<p>Before I opened this thread, I knew people would recommend Middlebury and Tufts. These threads really are amusingly predictable. Nevertheless, your question, as it is current phrased, is relatively useless in a college search.</p>
<p>Percentage of students studying abroad can be influenced by factors other than a college’s encouragement of doing so. A preponderance of engineering students, for example, usually lowers the percentage of students studying abroad. Many colleges also use January or May terms to boost study abroad numbers, despite three weeks being very different from three months.</p>
<p>It would be similarly unwise to judge a college’s study abroad options merely by looking at the school-sponsored programs offered. Study abroad organizations like Arcadia-CEA and Butler-IFSA offer programs all over the world, and students from other universities may apply to these programs. These days it is relatively easy to study nearly anywhere from nearly any college.</p>
<p>Questions you need to consider for each college:</p>
<p>[ul][<em>]1. Does financial aid apply to study abroad programs? What about summer programs?
[</em>]2. Is there a maximum amount of aid available?
[<em>]3. If study abroad is cheaper than the college’s COA, does financial aid cut grant money or loans?
[</em>]4. a) Are students allowed to participate in study abroad programs sponsored by other universities or organizations?
b) How difficult is it to petition such programs and get credit?
c) Does financial aid count toward such programs?
[<em>]5. Does the college limit how long/often students may study abroad? Is the number of transferable credits limited?
[</em>]6. Are the study abroad programs immersion (students are placed directly into the host culture) or sheltered (placed with other students from the college, often with an accompanying professor)?
[<em>]7. Do study abroad courses count toward GPA or class standing?
[</em>]8. Does the college offer courses or meetings that prepare students for study abroad?
[<em>]9. What are the admission criteria for school-sponsored programs? How competitive are the programs?
[</em>]10. Are students studying in non-English-speaking countries required or encouraged to take courses in that language?
[<em>]11. In the event an in progress program is canceled or students are forced to evacuate, does the college offer tuition refunds? If so, how does it handle them?
[</em>]12. Does the school solicit/keep feedback from returning students on the various programs they’ve attended regarding how well-managed the programs are?[/ul]</p>