752.

"It is exciting to watch the Asia-Pacific region grow. We wouldn't have those students overseas if it weren't for these programs," Eller said.

When faced with the choices of either absorbing the economic hit of poor exchange rates or not traveling at all, UF students are electing to go abroad, Eller said.

"(They) will more than likely alter their plans and spend less than not going abroad," Eller said. "Studying abroad changes your world and your perspective of it. You will not be the same person when you come back to the U.S.," Eller said. "If you don't do it in college, chances are you won't do it later on."

Despite the dollar's unfavorable exchange rate in many countries, UF has more students studying abroad this year compared to last year.

There is a 4 percent increase in UF students abroad this year, according to the UF Study Abroad Services Coordinator Susanne Hill.

As of Thursday, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Web site stated every $1.55 equates to one euro, while every $1.95 equates to one British pound.

This summer, UF has 1,250 students abroad with 853 of those students on UF-sponsored programs. There are 52 programs spanning 28 countries that offer courses ranging from religion and women's studies in India to business in Ireland.

Some of the most popular countries include Italy, Spain, France and the United Kingdom.

Even with a weak exchange rate to the euro and the pound, UF students are not deterred from traveling to Western Europe and abroad in general, said Eller.

"There are a couple of reasons why UF students continue to study in expensive countries like Britain and France," Eller said. "The opportunity to go abroad and the fact that costs are expected to continue to increase mean students are better off studying abroad now than later," Eller said.